A Chinese compound surname is a Chinese surname using more than one character. Many of these compound surnames derive from Zhou dynasty Chinese noble and official titles, professions, place names and other areas, to serve a purpose. Some are originally from various tribes that lived in ancient China, while others were created by joining two one-character family names. Only a few of these names (e.g. Ouyang [歐陽/欧阳], Shangguan [上官], Sima [司馬/司马], Zhuge [諸葛/诸葛], Situ [司徒], Xiahou [夏侯], Huangfu [皇甫], and Huyan [呼延]) can still be found quite commonly in modern times with Ouyang, Shangguan, Sima and Situ appearing most frequently. Many clans eventually took on a single-character surname for various reasons. Lists below are arranged alphabetically by their Mandarin pinyin spellings.
Native Han compound surnames Chinese charactersMeaning or origin Mandarin(Pinyin)Cantonese(Jyutping)Hokkien(POJ)VietnameseKoreanJapaneseNotable people百里Hundred liBǎilǐ Baak3 Lei5Bách LýBaengni; Baengri(백리)HyakuriBaili Xi淳于An ancient Chinese kingdomChúnyúSeon4 Jyu1Thuần VuSunu (순우)Jun'uChunyu QiongThe fifthDìwǔDai6 Ng5Đệ NgũJeo (제오)DaigoDiwu Qi東方 (东方)"East", descendants of Fuxi clan according to legendDōngfāngDung1 Fong1Đông PhươngDongbang (동방)TōhōDongfang Shuo (東方朔) ()"Eastern Pavilion"DōnggéDung1 Gok3Đông CácDonggak (동각)Tōkaku ()"Eastern Wall"DōngguōDung1 Gwok3Đông QuáchDonggwak (동곽)Tōkaku東門 (东门)"East Gate", place of residence, from Zhou dynastyDōngménDung1 Mun4Đông Môn Dongmun (동문)Tōmon端木 DuānmùDyun1 Muk6Tuan-bo̍kĐoan MộcDanmok (단목)TanbokuDuanmu Ci (端木賜), San Duanmu ()GaotangKong-sunCông TônGaotang Chen, Gaotang ()"Dukes' descendants", an address of the noble descendants in the Spring and Autumn periodGōngsūnGung1 Syun1Kong-sunCông TônGongson (공손)KōsonGongsun Zan, Gongsun Long公羊Branch of GongsunGōngyángGung1 Joeng4Kong-iôngCông DươngGongyang (공양)KōyōGongyang Gao (公羊高)公冶Branch of Ji, from courtesy name of Jiye (季冶) of Lu in the Eastern Zhou dynastyGōngyěGung1 Je5Công DãGong-ya (공야)KōyaGongye Chang (公冶長)公西GōngxīGung1 Sai1Công TâyGongseo (공서)KōsaiGongxi Chi (公西赤)毌丘Place nameGuànqiūKwun3 Jau1Quán KhâuGwan-gu (관구)KankyūGuanqiu Jian穀梁 (谷梁)Sorghum grains (?)GǔliángGuk1 Loeng4Cốc LươngGongnyang; Gongryang (곡량)Kokuryō皇甫Branch of Zi (子), from 皇父, the courtesy name of Huangfu Chongshi (皇父充石) of the Duchy of Song in the Eastern Zhou dynastyHuángfǔWong4 Pou2Hông-húHoàng PhủHwangbo (황보)KōfuHuangfu Song, Huangfu Ran(皇甫冉)黄斯HuangsiHoàng Tư蘭向(兰向)LanxiangLan Hướng令狐Place nameLínghúLing6 Wu4Lîng-hô·Lệnh HồYeongho; Ryeongho(령호)ReikoLinghu Chu甪里Place nameLùlǐLuk6 Lei5Lộ LýNongni; Rongri (록리)Rokuri閭丘 (闾丘)Place nameLǘqiūLeoi4 Jau1Lư KhâuYeogu; Ryeogu (려구)RyokyūLuqiu Luwei (閭丘露薇) (南宫)Southern PalaceNángōngNaam4 Gung1Nam CungNamgung (남궁)NankyūNangong Kuo (Western Zhou) (欧阳)South of Mt. Ou Yu ŌuyángAu1Joeng4Au-iôngÂu DươngGuyang (구양)ŌyōOuyang Xiu, Jimmy O. Yang上官High official (place name)ShàngguānSoeng6 Gun1Siōng-koanThượng QuanSanggwan (상관)ShōkanEmpress Shangguan, Shangguan Wan'er, Shangguan Yunxiang申屠"butcher from Shen"ShēntúSan1 Tou4Thân ĐồSindo (신도)ShintoShentu Jian (申屠建)司馬 (司马)"Master of the Horse" or "Marshal", one of the Three Excellencies from the Han dynastySīmǎSi1 Maa5Su-máTư MãSama (사마)ShibaSima Qian, emperors of the Jin dynasty司徒"Minister over the Masses", one of the Three Excellencies from the Han dynastySītúSi1 Tou4 (SooHoo in Toisan)Su-tô·Tư ĐồSado (사도)ShitoSzeto Wah, Sitoh Yih Pin司空"Minister of Works", one of the Three Excellencies from the Han dynastySīkōngSi1 Hung1Tư KhôngSagong (사공)ShikūSikong Ting (司空頲)司寇"Minister of Justice"SīkòuSi1 Kau3Tư KhấuSagu (사구)Shikō太史"Grand Historian", an imperial official titleTàishǐTaai3 Si2Thái SửTaesa (태사)TaishiTaishi Ci澹臺 (澹台)TántáiTaam4 Toi4Đam ĐàiDamdae (담대)TantaiTantai Mieming聞人 (闻人)"famous person", descendants of Shaozheng Mao (少正卯)WénrénMan4 Jan4Văn NhânMunin (문인)Bunjin巫馬 (巫马)"Horse"WūmǎNg5 Maa5Vu MãUma (우마))GobaWuma Shi (巫馬施)夏侯"Marquess Xia", from noble title granted to the descendants of Yu the Great by Duke of Lu in the Spring and Autumn periodXiàhóuHaa6 Hau6Hā-hô͘ Hạ HầuHahu (하후)KakōXiahou Ying, Xiahou Dun鮮于 (鲜于)XiānyúSin1 Jyu1Tiên VuSeonu (선우)Sen'uXianyu Zhongtong (鮮于仲通)西門 (西门)"West Gate", place of residence, from Marquessate of Zheng in the Spring and Autumn periodXīménSai1 Mun4Tây MônSeomun (서문)SaimonXimen Bao (轩辕)The (personal) name of the Yellow EmperorXuānyuánHin1 Jyun4Hian-oànHiên ViênHeonwon (헌원)Ken'enYellow Emperor楊子 (杨子)A branch of 楊 (Yang)YángzǐJoeng4 Zi2Dương TửYangja (양자)Yōshi樂正 (乐正)Minister of musicYuèzhèngNgok6 Zing3Nhạc ChínhAkjeong (악정)Gakusei鍾離 (钟离)A country in ChunqiuZhōnglíZung1 Lei4Chung LyJongni; Jongri(종리)ShōriZhongli Mu (鐘離牧), Zhongli Mo (诸葛)A branch of 葛 (Ge)ZhūgěZyu1 Got3Chu-katGia Cát (Chư Cát)Jegal (제갈)ShokatsuJegal Je-minZhuge Liang祝融God of FireZhùróngZuk1 Jung4Chúc DungChugyung (축융)ShukuyūLady Zhurong子車 (子车)ZǐjūZi2 Geoi1Tử XaJageo (자거)Shikyo左人Left-handed manZuǒrénZo2 Jan4Tả NhânJwa-in (좌인)Sajin
Double-barrelled surnames Double-barrelled surname () occurs sometimes when both families of a marriage wish to pass down their surnames, or when a child wishes to commemorate both the biological and foster parents. This is often distinguished from compound surnames (), which cannot be split into two single-character surnames. A doubled-barrelled surname is also distinguished from a married name (), as married names are not passed down to the next generations. Chinese Characters Mandarin(Pinyin)Cantonese(Jyutping)Hokkien(POJ)VietnameseKoreanJapaneseNotable People范姜Fànjiāng Hoān-khiongPhạm Khương Fan Chiang Tai-chi陸費 (陆费)Lùfèi (Lùbì)Luk6 Fai3Lục PhíYugbi; Ryugbi (륙비)RikuhiLufei Kui葉劉 (叶刘)Yèliú Ia̍p-lâuDiệp Lưu Regina Ip張簡 (张简)Zhāngjiǎn Tiuⁿ-kánTrương Giản Louis Ozawa Changchien張廖 (张廖)Zhāngliào Tiuⁿ-liāuTrương Liêu (Taiwanese politician)
Non-Han surnames Peoples other than Han have resided in China and have their names transliterated into Chinese. A large number of these non-Han surnames contain more than one Chinese character.
Chinese CharactersMeaning/Origin OriginMandarin(Pinyin)Cantonese(Jyutping)Hokkien(POJ)VietnameseKoreanJapaneseNotable People阿史那Wolf (cf. Asena)Possibly TurkicĀshǐnàAa3 Si2 Naa5A Sử NaAsana (아사나)AshinaEmpress Ashina ()GoldManchuÀixīnjuéluó (Aisin Gioro)Oi3 San1 Gok3 Lo4Ài-sin-kak-lôÁi Tân Giác LaAesin-gangna; Aesin-gangra (애신각라)AishinkakuraQing rulers孛兒只斤 (孛儿只斤)Dark blue eyesMongolBó'érzhījīn (Borjigin)But6 Ji4 Zi2 Gan1Bột Nhi Chỉ Cân (Bát Nhĩ Tế Cát Đặc)Barajigeun (발아지근)BotsujishikinGenghis Khan獨孤 (独孤)XianbeiDúgūDuk6 Gu1Độc CôDokgo (독고)Dokko/DokukoDugu Qieluo爾朱 (尔朱)XiongnuErzhuJi5 Zyu1 Nhĩ ChuIju (이주)JishuErzhu Rong, Erzhu Zhao賀蘭 (贺兰)Helan MountainsXianbeiHèlánHo6 Laan4Hạ LanHaran (하란)GaranPrincess Dowager Helan (赫连)XiongnuHèliánHaak1 Lin4Hách LiênHyeongnyeon; Hyeongryeon (혁련)KakurenHelian Bobo賀若 (贺若)XianbeiHèruòHo6 Joek6Hạ NhượcHayak (하약)KajakuHeruo Bi (賀若弼)赫舍里 Water springManchuHèsheliHaak1 Se2 Lei5Hách Xá LýHyeoksari (혁사리)KakushariHešeri Sonin, Empress Xiaochengren, Songgotu万俟XianbeiMòqíMak6 Kei4Mặc KỳMukgi (묵기)BokujiMoqi Chounu (万俟醜奴)慕容XianbeiMùróngMou6 Jung4Bō·-iôngMộ DungMoyong (모용)BoyūMurong Huang (纳兰)Variant of 叶赫那拉 (Yehenala)ManchuNàlánNaap6 Laan4Nạp LanNamnan; Namran (납란)NōranNalan Xingde星團 (星团)Band/group/cluster of stars XīngtuánSing1 Tyun4 Shindan(신단) Seidan呼延XiongnuHūyánFu1 Jin4Hô DiênHoyeon (호연)KoenEmpress Huyan, Huyan Zan沙吒GöktürkShāzhāSaa1 Zaa1Sa TraSata (사타)SataShazha Zhongyi (沙吒忠義)拓跋 XianbeiTuòbáTok3 Bat6Thác BạtTakbal (탁발)TakubatsuEmperors of Northern Wei, formerly surname of Tangut rulers, Western Xia完顏 (完颜)JurchenWányánJyun4 Ngaan4Hoàn NhanWanan (완안)KanganWanyan Aguda耶律 KhitanYēlǜYe4 Leut6Da Luật (Gia Luật) Yayul (야율)Yaritsu/JaritsuEmperors of Liao dynasty, Yelü Chucai (尉迟)Xianbei or KhotanYùchíWat1 Ci4Uất Trì (Úy Trì)Ulji (울지)Utchi/UtsuchiYuchi Jingde, Yuchi Jiong宇文XianbeiYǔwénJyu5 Man4Vũ VănUmun (우문)UbunYuwen Tai, emperors of Northern Zhou (长孙)Eldest grandsonXianbeiZhǎngsūnZoeng2 Syun1Trưởng TônJangson (장손)ChōsonZhangsun Wuji, Empress Zhangsun (wife of Emperor Taizong of Tang)山口Gateway/opening of the mountainJapaneseShānkǒuSan1 Hau2Soaⁿ-kháuSơn KhẩuSangu(산구)YamaguchiYoshiko Yamaguchi (Shānkǒu Shūzǐ)川島River on the islandJapaneseChuāndǎoCyun1 Dou2Chhoan-tóĐảo XuyênCheondo(천도)KawashimaYoshiko Kawashima (Chuāndǎo Fāngzi)伊達EleganceJapaneseYīdáJi1 Daat6I-ta̍tY ĐạtIdal(이달)DateDate Junnosuke (Yīdá Shùnzhīzhù)
See also Chinese surname Japanese surname Korean surname Vietnamese name
References
External links
The Ten-Thousand Families of Surnames from Netor (NETOR纪念:万家姓氏) (in simplified Chinese only)