Top five
Wang, Li, Zhang, Liu, and Chen lead that 2020 ranking.
Chinese surname directory
Chinese Last Names
Browse Chinese last names, Chinese surnames, and Chinese family names with characters, pinyin, literal meanings, origin notes, popularity ranks, and spelling variants.
A Chinese character's literal meaning is not the same as a family's origin. This page separates character glosses from surname-origin notes and avoids one-line family-history claims.
Characters, pinyin, meanings
Chinese Last Names
Showing Chinese last names. Use the filters to browse by popularity, rare entries, single-character surnames, and compound surnames.
The common list follows the 2020 mainland China household-registration ranking reported in the National Name Report. Wikipedia's Chinese surname ranking page is used as a cross-check for the wider list. Romanization variants are examples, not universal equivalences.
| Romanized Name | Simplified | Traditional | Pinyin | Meaning / Origin | Alternate Spellings | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WangRank 1 | 王 | — | Wáng | king; rulerOften explained through ruler or title language in early surname traditions. Treat the character gloss as a clue, not proof that all Wang families share one origin. | WongOng | Copy |
| LiRank 2 | 李 | — | Lǐ | plum; plum treeUsually glossed as plum or plum tree. Surname-origin traditions are varied and may involve ancient clan, office, or place explanations rather than the fruit alone. | LeeLei | Copy |
| ZhangRank 3 | 张 | 張 | Zhāng | to open; stretch; bow measureThe character is connected with drawing or stretching a bow. Surname references often discuss bow-related origin traditions, but the literal action is not a full family history. | ChangCheung | Copy |
| LiuRank 4 | 刘 | 劉 | Liú | traditional form associated with a battle-axeThe traditional form 劉 is associated with a blade or axe element. Liu is also tied to ancient state and dynastic surname traditions in reference works. | LauLiewLow | Copy |
| ChenRank 5 | 陈 | 陳 | Chén | to arrange; old; displayCommonly connected with the ancient state of Chen as a surname tradition. The literal senses of arranging or setting out are separate character glosses. | ChanTanChin | Copy |
| YangRank 6 | 杨 | 楊 | Yáng | poplarA tree-name character, often glossed as poplar. Surname traditions also connect Yang with ancient places and historical accounts, so the plant gloss is only one layer. | YeungYoung | Copy |
| HuangRank 7 | 黄 | 黃 | Huáng | yellowLiterally yellow. Surname references commonly connect Huang with the ancient state or place name Huang rather than the color alone. | WongNgOoi | Copy |
| ZhaoRank 8 | 赵 | 趙 | Zhào | Zhao state name; to walk quicklyA surname strongly associated with the ancient state of Zhao. The character gloss and the place/state tradition should be read separately. | ChaoChiu | Copy |
One ranking basis
Common Chinese Last Names
This section keeps one ranking basis: 2020 mainland China household-registration population. A rank can change by source and year; it is not a family-origin claim.
Family names first
In Chinese names, the family name usually appears before the given name in Chinese-language order.
Characters matter
One English spelling may point to different characters, dialects, or family spellings. Check the character and pinyin, not only the romanized form.
| Rank | Surname | Chinese | Pinyin | Ranking note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wang | 王 | Wáng | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 2 | Li | 李 | Lǐ | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 3 | Zhang | 张 | Zhāng | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 4 | Liu | 刘 | Liú | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 5 | Chen | 陈 | Chén | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 6 | Yang | 杨 | Yáng | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 7 | Huang | 黄 | Huáng | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 8 | Zhao | 赵 | Zhào | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 9 | Wu | 吴 | Wú | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 10 | Zhou | 周 | Zhōu | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 11 | Xu | 徐 | Xú | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 12 | Sun | 孙 | Sūn | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 13 | Ma | 马 | Mǎ | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 14 | Zhu | 朱 | Zhū | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 15 | Hu | 胡 | Hú | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 16 | Guo | 郭 | Guō | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 17 | He | 何 | Hé | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 18 | Lin | 林 | Lín | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 19 | Luo | 罗 | Luó | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 20 | Gao | 高 | Gāo | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 21 | Zheng | 郑 | Zhèng | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 22 | Liang | 梁 | Liáng | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 23 | Xie | 谢 | Xiè | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 24 | Song | 宋 | Sòng | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 25 | Tang | 唐 | Táng | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 26 | Xu | 许 | Xǔ | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 27 | Deng | 邓 | Dèng | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 28 | Feng | 冯 | Féng | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 29 | Han | 韩 | Hán | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 30 | Cao | 曹 | Cáo | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 31 | Zeng | 曾 | Zēng | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 32 | Peng | 彭 | Péng | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 33 | Xiao | 萧 | Xiāo | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 34 | Cai | 蔡 | Cài | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 35 | Pan | 潘 | Pān | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 36 | Tian | 田 | Tián | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 37 | Dong | 董 | Dǒng | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 38 | Yuan | 袁 | Yuán | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 39 | Yu | 于 | Yú | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 40 | Yu | 余 | Yú | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 41 | Ye | 叶 | Yè | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 42 | Jiang | 蒋 | Jiǎng | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 43 | Du | 杜 | Dù | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 44 | Su | 苏 | Sū | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 45 | Wei | 魏 | Wèi | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 46 | Cheng | 程 | Chéng | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 47 | Lü | 吕 | Lǚ | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 48 | Ding | 丁 | Dīng | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 49 | Shen | 沈 | Shěn | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
| 50 | Ren | 任 | Rén | 2020 mainland household-registration rank; individual count not listed. |
Source note: Xinhua’s 2020 National Name Report summary identifies Wang, Li, Zhang, Liu, and Chen as the top five. This table keeps one mainland household-registration ranking basis; individual counts are not shown.
Meaning is not family history
Chinese Last Names and Meanings
Wang
Literal meaning: king; ruler. Surname origin: Often explained through ruler or title language in early surname traditions. Treat the character gloss as a clue, not proof that all Wang families share one origin.
Li
Literal meaning: plum; plum tree. Surname origin: Usually glossed as plum or plum tree. Surname-origin traditions are varied and may involve ancient clan, office, or place explanations rather than the fruit alone.
Zhang
Literal meaning: to open; stretch; bow measure. Surname origin: The character is connected with drawing or stretching a bow. Surname references often discuss bow-related origin traditions, but the literal action is not a full family history.
Liu
Literal meaning: traditional form associated with a battle-axe. Surname origin: The traditional form 劉 is associated with a blade or axe element. Liu is also tied to ancient state and dynastic surname traditions in reference works.
Chen
Literal meaning: to arrange; old; display. Surname origin: Commonly connected with the ancient state of Chen as a surname tradition. The literal senses of arranging or setting out are separate character glosses.
Yang
Literal meaning: poplar. Surname origin: A tree-name character, often glossed as poplar. Surname traditions also connect Yang with ancient places and historical accounts, so the plant gloss is only one layer.
Huang
Literal meaning: yellow. Surname origin: Literally yellow. Surname references commonly connect Huang with the ancient state or place name Huang rather than the color alone.
Zhao
Literal meaning: Zhao state name; to walk quickly. Surname origin: A surname strongly associated with the ancient state of Zhao. The character gloss and the place/state tradition should be read separately.
Wu
Literal meaning: Wu state name. Surname origin: Associated with the historical Wu state and region. Wu can have different English spellings in Cantonese, Hokkien, and other contexts.
Zhou
Literal meaning: complete; encircle; Zhou name. Surname origin: Associated with the Zhou name in early Chinese history. The character also has ordinary senses such as complete or encircling, but those are not the whole surname story.
Xu
Literal meaning: slowly; gently. Surname origin: Often tied to the ancient Xu state or place-name traditions. The everyday gloss slowly or gently is a character meaning, not a complete origin.
Sun
Literal meaning: grandchild; descendant. Surname origin: Literally grandchild or descendant. As a surname, Sun has multiple origin traditions, so the kinship word should not be read as one shared history.
Ma
Literal meaning: horse. Surname origin: Literally horse. Surname-origin explanations can involve offices, groups, or places connected with horses rather than a simple animal meaning.
Zhu
Literal meaning: cinnabar; vermilion. Surname origin: Literally cinnabar or vermilion. Surname references also connect Zhu with ancient state or place traditions.
Hu
Literal meaning: beard; old northern-people term. Surname origin: The character can mean beard and also appears in historical terms for northern or western peoples. Surname origins are varied and should not be reduced to one group label.
Guo
Literal meaning: outer city wall. Surname origin: Literally an outer city wall. Surname traditions commonly involve place or settlement names, which fit the character but are not identical to the gloss.
He
Literal meaning: what; how. Surname origin: A common character meaning what or how. Surname references record several origin explanations; the question-word gloss is not the surname origin by itself.
Lin
Literal meaning: woods; forest. Surname origin: Literally woods or forest. Surname traditions may connect Lin to place, clan, or given-name histories, so the nature gloss is only the character meaning.
Luo
Literal meaning: net; gauze. Surname origin: Literally net or gauze. Surname references often connect Luo with ancient place or state traditions as well as the character gloss.
Gao
Literal meaning: high; tall. Surname origin: Literally high or tall. As a surname, Gao can involve title, place, or descriptive traditions depending on the historical account.
Zheng
Literal meaning: Zheng state name. Surname origin: Associated with the ancient state of Zheng. The state-name tradition is more useful for surname context than a literal character gloss alone.
Liang
Literal meaning: bridge; beam. Surname origin: Literally bridge or beam. Surname references also connect Liang with ancient state and place traditions.
Xie
Literal meaning: to thank; wither. Surname origin: A character with senses including to thank. Surname traditions commonly connect Xie with ancient place or state names rather than gratitude alone.
Song
Literal meaning: Song state or dynasty name. Surname origin: Associated with the ancient state and later dynasty name Song. It should not be treated as proof that all Song families share one historical line.
Tang
Literal meaning: Tang dynasty name. Surname origin: Associated with the Tang name in Chinese history. The dynasty association is historical context, not an individual family-history claim.
Xu
Literal meaning: to allow; promise; Xu state name. Surname origin: A character meaning to allow or promise, and also an ancient state/place name in surname traditions.
Deng
Literal meaning: Deng state name. Surname origin: Associated with the ancient Deng state or place name in surname references. The surname context is historical rather than a simple literal gloss.
Feng
Literal meaning: to gallop; rely on. Surname origin: The traditional form 馮 has senses such as to gallop or rely on. Surname traditions include place and ancestor-name explanations.
Han
Literal meaning: Han state or dynasty name. Surname origin: Associated with the ancient Han state and later historical names. The surname has multiple traditions and should not be reduced to one source.
Cao
Literal meaning: group; class; Cao state name. Surname origin: Associated with Cao as an ancient state or place name. The ordinary gloss group or class is not the whole surname origin.
Rare and uncommon Chinese surnames
Rare Chinese Last Names
Rare in this section means the surname is outside the top-100 common ranking above and is treated in surname references as a low-frequency or compound surname. It does not mean the name has no living bearers.
| Surname | Chinese | Pinyin | Why included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linghu | 令狐 | Línghú | Compound surname outside the top-100 common ranking above. |
| Moqi | 万俟 / 萬俟 | Mòqí | Historical compound surname outside the top-100 national list. |
| Gongsun | 公孙 / 公孫 | Gōngsūn | Compound surname historically formed from noble-title language. |
| Murong | 慕容 | Mùróng | Historical compound surname associated with early medieval northern states. |
| Yuchi | 尉迟 / 尉遲 | Yùchí | Historical compound surname outside the top-100 national list. |
| Helian | 赫连 / 赫連 | Hèlián | Historical compound surname outside the top-100 national list. |
| Tantai | 澹台 / 澹臺 | Tántái | Compound surname recorded in traditional surname lists. |
| Shentu | 申屠 | Shēntú | Compound surname recorded in traditional surname lists. |
| Situ | 司徒 | Sītú | Compound surname from an official title. |
| Sikong | 司空 | Sīkōng | Compound surname from an official title. |
| Yuwen | 宇文 | Yǔwén | Historical compound surname outside the top-100 national list. |
| Xuanyuan | 轩辕 / 軒轅 | Xuānyuán | Legendary and historical compound surname outside the top-100 national list. |
Spelling variants
Chinese Surname Spellings and Romanization
Different dialects, regions, romanization systems, and family traditions can produce different English spellings. Mandarin pinyin is useful for lookup, but diaspora records may preserve Cantonese, Hokkien, Hakka, Wade-Giles, or family-specific spellings. Do not read these examples as universal one-to-one conversions.
王 Wang Also seen as Wong or Ong in some contexts.陈 Chen Chan, Tan, and Chin can appear in regional or diaspora contexts.张 Zhang Chang and Cheung are common alternate spellings in some systems.李 Li Lee and Lei appear in several communities and family spellings.黄 Huang Wong, Ng, or Ooi may appear depending on language and region.林 Lin Lam and Lim are common non-Mandarin spellings.郭 Guo Kuo, Kwok, and Quek show how systems and dialects diverge.谢 Xie Hsieh and Tse are useful variants to check in older or Cantonese-linked records.
Two-character surnames
Compound Chinese Surnames
Most Chinese surnames are one character, but compound Chinese surnames such as Ouyang and Sima are established two-character family names. Keep them together when searching or naming a character.
| Compound surname | Chinese | Pinyin | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ouyang | 欧阳 / 歐陽 | Ōuyáng | Familiar modern compound surname, ranked separately from single-character surnames. |
| Sima | 司马 / 司馬 | Sīmǎ | Compound surname from an ancient official title. |
| Zhuge | 诸葛 / 諸葛 | Zhūgě | Historical compound surname known from Three Kingdoms history. |
| Shangguan | 上官 | Shàngguān | Compound surname from office/place language. |
| Xiahou | 夏侯 | Xiàhóu | Historical compound surname. |
| Huangfu | 皇甫 | Huángfǔ | Historical compound surname. |
Family names in context
How Chinese Family Names Work
Chinese family names usually come before given names in Chinese order. The most common surnames are single-character names, while a smaller set are compound surnames. Simplified and traditional forms may differ, and romanized spellings can vary by language, region, and family convention.
Before the given name
Wang Xiaoming is normally family name Wang plus given name Xiaoming.
Simplified and traditional
张 and 張 are simplified and traditional forms of Zhang; 陈 and 陳 are forms of Chen.
Character and spelling
For lookup work, keep the character, pinyin, and family spelling together instead of treating one English spelling as universal.
Classic text, not a rank table
What Is the Hundred Family Surnames?
The Hundred Family Surnames, or 百家姓 (Bǎijiāxìng), is a classic Chinese surname text. Its order is historical and literary; it should not be read as a modern population ranking or as proof that one surname has one shared origin.
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Quick answers
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common Chinese last names?
Wang, Li, Zhang, Liu, and Chen are the top five in the 2020 mainland household-registration ranking shown on this page.
What do Chinese last names mean?
They can have literal character meanings, such as Wang meaning king or Li meaning plum. Those glosses should be kept separate from surname origin and family history.
What are some rare Chinese last names?
Examples on this page include Linghu, Moqi, Gongsun, Murong, Yuchi, Helian, Tantai, and Shentu.
Why can Chinese surnames have different English spellings?
Mandarin pinyin, Cantonese, Hokkien, Hakka, older systems, regional habits, and family tradition can all affect spelling.
What are compound Chinese surnames?
Compound surnames are two-character family names, such as Ouyang, Sima, Zhuge, and Shangguan.
Do Chinese surnames differ for men and women?
No. Chinese surnames are family names, not gendered given names.