Chinese Naming Customs: Difference between revisions

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[[Image:Geographylogo.png|20px|Geographylogo.png]] '''In other languages:''' [[Chinese:中文姓名，個人|中文]] | [[Chinese Naming Customs|English]] <br><br>
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Contrary to popular belief, a Chinese surname is very different from a Westerner's first name. The Chinese surname is placed before the person's name while the latter is placed after. Take the names Woo Teck Hwa and Jason Smith, for example. "Woo" is the surname of the person named Teck Hwa, while "Smith" is Jason's surname. There is a difference in the positioning.  
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'''Understanding customs used in surnames and given names can help you identify your ancestors in records.  Learn to recognize name variations and see clues in names.'''
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==Online Tools==
*[https://www.familysearch.org/en/chinese/research/about-names Traditional Name Structure] at FamilySearch
*''In Search of your Asian Roots: Genealogical Research on Chinese Surnames,'' by Sheau-yueh J. Chao. Baltimore, MD: Clearfield Company, Inc, 2001. {{FSC|965592|item|disp=FS Catalog book 951 D4i}}; {{WorldCat|43377483|disp=At various libraries (WorldCat)}}; '''''Online at:''''' {{FSDB|927478}}, [https://www.google.com/books/edition/%E5%B0%8B%E6%A0%B9%E6%BA%AF%E6%BA%90%E4%B8%AD%E5%9C%8B%E4%BA%BA%E7%9A%84%E5%A7%93%E6%B0%8F/t26Iv0Octa0C?hl=en&gbpv=0 Google Books]
*[https://surnames.behindthename.com/names/usage/chinese Behind the Name: Chinese Surnames]
*[https://www.behindthename.com/names/usage/chinese Behind the Name: Chinese Given Names]
*[https://www.behindthename.com/names/usage/tibetan Behind the Name: Tibetan Given Names]
*[https://www.behindthename.com/names/usage/uyghur Behind the Name: Uyghur Given Names]
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tibetan_name List of Tibetan names] in Wikipedia
*[https://www.familysearch.org/en/surname Surname experience] at FamilySearch - search by surname to learn its meaning and origin


==Surnames==
Like most Asian surnames, Chinese surnames are passed down from generations and hold the family history in perpetuity. Chinese surnames tell others about the person's history and are always retained even though the name may change. The surname is often looked upon as a symbol of a man's pride and honor. It depicts the past glorious deeds the ancestors have achieved through "blood and sweat."
Chinese personal names are names used by those from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and other parts of the Chinese-speaking world such as Singapore. Due to China's historical dominance in East Asia and Vietnam, many names used in Korea and Vietnam are adaptations of Chinese names or have historical roots in Chinese, with appropriate adaptation to accommodate linguistic differences.


Modern Chinese names consist of a family name (xìngshì; 姓氏), which comes first and is usually but not always monosyllabic, followed by a given name (míng; 名), which is almost always disyllabic, consisting of two characters. Prior to the 21st century, most educated Chinese men also utilized a "courtesy name" or "style name" (zì; 字) by which they were known among those outside their family and closest friends. Respected artists or poets will sometimes also use a professional "art name" (hào; 號) among their social peers.<ref>"Chinese name", in Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_name, accesed 5 March 2021.</ref>
According to legends, Chinese surnames originated from the Emperor Fu Xi (2852 BC). He standardized all Chinese surnames and defined matrimonial relationship. Thus a proper system of population census was established. It was also believed that there is a close relationship between surnames and totem worship. The early Chinese adopted the names or symbols of certain animals as their surname (e.g., Long, which means dragon.)


For more information, see [[Chinese Surnames]].
A song in the Shi Jing, recounting the birth of Hou Ji, the earliest ancestor of the Zhou people, shows clearly the link between surnames and totem worship. Jiang Yuan the consort of the fiery Emperor prayed to God for a son. She followed his footprints for a distance and became pregnant. The giant footprints actually belonged to a bear the Zhou people then worshipped. They gave themselves the surname "Ji," which was made up of the characters "Nu" and "Chen." These characters represented Jiang Yuan and the bear, respectively.
===Origins of Names  ===
 
According to Mr. Kiang Kang Hu, author of the book ''Genealogy and origin of Chinese family names'', there were 18 sources from which surnames were derived: <ref>Kiang Kang Hu. "Genealogy and origin of Chinese family names." {{WorldCat|866144264|disp=At various libraries (WorldCat)}}</ref>
A book of one hundred surnames (''Bai Jia Xing'') was complied during the 10th century. It recorded about 500 odd Chinese surnames and was one of the earlier surname books written. The surnames are arranged in rhymed lines without repetitions. In the original copy, which was lost, pictures of famous historical figures were illustrated on the upper part of every page, while the text was printed on the lower part. The unknown author successfully combined the study of family names, philology, sociology, and pedagogy into one book, making it one of the most popular books in history.  
 
=== Origins of Names  ===
 
According to Mr. Kiang Kang Hu, author of the book ''On Chinese Studies'', there were 18 sources from which surnames were derived:  


*The name of a dynasty (Tang)  
*The name of a dynasty (Tang)  
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*Name of contempt applied to an evil-doer by a ruler (Fu, Mang)
*Name of contempt applied to an evil-doer by a ruler (Fu, Mang)


=== Histories of Chinese Surnames in Wikipedia  ===
To find out more about the Chinese surnames, we suggest you browse the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hundred_Family_Surnames Book Of Hundred Surnames] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_surname Chinese Surname] on Wikipedia.
== Histories of Chinese Surnames in Wikipedia  ==


Wikipedia has a number of very useful articles about Chinese surnames, detailing their origins, histories, and distribution in present-day China and sometimes beyond. You can view this example to see what one of the articles may have in it.  
Wikipedia has a number of very useful articles about Chinese surnames, detailing their origins, histories, and distribution in present-day China and sometimes beyond. You can view this example to see what one of the articles may have in it.  
Line 61: Line 50:
Many other pages about Chinese surnames can be found on this category listing page on Wikipedia.  
Many other pages about Chinese surnames can be found on this category listing page on Wikipedia.  


[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Chinese-language_surnames Chinese language surnames]
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Chinese-language_surnames Chinese language surnames]  
===Taiwan===
Taiwanese names are often rendered into English using the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wade%E2%80%93Giles '''Wade-Giles transcription system'''].<br>
See also, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naming_customs_of_Taiwanese_aborigines '''Naming customs of Taiwanese aborigines''']


==Given Names==
Not all the pages have (surname) after them, since it is more obvious that the article is about a surname. There will be no specific genealogical data in these articles, only details of how the surname developed, and other historical matters.  
*Chinese given names (名字, míngzi) show much greater diversity than the surnames, while still being restricted almost universally to one or two syllables. Today, two-character names are more common and make up more than 80% of Chinese names.
*Given names resonant of qualities which are perceived to be either masculine or feminine are frequently given, with males being linked with strength and firmness and females with beauty and flowers.
*It is considered bad form to name a child after a famous person.
*Similarly, owing to the traditional naming taboos, it is very uncommon in China to name a child directly after a relative, since such children would permit junior family members to inappropriately use the personal names of senior ones.
*Many personal names reflect periods of Chinese history. For example, following the victory of the Communists in the Civil War, many Chinese bore "revolutionary names" such as Qiangguo (強國, lit. "Strong Nation" or "Strengthening the Nation") or Tungfung (東風, lit. "Eastern Wind").
*Similarly, on Taiwan, it used to be common to incorporate one of the four characters of the name "Republic of China" (中華民國, Zhōnghuá Mínguó) into masculine names.
*Periodic fad names like Aoyun (奧運; "Olympics") also appear.
*Owing to both effects, there has also been a recent trend in China to hire fortune tellers to change people's names to new ones more in accordance with traditional Taoist and five element practices. In creating a new Chinese name, it is sometimes the practice to analyze the number of strokes in the characters used in the potential name and attempt to use characters that produce specific totals of strokes.<ref>"Chinese name", in Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_name, accesed 5 March 2021.</ref>
===Generation names===
In some Chinese families, one of the two characters in the personal name is shared among members of a generation, either of the same sex, or less frequently for both sexes. These generation names may be an indicator for a familial relationship or help to determine generations within a family, but this is by no means a definitive way to linkindividuals. For example:<br>
::1st child = YANG Qingzhao
::2nd child = YANG Qingxi '''(Qing is the generation name)'''<ref>"A GUIDE TO NAMES AND NAMING PRACTICES, UK Names Guide'", https://www.fbiic.gov/public/2008/nov/Naming_practice_guide_UK_2006.pdf, accessed 5 March 2021.</ref>
==Tibetan Names==
===Surnames===
*Family names are rare except among those of '''aristocratic ancestry''' and then come before the personal name.
*Tibetan nomads (drokpa) also use '''clan names'''; in farming communities, they are now rare and may be replaced by household name.
*Descent is claimed from the '''four ancient clans''' that are said to have originally inhabited Ancient Tibet: '''Se, Rmu, Stong and Ldong'''. The four clans were further divided into branches which are '''Dbra, Vgru, Ldong, Lga, Dbas and Brdav'''. With inter-clan marriages, the subclans were divided into many sub-branches.
*While '''Tibetans from Kham and Amdo use their clan names as surnames''', most farming communities in Central Tibet stopped using their clan names centuries ago and instead use '''household names'''.
===Given Names===
*Traditionally, personal names are bestowed upon a child by '''lamas, who often incorporate an element of their own name'''.
*In the Tibetan diaspora, '''Tibetans often turn to the Dalai Lama for names for their children'''. As a result, the exile community has an overwhelming population of boys and girls whose first name is "Tenzin", the personal first name of the 14th Dalai Lama.
*Personal names are in most cases composed of readily understood Tibetan words. Most personal names may be given to either males or females. Only a few are specifically male or female.<ref>"Tibetan name", in Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tibetan_name, accessed 13 March 2021.


==For Further Reading==
To find a page for a surname that for some reason is not listed there, type the URL shown for the Yuan surname as shown above, substituting the surname you wish to see if there is an article about it where you see Yuan in the URL above. If that does not turn up any results that look right, take off the _(surname) part of the URL, and it is possible that it might be found that way. However, it is possible that articles about some surnames are not on Wikipedia yet.
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_name Chinese name] in Wikipedia
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hundred_Family_Surnames Book Of Hundred Surnames] in Wikipedia
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_surname Chinese Surname] in Wikipedia
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wade%E2%80%93Giles Wade-Giles transcription system] in Wikipedia
*[https://www.google.com/books/edition/%E5%B0%8B%E6%A0%B9%E6%BA%AF%E6%BA%90%E4%B8%AD%E5%9C%8B%E4%BA%BA%E7%9A%84%E5%A7%93%E6%B0%8F/t26Iv0Octa0C?hl=en&gbpv=0 Genealogical Research on Chinese Surnames 尋根溯源中國人的姓氏]
===FamilySearch Library===
Additional sources are listed in the '''FamilySearch Catalog:'''
*{{FSC|China - Names, Personal|subject|subject-id=1234518944|disp= China - Names, Personal}}
*{{FSC|China - Names, Personal - History|subject|subject-id=851870657|disp= China - Names, Personal - History}}


==References==
[[Category:Chinese Genealogy]]
<references/>
[[Category:China]]

Revision as of 15:05, 8 February 2021

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Contrary to popular belief, a Chinese surname is very different from a Westerner's first name. The Chinese surname is placed before the person's name while the latter is placed after. Take the names Woo Teck Hwa and Jason Smith, for example. "Woo" is the surname of the person named Teck Hwa, while "Smith" is Jason's surname. There is a difference in the positioning.

Like most Asian surnames, Chinese surnames are passed down from generations and hold the family history in perpetuity. Chinese surnames tell others about the person's history and are always retained even though the name may change. The surname is often looked upon as a symbol of a man's pride and honor. It depicts the past glorious deeds the ancestors have achieved through "blood and sweat."

According to legends, Chinese surnames originated from the Emperor Fu Xi (2852 BC). He standardized all Chinese surnames and defined matrimonial relationship. Thus a proper system of population census was established. It was also believed that there is a close relationship between surnames and totem worship. The early Chinese adopted the names or symbols of certain animals as their surname (e.g., Long, which means dragon.)

A song in the Shi Jing, recounting the birth of Hou Ji, the earliest ancestor of the Zhou people, shows clearly the link between surnames and totem worship. Jiang Yuan the consort of the fiery Emperor prayed to God for a son. She followed his footprints for a distance and became pregnant. The giant footprints actually belonged to a bear the Zhou people then worshipped. They gave themselves the surname "Ji," which was made up of the characters "Nu" and "Chen." These characters represented Jiang Yuan and the bear, respectively.

A book of one hundred surnames (Bai Jia Xing) was complied during the 10th century. It recorded about 500 odd Chinese surnames and was one of the earlier surname books written. The surnames are arranged in rhymed lines without repetitions. In the original copy, which was lost, pictures of famous historical figures were illustrated on the upper part of every page, while the text was printed on the lower part. The unknown author successfully combined the study of family names, philology, sociology, and pedagogy into one book, making it one of the most popular books in history.

Origins of Names[edit | edit source]

According to Mr. Kiang Kang Hu, author of the book On Chinese Studies, there were 18 sources from which surnames were derived:

  • The name of a dynasty (Tang)
  • Feudal territory or division (Chiang, Huang)
  • Political district (Hong)
  • Town (Yin, Su)
  • Rural villages (Lu, Yen)
  • Cross-roads and stations (Mi)
  • Suburbs of direction (Tung-shiang, Xi-men)
  • Historical personage (Chin, Fu)
  • Use of a man's social name for a family name (Fang, Kung)
  • A custom of adopting the appellation applied to a relative (Meng, Mi)
  • Clans or tribes (So, Chang)
  • Official posts (Shih, Shuai)
  • Titles of nobility (Wang, Hou)
  • Occupations of trades (Wu, Tao)
  • Objects (Chu, Pu)
  • Posthumous titles of rulers (Wen)
  • Adding a diminutive to the parent name (Wang-tsu, Gong-sun)
  • Name of contempt applied to an evil-doer by a ruler (Fu, Mang)

To find out more about the Chinese surnames, we suggest you browse the Book Of Hundred Surnames and Chinese Surname on Wikipedia.

Histories of Chinese Surnames in Wikipedia[edit | edit source]

Wikipedia has a number of very useful articles about Chinese surnames, detailing their origins, histories, and distribution in present-day China and sometimes beyond. You can view this example to see what one of the articles may have in it.

Yuan (surname)

Many other pages about Chinese surnames can be found on this category listing page on Wikipedia.

Chinese language surnames

Not all the pages have (surname) after them, since it is more obvious that the article is about a surname. There will be no specific genealogical data in these articles, only details of how the surname developed, and other historical matters.

To find a page for a surname that for some reason is not listed there, type the URL shown for the Yuan surname as shown above, substituting the surname you wish to see if there is an article about it where you see Yuan in the URL above. If that does not turn up any results that look right, take off the _(surname) part of the URL, and it is possible that it might be found that way. However, it is possible that articles about some surnames are not on Wikipedia yet.

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