Editing Chinese surname (section)

==Surnames at present==
Of the thousands of surnames which have been identified from historical texts prior to the modern era, most have either been lost (see [[extinction of family names]]) or simplified.  Historically there are close to 12,000 surnames recorded including those from non-Han Chinese ethnic groups, of which only about 3,100 are in current use,<ref>{{Harvnb|''The Economist''|1995}}</ref> a factor of almost 4:1 (about 75%) reduction. A 2019 figure however put the total number of Chinese family names at 6,150.<ref name=gbtimes /> Of Han Chinese surnames, the largest number ever recorded was 6,363 (3,730 single-character surnames, 2,633 multiple-character surnames), around 2,000 of which are still in use.<ref name=du />  Chinese Surname extinction is due to various factors, such as people taking the names of their rulers, orthographic simplifications, taboos against using characters from an emperor's name, and others. A recent example of near surname extinction is the rare surname Shan (𢒉).<ref name=shan /> The character may not be displayed on computer systems used by government officials, and people born after the system change as well as people who want to avoid possible problems changed their name to another character such as Xian (冼). The name is still used by the older people, but some people from the village are concerned that future generations will forget their name origin.<ref name=shan>{{cite web|title=电脑打不出来 山东200村民被迫改姓|url=http://news.cntv.cn/society/20100901/103774.shtml|access-date=1 September 2010}}</ref>

While new names have arisen for various reasons, this has been outweighed by old names disappearing. The most significant factor affecting the surname frequency is other ethnic groups identifying as Han and adopting Han names.<ref name="du1992">{{Harvnb|Du et al.|1992}}</ref> In recent centuries some two-character surnames have often dropped a character. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, moreover, some surnames have been graphically simplified.

Although there are thousands of Chinese family names, the [[List of common Chinese surnames|100]] most common, which together make up less than 5% of those in existence, are shared by 85% of the population.  The three most common surnames in Mainland China are [[Li (surname 李)|Li]], [[Wang (surname)|Wang]] and [[Zhang (surname)|Zhang]], which make up 7.9%, 7.4% and 7.1% respectively. Together they number close to 300 million and are easily the most common surnames in the world. In Chinese, the phrase "third son of Zhang, fourth son of Li" ({{zh|c={{linktext|张|三|李|四}}|p=Zhāng sān Lǐ sì}}) is used to mean "just anybody".

In a 1990 study, the top 200 family names accounted for over 96% of a random sample of 174,900 persons, with over 500 other names accounting for the remaining 4%.  In a different study (1987), which combined data from Taiwan and China (sample size of 570,000 persons), the top 19 names covered 55.6%,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sun-bin.blogspot.com/2005/12/chinese-and-korean-family-names.html|title=Sun Bin: Chinese and Korean Family Names|author=Sun Bin|date=19 December 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060302091859/http://sun-bin.blogspot.com/2005/12/chinese-and-korean-family-names.html |archive-date=2 March 2006 }}</ref> and the top 100 names covered 87% of the sample. Other data suggest that the top 50 names comprise 70% of the population.<ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060113025139/http://www.diversity-whatworks.gov.uk/publications/pdf/hmlandregistryculturaldiversity.pdf |url=http://www.diversity-whatworks.gov.uk/publications/pdf/hmlandregistryculturaldiversity.pdf |title=Cultural Diversity |archive-date=13 January 2006 |work=HM Land Registry }}</ref>

Most commonly occurring Chinese family names have only one character; however, about twenty [[Chinese compound surname|double-character family names]] have survived into modern times.  These include [[Sima (Chinese surname)|Sima]] ([[Wiktionary:司|司]] [[Wiktionary:馬|馬]], simp. [[Wiktionary:司|司]] [[Wiktionary:马|马]]), [[Zhuge]] ([[Wiktionary:諸|諸]] [[Wiktionary:葛|葛]], simp. [[Wiktionary:诸|诸]] [[Wiktionary:葛|葛]]), [[Ouyang]] ([[Wiktionary:歐|歐]] [[Wiktionary:陽|陽]], simp. [[Wiktionary:欧|欧]] [[Wiktionary:阳|阳]]), occasionally romanized as ''O'Young'', suggesting an Irish origin to English-speakers, and [[Situ (surname)|Situ]] (or Sito [[Wiktionary:司|司]] [[Wiktionary:徒|徒]]). Sima, Zhuge, and Ouyang also happen to be the surnames of four well-known pre-modern Chinese historical figures. There are family names with three or more characters, but usually those are not ethnically Han Chinese. For example, Aixinjueluo ([[Wiktionary:愛|愛]][[Wiktionary:新|新]][[Wiktionary:覺|覺]][[Wiktionary:羅|羅]], also romanized from the [[Manchu language]] as [[Aisin Gioro]]), was the family name of the [[Manchu people|Manchu]] royal family of the [[Qing dynasty]]. The longest recorded surname written using [[hanzi]] characters is Lunalouyugumuzheshuduotumuku'adebu'axi ({{zh|c=魯納婁于古母遮熟多吐母苦啊德補啊喜|p=Lǔnàlóuyúgǔmǔzhēshúduōtǔmǔkǔ'ādébǔ'āxǐ}}), an extremely rare surname reportedly used by members of the [[Yi people|Yi ethnic group]] in [[Yunnan]] province, with seventeen characters in total.<ref>{{cite news |title=中國最奇怪複姓「第五」 最長複姓17個字 |url=https://hk.on.cc/cn/bkn/cnt/news/20150405/mobile/bkncn-20150405014138846-0405_05011_001.html |access-date=26 July 2023 |agency=東網 |publisher=東方日報 |date=5 April 2015}}</ref>

===Variations in romanization===
[[Transliteration of Chinese]] family names (see [[List of common Chinese surnames]]) into foreign languages poses a number of problems. Chinese surnames are shared by people speaking a number of dialects and languages which often have different pronunciations of their surnames. The spread of the [[Overseas Chinese|Chinese diaspora]] into all parts of the world resulted in the [[Romanization]] of the surnames based on different languages and Chinese dialects.  Countries that have adopted the system of Chinese surnames such as Vietnam and Korea also spell them according to their own pronunciations. As a result, it is common for the same surname to be [[Transcription (linguistics)|transcribed]] differently. For example, the [[Chen (surname)|Chen (陳) surname]] can appear as Chan ([[Cantonese]], e.g. [[Jackie Chan]]), Tan (Hokkien), Tang ([[Teochew dialect|Teochew]]), Chin ([[Hakka Chinese|Hakka]]), Trần ([[Vietnamese language|Vietnamese]]) and others; the [[Li (surname 李)|Li (李) surname]] may appear as Lee (an example is [[Lee Kuan Yew]]), the [[Zhou (surname)|Zhou (周) surname]] can appear as Chou, Chew, Jew and many others (e.g. [[Wakin Chau]] and [[Jimmy Choo]]); while the [[Zheng (surname)|Zheng surname]] (鄭/郑) can be romanized into Chang, Cheng, Chung, Teh, Tay, Tee, Tsang, Zeng or Zheng (in [[pinyin]], Chang, Cheng, Zheng and Zeng are all different names). In certain dialects, different surnames could be [[homonyms]] so it is common for family names to appear ambiguous when transliterated.  Translating Chinese surnames from foreign transliteration often presents ambiguity. For example, the surname "[[List of surnames romanized Li|Li]]" are all Mandarin-based pinyin transliteration for the surnames Lí ([[Lí (surname 黎)|黎]]); Lǐ ([[Li (surname 李)|李]], 理 and 里);  and Lì ([[Li (surname 酈)|郦/酈]], [[Li (surname 栗)|栗]], [[Li (surname 厲)|厉/厲]], and [[Li (surname 利)|利]]) depending on the [[Tone (linguistics)|tone]] which is usually omitted in foreign transliterations.<ref name=oxford />

Due to the different pronunciations and romanizations, it is sometimes easy to tell whether a Chinese person has origins in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, or Taiwan. Generally, people of Mainland descent will have their surnames and names in [[pinyin]]. Those from Taiwan use [[Wade-Giles]] romanization. People from Southeast Asia (mainly Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines) and Hong Kong usually base their romanization of surnames and names on the [[Min Chinese|Min]], [[Hakka Chinese|Hakka]] and [[Yue Chinese|Cantonese]] languages. The younger generation from Singapore often has their surname in dialect ((Hokkien, Teochew, Hainanese, Cantonese, and Hakka) and given names in English, Mandarin, or both. 

Some people use non-standard romanizations, e.g. the Hong Kong [[media mogul]] 邵逸夫 [[Run Run Shaw]]'s surname 邵 is spelt as Shaw (Shao in pinyin).

The use of different systems of romanization based on different Chinese language variants from 1900~1970 also contributed to the variations.

Some examples:
{| class="wikitable"
! Written form !! [[Pinyin]]<br />(Mainland China) !! [[Vietnamese language|Vietnamese]]<br />(Vietnam) !! [[Wade-Giles]]<br />(Taiwan) !! [[Hokkien]]  / [[Teochew dialect|Teochew]] / [[Hakka Chinese|Hakka]]<br />(Indonesia/Malaysia/Singapore/Philippines) !! [[Yue Chinese|Cantonese]] <br />(Hong Kong/Macau/Singapore/Malaysia) !! Surname meaning / origin <br />(some surnames have multiple origins, provided below are only one of many)
|-
| 陈 / 陳 || Chen || Trần || Ch'en || Tan / Tan,Tang / Chin, Tjhin || Chan || Vintage, [[State of Chen]]
|-
| 关 / 關 || Guan  || Quản || Kuan || Kwang,Kuang / Kweng,Kueng / Kan || Kwan || gate, gateway, mountain pass, originated as a title for guards in mountain passes
|-
| 何 || He  || Ho || Ho || Ho,Hoe,Hoh /Ho / Ho || Ho || carry; what; how; why; which, [[Han (Chinese surname)|Han]](韩) misheard as He(何) in [[Jianghuai mandarin|Jianghuai]] Dialect
|-
| 黄 / 黃 || Huang  || Hoang || Huang || Ng,Uy,Ooi,Oei,Wee / Ng,Uy,Ooi,Oei,Wee / Wong,Bong || Wong || Yellow, [[State of Huang]]
|-
| 简 / 簡 || Jian || Giản || Chien || Kan / Kam,Kang / Kan || Kan/Gan || Simple, descendants of [[Jin (Chinese state)|State of Jin]] doctor Xu Jianbo (续简伯) 
|-
| 金 || Jin || Kim || Chin || Kim / Kim / Kim / Kiem || Kam || Gold, one of the five phases (metal) in [[Wuxing (Chinese philosophy)|Wuxing]] Philosophy
|-
| 林 || Lin || Lâm || Lin || Lim / Lim / Lim / Liem || Lam || Forest, Quan, son of [[Bi Gan]] was born in the woods during his family's exile, thus bestowed
by [[King Wu of Zhou|Wu of Zhou]] with the surname Lin
|-
| 王 || Wang || Vương || Wang ||Ong / Heng / Wung / Wong|| Wong || King or Prince, Used mainly by descendants of royalties
|-
| 吴 / 吳 || Wu  || Ngô || Wu || Goh,Go / Goh / Ng || Ng || [[State of Wu]]
|-
| 许 / 許 || Xu || Hứa || Hsü || Koh,Kho,Ko,Khaw,Khor / Koh,Kho,Ko,Khouw,Khor / Hee,See || Hui/Hua || To allow, State of Xu
|-
| 张 / 張 || Zhang  || Trương || Chang/Zhang || Teo,Teow,Teoh,Tieu,Tiew / Teo,Teow,Teoh,Thio / Tjong,Chong || Cheung/Cheong || Verb, to draw a [[Bow (weapon)|bow]], surname bestowed upon fletchers by the [[Yellow Emperor]]
|-
| 赵 / 趙 || Zhao  || Triệu || Chao || Teow,Teo,Tio / Teh,Tay,Tey / Chao ||  Chiu/Chiew || [[State of Zhao]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/Lindict/Lindict.php?query=%bb%af&category=wholerecord|title=ㄓㄠˋ [zhao4] .|website=Humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk|access-date=11 November 2017}}</ref>
|}

Malaysia/Singapore/Indonesia/Philippines: various spellings are used depending on name origin.

See [[List of common Chinese surnames]] for the different spellings and more examples.