Chinese surnames are the family names that are passed down from generation to generation. They usually consist of one or two Chinese characters and unlike the Western tradition, Chinese surnames are written before the given name.
This Chinese Surname list covers only small part of over 6000 Chinese surnames [Source] in current use. We prioritize listing popular surnames along with their unicode, pinyin, historical figures and celebrities. New surnames will be added to the list from time to time. Click here to learn more about Chinese name and our services.
B
Surname
Pinyin
Celebrities
767D
白
bái
白居易 - Bai Juyi (772-846), poet and Tang dynasty government official
曹操 - Cao Cao (155-220), brilliant ruler and military genius, founder of Three Kingdoms period's Wei.
曹雪芹 - Cao Xueqin (1715 or 1724 – 1763 or 1764), author of Dream of the Red Chamber.
曹格 - Gary Chaw (1979-), singer and songwriter.
9648
陈
chén
陈嘉庚 - Tan Kah Kee (1874-1961), businessman, community leader and philanthropist.
陈庆炎 - Tony Tan Keng Yam (1940-), politician, seventh President of Singapore.
陈奕迅 - Eason Chan (1974-), singer and actor.
7A0B
程
chéng
程小东 - Ching Siu-tung (1953-), Hong Kong action choreographer, actor, film director and producer
6C60
池
chí
5D14
崔
cuī
崔健 - Cui Jian (1961-), Chinese singer-songwriter, trumpeter and guitarist, Chinese rock music pioneer, often labeled "The Father of Chinese Rock".
D
Surname
Pinyin
Celebrities
9093
邓
dèng
邓小平 - Deng Xiaoping (1904-1997), paramount leader of the People's Republic of China, he led China through Chinese economic reform.
邓丽君 - Teresa Teng (1953-1995), one of the most influential and well-known singers to the Chinese community worldwide.
邓文迪 - Wendi Deng Murdoch (1968-), Chinese-born American entrepreneur and investor, she was the third wife of Rupert Murdoch.
675C
杜
dù
杜甫 - Du Fu (712-770), prominent Chinese poet, he has been called the "Poet-Sage" by Chinese people.
杜月笙 - Du Yuesheng (1888-1951), infamous Shaghai mob boss.
F
Surname
Pinyin
Celebrities
65B9
方
fāng
方世玉 - Fong Sai-yuk (1739-1763), martial artist and folk hero from Guangdong.
方文山 - Vincent Fang (1969-), lyricist, writer and owner of publishing company.
方大同 - Khalil Fong (1983-), Hong Kong-based American singer-songwriter and producer.
51AF
冯
féng
冯小刚 - Feng Xiaogang (1958-), film director, screenwriter and actor.
G
Surname
Pinyin
Celebrities
9AD8
高
gāo
高柴 - Gao Chai (521BC-???), one of the disciples of Confucius.
高渐离 - Gao Jianli (???-???), he is widely known of fail assasination ateempt on Qin Shi Huang.
5173
关
guān
关羽 - Guan Yu (???-220)， military general during Three Kingdoms period, one of the Five Tigers General in famous Chinese historical novel Romance of Three Kingdoms.
关汉卿 - Guan Hanqing (1241-1320), playwright and poet, the most prolific and highly regarded dramatists of the Yuan period.
90ED
郭
guō
郭嘉 - Guo Jia (170-207), brilliant and foresighted Three Kingdom period strategist.
郭守敬 - Guo Shoujing (1231-1316), astronomer, engineer, and mathematician.
郭靖 - Guo Jing, fictional protagonist of the wuxia novel The Legend of the Condor Heroes.
郭鹤年 - Robert Kuok (1923-), Malaysian business magnate and investor.
郭德纲 - Guo Degang (1973-), Chinese crosstalk comedian and actor.
郭台铭 - Terry Gou (1950-), Taiwanese businessman, founder of Foxconn, the world's largest contract manufacturer of electronics.
郭富城 - Aaron Kwok (1965-), Hong Kong singer, dancer and actor.
郭帆 - Frant Gwo (1980-), Chinese filmmaker, his most notable works are The Wandering Earth and The Wandering Earth 2
郭泓志 - Hong-Chih Kuo (1981-), professional baseball pitcher, played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
H
Surname
Pinyin
Celebrities
97E9
韩
hán
韩非 - Han Fei (280-233BC), widely known as Han Fei Zi, philosopher of the "Legalist" school during the Warring States period.
韩信 - Han Xin (231-196BC), military general, helped Liu Bang founding Han Dynasty.
韩愈 - Han Yu (768-824), writer and poet of the Tang dynasty.
4F55
何
hé
何东 - Sir Robert Ho Tung Bosman (1862-1956), businessman and philanthropist in British Hong Kong.
何鸿燊 - Stanley Ho Hung-sun (1921-2020), Macao casino magnate.
何大一 - David Ho (1952-), Taiwanese-American medical doctor and HIV/AIDS researcher.
何超仪 - Josie Ho (1974-), singer and actress.
80E1
胡
hú
胡雪岩 - Hu Xueyan (1823-1885), notable businessman in China during Qing dynasty.
胡适 - Hu Shih (1891-1962), philosopher, essayist and diplomat, one of the leaders of China's New Culture Movement.
胡锦涛 - Hu Jintao (1942-), Chinese politician, paramount leader of China from 2002 to 2012.
胡金铨 - King Hu (1932-1997), Chinese film director best known for directing Wuxia films in 60s and 70s.
胡金龙 - Chin-lung Hu (1984-), professional baseball player, first Taiwanese infielder to play Major League Baseball.
9EC4
黄
huáng
黄忠 - Huang Zhong (???-220), military general serving under the Liu Bei, one of the Five Tigers General in famous Chinese historical novel Romance of Three Kingdoms.
黄飞鸿 - Wong Fei-hung (1847-1925), Chinese martial artist, physician, and folk hero.
黃渤 - Huang Bo (1974-), Chinese actor and singer.
黄仁勋 - Jensen Huang (1963-), co-founder and CEO of graphics-processor company Nvidia.
黄霑 - James Wong Jim (1941-2004), Cantopop lyricist and songwriter.
黄易 - Huang Yi (1952-2017), Hong Kong writer of martial arts heroes and science fiction novels.
黄玉郎 - Tony Wong (1950-), Hong Kong comic artist, publisher, he is regarded as the "Godfather of Hong Kong comics".
黄家驹 - Wong Ka Kui (1962-1993), Hong Kong musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. He was lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and founder of Asia famous rock band Beyond.
J
Surname
Pinyin
Celebrities
6C5F
江
jiāng
江泽民 - Jiang Zemin (1926-2022), General Secretary of the Communist Party of China from 1989 to 2002.
江蕙 - Jody Chiang (1961-), Taiwanese singer.
L
Surname
Pinyin
Celebrities
674E
李
lǐ
李耳 - Li Er (601-531BC), best known as Lauzi or Lao Tzu, ancient Chinese philosopher and writer, author of the Tao Te Ching (道德经), founder of Taoism.
李典 - Li Dian (180-217), military general served under the warlord Cao Cao.
李世民 - Li Shimin (598-649), also known as Emperor Taizong of Tang, second emperor of the Tang dynasty, regarded by many as one of the greatest emperors in China's history.
李白 - Li Bai (701-762), alongside Du Fu as one of the most prominent figures of Chinese poetry.
李清照 - Li Qingzhao (1084-1156), Chinese writer and poet , she is regarded as one of the greatest poets in Chinese history.
李时珍 - Li Shizhen (1518-1593), polymath, physician, naturalist, pharmacologist, herbalist, acupuncturist, and writer. He is the author of the Compendium of Materia Medica (本草纲目).
李鸿章 - Li Hongzhang (1823-1901), politician, general and diplomat of the late Qing dynasty.
李光耀 - Lee Kuan Yew (1923-2015), founding father and the first Prime Minister of Singapore, he transfered the third word Singapore to first world country in just a single generation.
李连杰 - Jet Li (1963-), Chinese film actor, film producer, martial artist, best known internatinally for her roles in film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
李宁 - Li Ning(1963-), gymnast and entrepreneur, Olympic and World Cup Gymnastic Competition medalist, founder of sportswear company Li-Ning.
李云迪 - Li Yundi (1982-), classical pianist.
李敖 - Li Ao (1935-2018), Chinese-Taiwanese writer, social commentator, historian, and independent politician.
李昌钰 - Henry Lee (1938-), Taiwanese American forensic scientist.
李安 - Ang Lee (1954-), film director and screenwriter, director of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Brokeback Mountain and Life of Pi.
李远哲 - Yuan Tseh Lee (1936-), Taiwanese chemist, Nobel laureate in Chemistry.
李政道 - Tsung-Dao Lee (1926-), Chinese-American physicist, won the Nobel Prize in Physics with Chen-Ning Franklin Yang.
李嘉诚 - Li Ka-shing (1928-), Hong Kong business magnate, investor, and philanthropist.
李小龙 - Bruce Lee (1940-1973), Hong Kong-American actor, director, martial artist, martial arts instructor, and philosopher.
6881
梁
liáng
梁启超 - Liang Qichao (1873-1929), Chinese scholar, journalist, philosopher, and reformist .
梁朝伟 - Tony Leung Chiu-wai (1962-), Hong Kong actor. He won Cannes Film Festival award for Best Actor for his performance in Wong Kar-wai's film In the Mood for Love.
5ED6
廖
liào
廖化 - Liao Hua (???-264), military general of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of China.
6797
林
lín
林默娘
- Lin Moniang, widely known as Mazu, Chinese sea goddess.
林黛玉 - Lin Daiyu, one of the principal characters of classic Chinese novel Dream of the Red Chamber (红楼梦).
林则徐 - Lin Zexu(1785-1850), scholar-official of the Qing dynasty, known for his efforts to eliminate opium trade in China.
林丹 - Lin Dan (1983-), Chinese professional badminton player, two-time Olympic champion, five-time World champion and six-time All England champion.
林青霞 - Brigitte Lin (1954-), Taiwanese actress.
5218
刘
liú
刘邦 - Liu Bang (256-195BC), also known Emperor Gaozu of Han, founding emperor of the Han dynasty.
刘备 - Liu Bei (161-223), warlord in the late Eastern Han dynasty and founded the state of Shu Han in the Three Kingdoms period.
刘德华 - Andy Lau (1961-), Hong Kong actor, singer, lyricist and film producer.
刘翔 - Liu Xiang (1983-), Chinese 110 meter hurdler, Olympic gold medalist and World Champion.
刘晓庆 - Liu Xiaoqing (1955-), Chinese actress and businesswoman.
刘玉玲 - Lucy Liu (1968-), American actress, voice actress, director and artist.
刘谦 - Lu "Louis" Chen (1976-), Taiwanese magician.
刘墉 - Liu Yong (1949-), writer and painter.
5362
卢
lú
卢广仲 - Crowd Lu (1985-), Taiwanese singer-songwriter.
9646
陆
lù
陆逊 - Lu Xun (183-245), military general and statesman of the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of China.
陆羽 - Lu Yu (733-804) ,known as the Sage of Tea for his contribution to Chinese tea culture. Author of The Classic of Tea (茶经).
陆小凤 - Lu Xiaofeng, fictional protagonist of the wuxia novel series Lu Xiaofeng.
7F57
罗
luó
罗贯中 - Luo Guanzhong (1280-1360), writer, author of Romance of the Three Kingdoms (三国演义).
罗大佑 - Lo Ta-yu (1954-), Taiwanese singer and songwriter.
罗雪娟 - Luo Xuejuan (1984-), Chinese swimmer, former world record holder in the 50-meter breastroke (short course), Olympic gold medalist.
M
Surname
Pinyin
Celebrities
9A6C
马
mǎ
马超 - Ma Chao (176-222), military general and warlord who lived in the late Eastern Han dynasty and early Three Kingdoms period of China, one of the Five Tigers General in famous Chinese historical novel Romance of Three Kingdoms (三国演义).
马坚 - Muhammad Ma Jian (1906-1978), Chinese Islamic scholar and translator.
马英九 - Ma Ying-jeou (1950-), President of the Republic of China from 2008 to 2016.
马云 - Jack Ma (1964-), Chinese business magnate, investor, politician and philanthropist, co-founder and executive chair of Alibaba Group.
马化腾 - Ma Huateng (1971), also known as Pony Ma, Chinese business magnate, investor, politician, philanthropist, engineer, internet and technology entrepreneur. He is the founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Tencent.
马友友 - Yo-Yo Ma (1955-), Paris-born Chinese-American cellist. He has recorded more than 90 albums and received 19 Grammy Awards.
马荣成 - Ma Wing-shing (1961-), Hong Kong comic artist, writer and publisher.
6BDB
毛
máo
毛泽东 - Mao Zedong (1893-1976), known as Chairman Mao, founding father of the People's Republic of China (PRC).
毛舜筠 - Teresa Mo (1959-), Hong Kong actress.
82D7
苗
miáo
P
Surname
Pinyin
Celebrities
6F58
潘
pān
潘玮柏 - Wilber Pan (1980-), Taiwanese-American singer, songwriter, rapper, actor and entrepreneur.
5F6D
彭
péng
彭德怀 - Peng Dehuai (1898-1974), Chinese Communist military leader, Commander and the Commissar of the People's Volunteer Army in Korean war.
彭士禄 - Peng Shilu (1925-), Chinese nuclear engineer, chief designer of China's first generation nucler submarine, main designer of China's first nucler power plant.
彭淮南 - Perng Fai-nan (1939-), Taiwanese economist, Governor of the Central Bank of the Republic of China (Taiwan).
彭帅 - Peng Shuai (1986-), Chinese professional female tennis player, first Chinese tennis player to reach world No. 1 in the doubles ranking by the Women's Tennis Association.
钱永健 - Roger Yonchien Tsien (1952-2016), Chinese-American biochemist, Nobel laureate in Chemistry.
R
Surname
Pinyin
Celebrities
4EFB
任
rén
任正非 - Ren Zhengfei (1944-), Chinese entrepreneur and engineer, founder and CEO of Huawei.
S
Surname
Pinyin
Celebrities
6C88
沈
shěn
沈括 - Shen Kuo (10311-095), mathematician, astronomer, meteorologist, geologist, zoologist, botanist, pharmacologist, agronomist, archaeologist, ethnographer, cartographer, encyclopedist, general, diplomat, hydraulic engineer, inventor, academy chancellor, finance minister, governmental state inspector, poet, and musician of Song Dynasty.
沈万三 - Shen Wansan (1330-1379), legendary businessman during the Ming Dynasty.
沈殿霞 - Lydia Shum (1945-2008), Hong Kong actress known for her portly figure, signature dark rimmed glasses and bouffant hairstyle.
5B8B
宋
sòng
宋江
- Song Jiang (12th century), leader of a group of outlaws during the Song dynasty, he was later turned into a fictional character in Water Margin (水浒传), one of the Four Great Classical Novels in Chinese literature.
宋应星 - Song Yingxing (1587-1666), Chinese scientist and encyclopedist lived during the Ming Dynasty, author of encyclopedia Tiangong Kaiwu (天工开物).
5B59
孙
sūn
孙武 - Sun Wu (544-496BC), widely known as Sun Tzu, Chinese general, military strategist, writer and philosopher, author of The Art of War (孙子兵法).
孙权 - Sun Quan (182-252), founder of the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period.
孙文 - Sun Yat-sen (1866-1925), Chinese politician, physician, philosopher and first president of the Republic of China. He is referred as the "Father of the Nation" in the Republic of China.
孙运璿 - Sun Yun-suan (1913-2006), Chinese engineer and politician, Premier of the Republic of China from 1978 to 1984, he was credited for overseeing the transformation of Taiwan from being a mainly agricultural economy to an export powerhouse.
孙继海 - Sun Jihai (1977-), Chinese former footballer previously played for Manchester City Football Club.
孙杨 - Sun Yang (1991-), first Chinese man to win an Olympic gold medal in swimming.
孙悟空 - Sun Wukong, also known as the Monkey King, main character of Chinese classical novel Journey to the West (西游记).
T
Surname
Pinyin
Celebrities
5510
唐
táng
唐寅 - Tang Yin (1470-1524), scholar, painter, calligrapher, and poet of the Ming dynasty. He was regarded as one of the Four Masters of Ming painting.
W
Surname
Pinyin
Celebrities
6C6A
汪
wāng
738B
王
wáng
王昭君 - Wang Zhaojun (50BC-8AD), known as one of the Four Beauties of ancient China.
王羲之 - Wang Xizhi (303-361), Chinese calligraphy master, regarded as the greatest Chinese calligrapher in history.
王祖贤 - Joey Wong (1967-), Hong Kong based Taiwanese-born actress.
王建民 - Chien-Ming Wang (1980-), Taiwanese former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees, Washington Nationals, Toronto Blue Jays and Kansas City Royals.
王力宏 - Wang Leehom (1976-), Taiwanese-American singer-songwriter, actor, producer, and film director.
王蔷 - Wang Qiang (1992-), Chinese professional tennis player.
6587
文
wén
文天祥 - Wen Tianxiang (1236-1283), Chinese poet and politician, he is a popular symbol of patriotism and righteousness in China.
文徵明 - Wen Zhengming (1470-1559), Ming dynasty painter, calligrapher, poet, and scholar. He was regarded as one of the Four Masters of Ming painting.
5434
吴
wú
吴承恩- Wu Cheng'en (1500-1582), novelist and poet, author of Journey to the West (西游记), one of the Four Great Classical Novels.
吴作栋 - Goh Chok Tong (1941-), Singapore's second Prime Minister.
吴奇隆 - Nicky Wu (1970-), Taiwanese singer and actor.
吴宇森 - John Woo (1946-), Chinese-born Hong Kong filmmaker, writer, and actor.
吴京 - Wu Jing (1974-), Chinese martial artist, actor and director.
吴雪岚 - Wu Xuelan (1984-), novelist, pen name Liu Lianzi, author of Empresses in the Palace (后宫甄嬛传) and Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace (后宫如懿传).
吴敏霞 - Wu Minxia (1985-), Chinese diver, Olympic gold medalist.
X
Surname
Pinyin
Celebrities
8427
萧
xiāo
萧何 - Xiao He (???-193BC), one of the "Three Heroes of the early Han dynasty",
萧志美 - Anna Sui (1952-), American fashion designer, she was named one of the "Top 5 Fashion Icons of the Decade".
萧芳芳 - Josephine Siao (1947), Hong Kong film star.
8C22
谢
xiè
谢婉莹 - Xie Wanying (1900-1999), better known by her pen name Bing Xin or Xie Bingxin, was one of the most prolific Chinese writers of the 20th Century.
谢杏芳 - Xie Xingfang (1981-), retired Chinese badminton player, two-time world champion for women's singles.
5F90
徐
xú
徐福 - Xu Fu (255BC-???), He served as a court sorcerer in Qin Dynasty China. He was sent by Qin Shi Huang to the eastern seas twice to look for the elixir of life.
徐庶 - Xu Shu (???), official of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China.
徐霞客 - Xu Xiake (1587-1641), Chinese travel writer and geographer of the Ming dynasty.
徐志摩 - Changhsu Hamilton Hsu (1897-1931), an early 20th-century romantic Chinese poet, he is considered one of the most important figures of modern Chinese poetry.
徐克 - Tsui Hark (1950-), Vietnam-born Chinese film director, producer and screenwriter.
8BB8
许
xǔ
许褚 - Xu Chu (???-230), military general who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period of China.
许仲琳 - Xu Zhonglin (????-1560), Chinese writer who lived in the Ming dynasty, author of the novel Fengshen Yanyi (封神演义).
许海峰 - Xu Haifeng (1957-), Chinese pistol shooter, first person to win a gold medal for China in the Olympic Games.
许淑净 - Hsu Shu-ching (1991-), Taiwanese weightlifter, she won a gold medal in the women's 53 kg at the 2012 London Olympics.
许冠杰 - Sam Hui (1948-), Hong Kong musician, singer, songwriter and actor.
Y
Surname
Pinyin
Celebrities
6768
杨
yáng
杨坚 - Yang Jian (541-604), founding emperor of China's Sui dynasty.
杨太真 - Yang Guifei (719-756), one of the Four Beauties of ancient China.
杨振宁 - Chen-Ning Franklin Yang (1922-), theoretical physicist, Nobel laureate in physics.
杨致远 - Jerry Yang (1968-), Internet entrepreneur, engineer, and programmer, co-founder and former CEO of Yahoo! Inc.
杨利伟 - Yang Liwei (1965-), first person sent into space by the Chinese space program.
杨紫琼 - Michelle Yeoh (1962-), Malaysian actress, Academy Awards winner, best known for her roles in films Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Everything Everywhere All at Once.
杨颖 - Angelababy (1989-), model, actress, and singer.
杨过 - Yang Guo, fictional protagonist of the wuxia novel The Return of the Condor Heroes.
53F6
叶
yè
叶问- Ip Man (1893-1972), martial artist and a master teacher of Wing Chun, hs most famous student was Bruce Lee.
8881
袁
yuán
袁绍 - Yuan Shao (???-202), a warlord who occupied the northern territories of China during the civil wars that occurred towards the end of the Han dynasty.
袁崇焕 - Yuan Chonghuan (1584-1630), politician, military general and writer best known for defending Liaoning from Jurchen invaders, widely regarded as a patriot in Chinese culture.
袁世凯 - Yuan Shikai (1859-1916), the first official president of the Republic of China.
Z
Surname
Pinyin
Celebrities
5F20
张
zhāng
张飞 - Zhang Fei (???-221), Chinese Three Kingdoms period military general, one of the Five Tigers General in famous Chinese historical novel Romance of Three Kingdoms.
张三丰 - Zhang Sanfeng (12th century), legendary Chinese Daoist and martial art grandmaster, founder of Wudang sect.
张大千 - Zhang Daqian (1899-1983), Chinese ink painting, modern impressionist and expressionist painter.
张爱玲 - Eileen Chang (1920-1995), writer.
8D75
赵
zhào
赵云 - Zhao Yun (???-229), he was a member of Five Tigers General in famous Chinese historical novel Romance of Three Kingdoms.
赵匡胤 - Zhao Kuangyin (927-976), founding emperor of Song dynasty.
赵紫阳 - Zhao Ziyang (1919-2005), third Premier of the People's Republic of China.
赵薇 - Zhao Wei (1976-), actress.
90D1
郑
zhèng
郑和 - Zheng He (1371-1435), mariner, explorer, diplomat, fleet admiral, and court eunuch, commanded seven expeditionary treasure voyages to Southeast Asia, South Asia, Western Asia, and East Africa from 1405 to 1433.
6731
朱
zhū
朱熹 - Zhu Xi (1130-1200), founder of the "rationalist" school and was the most influential Neo-Confucian in China.
朱元璋 - Zhu Yuanzhang (1328-1398), founding emperor of the Ming dynasty.
朱自清 - Zhu Ziqing (1898-1948), renowned Chinese poet and essayist.
朱镕基 - Zhu Rongji (1928-), Premier of the People's Republic of China from March 1998 to March 2003.
朱棣文 - Steven Chu (1948-), American physicist, Nobel Laureate in Physics.
5468
周
zhōu
周瑜 - Zhou Yu (175-210), military general and strategist served inder Sun Ce and Sun Quan during the late Eastern Han dynasty.
周树人 - Zhou Shuren (1881-1936), widely known as Lu Xun, a leading figure of modern Chinese literature.
周恩来 - Zhou Enlai (1898-1976), a skilled and able diplomat, the first Premier of the People's Republic of China.
周杰伦 - Jay Chou (1979-), musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, film producer, actor, and director.
5DE6
左
zuǒ
左宗棠 - Zuo Zongtang (1812-1885), Chinese statesman and military leader of the late Qing dynasty.
