50+ Chinese Last Names with Meanings & Origins

Chinese names work in the opposite order from Western names: the family name comes first. So in “Wang Wei,” Wang is the surname and Wei is the given name. Almost all Chinese surnames are a single character with a genuine dictionary meaning — “king,” “plum,” “yellow,” “horse” — which makes them some of the most meaningful family names in the world. If you’re exploring Chinese naming more broadly, our Chinese names guide covers given names too, while this article is all about surnames.

Every table below gives the pinyin spelling, the simplified and traditional characters, what the character means, and where the surname comes from. Where scholars genuinely debate a meaning, we’ve marked it Uncertain rather than guessing — real etymology beats a pretty story. For a general overview of surname traditions, see our last names collection.

Top 20 Most Common Chinese Last Names

A small set of surnames dominates China — just 19 surnames are shared by around half of all Han Chinese people. These are the giants: names carried by tens of millions, each with thousands of years of history behind a single character. Notice how many come from ancient states — in old China, when a state fell, its people often took its name as their surname.

Surname (Pinyin)	Characters	Meaning	Origin
Wang	王	King	From the Zhou royal house
Li	李	Plum	From the ancient Li clan
Zhang	张 / 張	To stretch; archer	From the imperial archer’s title
Liu	刘 / 劉	Uncertain	Origin debated among scholars
Chen	陈 / 陳	To display; to lay out	From the State of Chen
Yang	杨 / 楊	Poplar tree	From the State of Yang
Huang	黄 / 黃	Yellow	From the State of Huang
Zhao	赵 / 趙	—	From the State of Zhao
Wu	吴 / 吳	—	From the State of Wu
Zhou	周	—	From the Zhou Dynasty
Xu	徐	Calm; gentle	From the State of Xu
Sun	孙 / 孫	Grandchild; descendant	From an ancestor’s name
Ma	马 / 馬	Horse	From a horse-related official title
Zhu	朱	Cinnabar; vermilion	From the color of rank
Hu	胡	Dewlap; northern tribes	From the State of Hu
Guo	郭	Outer city wall	From a place name
He	何	Uncertain	Traditionally linked to the Ji clan
Luo	罗 / 羅	Bird net; gauze	From the State of Luo
Zheng	郑 / 鄭	—	From the State of Zheng
Liang	梁	—	From the State of Liang

More Common Chinese Surnames & Meanings

Beyond the top 20, these surnames are still carried by millions of people across China and the global Chinese diaspora. Several are dynasty names — Song and Tang — which families adopted out of loyalty or pride. Others, like Dong (“to supervise”) and Cheng (“measurement; rule”), come from ancient job titles, making them the Chinese equivalent of occupational surnames. Compare them with the most common US surnames to see how differently the two naming traditions evolved.

Surname (Pinyin)	Characters	Meaning	Origin
Song	宋	—	From the Song Dynasty / State of Song
Xie	谢 / 謝	To apologize; to decline	From the State of Xie
Han	韩 / 韓	—	From the State of Han
Tang	唐	Grand; boastful	From the State of Tang
Feng	冯 / 馮	—	From the place Feng, near Luoyang
Dong	董	To supervise; to direct	From an official’s title
Xiao	萧 / 蕭	Mugwort; desolate	From the State of Xiao
Cheng	程	Measurement; rule	From an official’s title
Cao	曹	Government office; department	From the State of Cao
Yuan	袁	Long	From the State of Yuan

Rare Chinese Surnames

While a handful of surnames dominate, around 2,000 Chinese surnames are still in use — and the rare ones are treasures. Some, like Kou (“invader; enemy”), carry fierce meanings that make them striking choices for fictional characters. Others, like She and Xian, are so uncommon that even their original meanings are lost to history, which we’ve marked honestly as Uncertain. If you love one-of-a-kind names, these pair well with ideas from our unique last names collection.

Surname (Pinyin)	Characters	Meaning	Origin
Ran	冉	Tender; soft	Ancient Chinese surname
She	佘	Uncertain	From the legendary She clan
Hu	扈	Retinue; attendant	From an official’s title
Ji	暨	To reach; to arrive	Ancient Chinese surname
Kou	寇	Invader; enemy	Ancient Chinese surname
Xu	胥	All; petty official	From an official’s title
Kuai	蒯	Rush grass	Ancient Chinese surname
Xi	郤	—	From the city of Xi (Shanxi)
Xian	冼	Uncertain	Ancient Chinese surname
Mi	芈	Uncertain	Royal clan of the ancient Chu state

Two-Character Compound Surnames

Most Chinese surnames are one character — but the famous exceptions use two. Compound surnames like Ouyang, Sima, and Zhuge instantly sound historical and distinguished, because they were often held by aristocratic families, scholars, and officials. Zhuge is forever linked with wisdom thanks to the legendary strategist Zhuge Liang. These make powerful choices for historical fiction, wuxia stories, and games.

Surname (Pinyin)	Characters	Meaning	Origin
Ouyang	欧阳 / 歐陽	South of Mount Ou	From a place name
Sima	司马 / 司馬	Master of the horse	From a military title
Zhuge	诸葛 / 諸葛	—	From a branch of the Ge clan
Situ	司徒	Minister over the masses	From a civil official’s title
Shangguan	上官	High official	From an official’s title
Huangfu	皇甫	Uncertain	From the place Huangfu
Linghu	令狐	—	From the place Linghu
Dongfang	东方 / 東方	East; eastern	From a direction name
Ximen	西门 / 西門	West gate	From a place name
Murong	慕容	—	Xianbei tribal name

Where Chinese Surnames Come From

Chinese surnames have been passed down for thousands of years — one of the oldest continuous surname systems in the world — and they grew from four main roots:

• Ancient states and dynasties. When a state fell, its people often took its name. Zhao, Wu, Zheng, Liang, Han, Song, and Tang all began as kingdoms or dynasties before they became family names.
• Places. Guo (“outer city wall”), Feng (a place near Luoyang), Xi (a city in Shanxi), and the compound names Ouyang, Linghu, and Ximen all started as locations.
• Official titles and occupations. Sima (“master of the horse”), Situ (“minister over the masses”), Dong (“to supervise”), Cheng (“measurement; rule”), Ma (“horse”), and Zhang (“archer”) record what an ancestor did.
• Ancestors, clans, and descriptions. Wang (“king”) and Sun (“grandchild; descendant”) come from lineage, while Li (“plum”), Yang (“poplar tree”), Huang (“yellow”), and Zhu (“vermilion”) are vivid word-meanings.

In ancient China there were actually two kinds of family names — xing (the older clan name) and shi (the branch or title name) — which merged over time into the single surnames used today. Surnames have been passed from father to children for millennia, and women traditionally keep their birth surname after marriage. Neighboring traditions share this deep history: explore our Japanese last names and Korean last names guides for comparison.

How to Choose a Chinese Last Name

Whether you’re naming a character, choosing a pen name, or honoring your heritage, keep these tips in mind:

• Match the meaning to the person. A noble hero suits Wang (“king”); a gentle character fits Xu (“calm”); a strategist echoes Zhuge. Let the character’s meaning do quiet storytelling.
• Pick the right era. Compound surnames like Sima, Ouyang, and Murong feel historical and aristocratic — perfect for period fiction, but unusual for a modern-day character.
• Check the pinyin spelling. Romanization matters: Lü needs the umlaut (or “Lu:”), Xi is pronounced “shee,” and Xu sounds like “shü.” Get the spelling right for your audience.
• Verify the meaning. Invented surname meanings circulate widely online. Cross-check with the Wikipedia article on Chinese surnames, the list of common Chinese surnames, or Behind the Name’s surname section.
• Use with cultural respect. Adopting a Chinese surname for a character is fine and common; using one as your own legal or public name without Chinese heritage deserves thought about how it will be received.
• Test the full name. Say the surname with the given name out loud — Chinese rhythm favors balance, so pair a one-character surname with a one- or two-character given name. For bold, punchy options, browse our cool last names list too.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common Chinese last name?

Wang (王, “king”) is the most common Chinese surname, followed closely by Li (李, “plum”) and Zhang (张, “archer”). Just 19 surnames are shared by around half of all Han Chinese people, which is why these names feel so familiar.

Do Chinese last names come first or last?

First. Chinese names put the family name before the given name — so in “Li Na,” Li is the surname. When Chinese names are written in Western order (given name first), the surname is often capitalized or placed last, which can cause confusion.

What do Chinese surnames mean?

Most are single characters with real dictionary meanings — Wang means “king,” Li means “plum,” Huang means “yellow,” Ma means “horse.” Others are ancient place or state names (Zhao, Wu, Zhou), and a few have meanings scholars still debate, which we’ve marked Uncertain in the tables above.

Are Chinese surnames passed down from the father?

Traditionally, yes — Chinese surnames have been passed patrilineally from father to children for thousands of years. Women customarily keep their birth surname after marriage rather than taking their husband’s.

How many Chinese surnames are there?

Around 2,000 Chinese surnames are still in use today, but the distribution is extremely concentrated — about 100 surnames cover the vast majority of the population. Thousands of rarer surnames survive in small numbers, like the ones in our rare surnames table.

Can I use a Chinese surname for a fictional character or pen name?

Yes. Chinese surnames are widely used for fictional characters, gamer tags, and pen names. Choose a meaning that fits the character, double-check the pinyin spelling and pronunciation, and for historical settings consider an era-appropriate compound surname like Sima or Ouyang.

Conclusion

Chinese last names pack thousands of years of history into a single character — a fallen kingdom in Zhao, a royal title in Wang, a plum tree in Li, a horse in Ma. Whether you were drawn to the giants of the top 20, the quiet beauty of rare names like Ran and Ji, or the aristocratic ring of Ouyang and Sima, the perfect surname is on this list. Choose one whose meaning resonates, verify it with a trusted source, and give your character, your child, or yourself a name with a real story. Ready for more? Browse our full name collections for thousands of naming ideas from every tradition.