55+ Common & Ancient Chinese Surnames

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Naming expert Dr. Haley Elizabeth Wilson shares the most popular Chinese last names

Co-authored by Dr. Hayley Elizabeth Wilson and Raven Minyard, BA

Last Updated: November 25, 2025 Fact Checked

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• Most Common
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• Ancient
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• Nature-Inspired
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• Fun Facts
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China may have one of the highest populations in the world, but there are only about 4000 surnames used by native Chinese people. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of the most common Chinese last names, including ancient names and names inspired by nature. We’ll also provide some fun facts and statistics about these surnames, plus insights from naming expert Dr. Hayley Elizabeth Wilson, so keep reading to learn more.

The Top 5 Most Common Chinese Surnames

Dr. Hayley Elizabeth Wilson says that the most frequently occurring Chinese surnames include Wang, Li, Zhang, Liu, and Chen.

1. Wang (王): Means “king”
2. Li (李): Means “plum”
3. Zhang (张/張): Means “archer”
4. Liu (刘/劉): Means “kill”
5. Chen (陈/陳): Means “exhibit”

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Section 1 of 4:

Most Common Chinese Last Names

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1. 
   In the United States, there are millions of surnames. In China, however, there are only about 4000. Some of these are much more rare than others, though, as the top 100 Chinese surnames make up the majority of the population. Here are some of the most common Chinese last names you might come across:

   • Wang (王): “king”
     • Dr. Wilson says that this is the most common surname in Mainland China, and is shared by over 100 million people.
   • Li (李): “plum”
     • Over 100 million people also have this surname, according to Dr. Wilson, who explains that this is “historically a very prominent surname, including among imperial lineages.”
   • Zhang (张/張): “archer”
     • Dr. Wilson says that over 95 million people have this common surname.
   • Liu (刘/劉): “kill”
     • Around 70 million people have this surname, shares Dr. Wilson.
   • Chen (陈/陳): “exhibit”
   • Yang (杨/楊): “willow”
   • Huang/Wong (黄/黃): “yellow”
   • Zhao (赵/趙): “exceeding”
   • Wu (吴/吳): “military”
   • Zhou (周): “circumference”
   • Jin (金): “gold”
   • Gong (龚/龔): “respectful”
   • Long (龙/龍): “dragon”
   • Hong (洪): “flood”
   • Liang (梁): “bridge”
   • Tang (唐): “hall”
   • Feng (冯/馮): “gallop”
   • Chang (常): “constant”
   • Mo (莫): “none”
   • Dai (戴): “wear”

   Meet the wikiHow Expert

   Dr. Hayley Elizabeth Wilson is a naming consultant and early childhood expert. She has over 20,000 followers on Instagram, where she shares naming tips, name meanings, and other inspiration.
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Section 2 of 4:

Ancient Chinese Last Names

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1. 
   Many Chinese surnames have ancient origins, dating back to early dynasties such as the Qin dynasty and the Han dynasty. Here are some ancient last names that are still in use today:

   • Xu (徐): “gentle, slow”
   • Guo (郭): “outer city wall”
   • Zheng (郑/鄭): “journey”
   • Song (宋): “pine”
   • Wei (魏): “height”
   • Han (韩/韓): “Han State”
   • Qin (秦): “Qin State”
   • Fu (傅): “tutor”
   • Xiao (萧/蕭): “mournful”
   • Kong (孔): “opening”
   • Zeng (曾): “ancestor”
   • Cai (蔡): firewood
   • Zhong (钟/鐘): “bell”
   • Hao (郝): “brightness, an ancient place”
   • Guan (关/關): “mountain pass”
   • Peng (彭): “sound of drums”
   • Zou (邹/鄒): “district”
   • Lu (吕/呂): “spine”

Section 3 of 4:

Chinese Last Names Inspired by Nature

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1. 
   A lot of Chinese surnames are inspired by natural elements or things associated with nature, like colors or directions. Here are some common names inspired by water, earth, animals, and other elements of nature:

   • Lin (林): “forest”
   • Jiang (江): “river”
   • Tian (田): “field”
   • Shi (石): “stone”
   • Xia (夏): “summer”
   • Ye (叶/葉): “leaf”
   • Fang (方): “square, place, border”
   • Bai (白): “white”
   • Pan (潘): “water basin”
   • Ma (马/馬): “horse”
   • Du (杜): “birchleaf pear tree”
   • Xiong (熊): “bear”
   • Mao (毛): “hair, fur, feathers”
   • Lei (雷): “thunder”
   • Ai (艾): “wormwood plant”
   • Lu (陆/陸): “land”
   • Qiu (邱): “hill”
   • He (何): “grain”
   • Cui (崔): “mountain high”
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Section 4 of 4:

Fun Facts About Chinese Last Names

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1. There are just over 4000 Chinese surnames. In the United States, there are over 150,000 surnames held by more than 100 people, and in total, the U.S. has over 6 million surnames. In contract, there are just over 4000 surnames used by native Chinese people in China. Here are some other fun facts about Chinese surnames:

   • Zhang Wei (张伟) is the most common full name in mainland China.
   • The top 5 surnames in China—Wang, Li, Zhang, Liu, and Chen—are also the top 5 surnames in the world, each with over 70-100 million worldwide.
   • All together, the top 100 surnames account for 87% of China’s population.
   • Chinese names also form the basis for many Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Cambodian surnames.
   • Want to learn about other common Asian surnames? Check out our Common Japanese Last Names and Korean Surnames articles!

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