These are lists of the most common Chinese surnames in the People's Republic of China (Hong Kong, Macau, and Mainland China), the Republic of China (Taiwan), and the Chinese diaspora overseas as provided by government or academic sources. Chinese names also form the basis for many common Cambodian, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese surnames, and to an extent, Filipino surnames in both translation and transliteration into those languages.
The conception of China as consisting of the "old hundred families" () is an ancient and traditional one, the most notable tally being the Song-era Hundred Family Surnames (). Even today, the number of surnames in China is a little over 4,000, while the 2000 United States census found there are more than 6.2 million surnames altogetherWord, David L. & al. "Demographic Aspects of Surnames from Census 2000" . 26 June 2001. Accessed 3 February 2012. and that the number of surnames held by 100 or more Americans (per name) was just over 150,000.United States Census Bureau. "Genealogy Data: Frequently Occurring Surnames from Census 2000" . 27 September 2011. Accessed 29 March 2012.
The Chinese expression "Three Zhang Four Li" () is used to mean "anyone" or "everyone",Prest, Kevin. "X三Y四: Similar Chinese Idioms (Chengyu)" . 4 March 2011. Accessed 5 April 2012. but the most common surnames are currently Wang in mainland China and Chen in Taiwan. A commonly cited factoid from the 1990 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records estimated that Zhang was the most common surname in the world,McFarlan, Donald. 1990 Guinness Book of World Records. Sterling Pub. Co., 2001. . but no comprehensive information from China was available at the time and more recent editions have not repeated the claim. However, Zhang Wei () is the most common full name in mainland China.Beijing News. "一个“张伟”找到29万人" [One Name 'Zhang Wei' Covers 290,000 People]. 26 July 2007. Accessed 16 March 2012.
The top five surnames in China – Wang, Li, Zhang, Liu, Chen – are also the top five surnames in the world, each with over 70-100 million worldwide.
China This list of the 100 most common Chinese surnames derives from China's Ministry of Public Security's annual report on the top 100 surnames in China, with the latest report release in January 2020 for the year 2019. When the 1982 Chinese census was first published, it did not include a list of top surnames. However, in 2004, the State Post Bureau subsequently used the census data to release a series of commemorative stamps in honor of the then-most-common surnames in 2004.People's Daily Online. "China issues first set of stamps of Chinese family names" . 19 November 2004. Accessed 28 March 2012. "" [The New Hundred Family Surnames's Totems: Quick, Come Look at Your Honorable Surname's Picture]. 12 December 2011. Accessed 28 March 2012.
The summary of the 2007 survey revealed China had approximately 92,881,000 Wangs (7.25% of the population), 92,074,000 Lis (7.19%), and 87,502,000 Zhangs (6.83%)."" [Public Security Bureau Statistics: 'Wang' Found China's #1 'Big Family', Includes 92.88m People]. 24 April 2007. Accessed 27 March 2012.
A 2018 survey showed that Liu and Chen were the next most common China with more than 70 million each.
These top five surnames – Wang, Lee (Li), Zhang, Liu, Chen – alone accounted for more people than Indonesia, the fourth most populous country in the world,Badan Pusat Statistik. "Population of Indonesia by Province 1971, 1980, 1990, 1995, 2000 and 2010" . 2009. Accessed 29 March 2012.
The next five – Yang, Huang, Zhao, Wu, and Zhou – were each shared by more than 20 million Chinese. Twelve moreXu, Sun, Ma, Zhu, Hu, Guo, He, Gao, Lin, Luo, Zheng, and Liangwere each shared by more than 10 million.
All together, the top hundred surnames accounted for 84.77% of China's population.
Surname list
+ RomanizationsRankCharacterMandarinCantoneseMin NanHakkaGanWuOther 2019Trad.Simp.PinyinWade–GilesHKOtherPOJOtherPFSOtherGP OtherShanghainese romanization Other1WángWang2WongVangÔngWungHengVòngWongUōngWongWaonWhangViet.VươngKor.Wang ()Jpn.ŌPhil.Ong, Wong, Wang, Heng2LǐLi3LeeLiLyLíLeeLíLeeLîLeeLiLeeViet.LýN. Kor.Ri (),S. Kor.Yi, Lee, Rhee ()Jpn.RiPhil.Dy, Lee, Li, Dee, Sy3ZhāngChang1CheungCheongChongTiuⁿ (X, Q, K, T)Tioⁿ (Z)TeoTeohTioChôngChongTongCheongThongTsanTzan ZanViet.TrươngKor.Jang ()Jpn.ChōPhil.Tiu, Tiong, ChongIdn.Sutiono, Tjong4LiúLiu2LauLaoLouLưuLâuLauLowLaoLiùLiewLiuLew LieuLieuLioViet.LưuKor.Yu/Yoo ()Phil.Lao, LewJpn.Ryū5ChénCh'en2ChanChunCheanChinTânTanTang TingChhìnChinThínThinChinZenTchenViet.TrầnKor.Jin ()Phil.Tan, Chan, Tantoco, TanteksiJpn.Chin6YángYang2YeungYeongIeongYoungIûⁿ (X, Q, K, T)Iôⁿ (Z)YeohYeoYoNyoYòngYongYeongIōngYeongYanYang IanViet.DươngKor.Yang ()Phil.Yu, Young, Yung, Yang, Yana, Yongco, YuchengcoJpn.YōMisc.Yana7HuángHuang2WongWangVongN̂g (X, Q, K, T)Ûiⁿ (Z)NgUngOoiUy WeeVòngWongWungUōngWongFongWaon WhangViet.Hoàng/HuỳnhKor.Hwang ()Phil.Ng, Uy, Wee, WongJpn.Kō8ZhàoChao4ChiuChuChioJiuTiō (X, Z, K, T)Tiǒ (Q)TeoTeohChhauChauThèuCheuChewZauZoViet.TriệuKor.Jo ()Phil.Tio, Chiu, Chio, ChuJpn.Chō9WúWu2NgUng, EngGô͘Ngô͘ (X, Q, K, T)GohǸgNgNgNgWuNgEng WooViet.NgôKor.Oh ()Jpn.Go / KurePhil.Go, Ngo, Goh, Wu, Gozon, Gozum, Cinco, Gochian, Gokongwei, GosiengfiaoMisc.Woo10ZhōuChou1ChowChauJao,Chau, ChaoChiuChewJewChiûChewChiewTiuChewCheuTseuTzoViet.Chu, ChâuKor.Ju ()Jpn.ShūPhil.Chiu, Jao, ChowMisc.Joe11XúHsü2TsuiChoiChuiTsuaChhî (X, Z, K, T)Sîr (Q)CheeCherCheuSweeJiJeeChhìChiChhiéCheeChuiZeeZiViet.TừKor.Seo ()Jpn.ShoPhil.ChoiIdn.DharmadjieChristiadjie12SūnSun1SuenSunSng (X, Q, K, T)Sun (X, Q, K, T)Suiⁿ (Z)SngSoonSûnSunSunSuenSenSunViet.TônKor.Son ()Jpn.SonPhil.Suan, Soon, Son13MǎMa3MaMahMarMáBé (K, T)BeyBehBaeyMâMaMâMâMoMuMaViet.MãKor.Ma ()Phil.Ma/MapuaJpn.Ba14ZhūChu1ChuChueChuChooChûChooTuChuTsyTsyuTzuChuViet.ChâuKor.Ju ()Jpn.ShuPhil.ChuCan.GeeMisc.Ju15HúHu2WuWoo,VuÔ͘Oh Ow AwFùFooŪWuFooWuWooViet.HồKor.Ho ()Jpn.KoPhil. Hu, Ho16GuōKuo1KwokKuokKoeh (Z, K, T)Keh (X)Kerh (Q)KuehKoayQuayKwekQuek KwikKwokKwokKokKuokKwokKohGohKuehKoqViet.QuáchKor.Gwak ()Jpn.KakuPhil.Que, Cue, Quezon, Quison, Ker, Kho, Kwok, Kue17HéHê2Ho2HoHoeHôHoHorHou Hò HoHóHoWuWooViet.HàKor.Ha ()Phil.HoJpn.Ka18LínLin2LamLumLîmLimLìmLimLīmLīmLinLingViet.LâmKor.Lim/Im/Rim(/)Phil.LimJpn.Rin/Hayashi19GāoKao1KoKouGoKo (X, Z, K, T)Ko͘ (Q)KoKor KôKau KooKouKouKauKoGauViet.CaoKor.Go ()Jpn.KōPhil.Caw, Co, Ko, Gao20LuóLo2LoLawLoh, LoweLorLôLoLorLawLò LawLoLohLōLōLawLuLooViet.LaKor.Na/La/Ra(/)Phil.LoJpn.Ra21ZhèngCheng4ChengCheangChiangTēⁿ (K)Tīⁿ (X, T)Tìⁿ (Q)Tēeⁿ (Z)TayTehTey Chhang ChangThàngZenZungViet.TrịnhKor.Jeong ()Jpn.TeiPhil.Ty, Tee, Cheng, Chiang22LiángLiang2LeungLeongLangLengNiû (X, Q, K, T)Niô͘ (Z)Neo LiòngLeongLiōngLianViet.LươngKor.Yang/Ryang (/)Phil.Leong, Liong, Leung, NiuJpn.Ryō23XièHsieh4TseCheChiā (Z, K)Siā (X, T)Sià (Q)ChiaCheahSeah TshiaCheahChhiàZiaViet.TạKor.Sa ()Jpn.ShaCan.TsiaPhil.Sia, Saa, Sese, Chia, TseMisc.Shie24SòngSung4SungSòngSàng (K, T)SongSungSongSoongSūngSonSungSoongViet. TốngKor.Song ()Jpn.SōPhil.Song, Songco, Soong, SungMisc.Soong25TángT'ang2TongTn̂gTông (X, Z, K, T)TngTang Thòng TongThongThóngDaonDaanViet.ĐườngKor.Dang ()Phil.TengJpn.Tō26XǔLinks to same page as 徐Hsü3HuiHoiKhó͘KohKhohKo Hí HeeHéSiuSyuShiuViet.Hái, HứaKor.Heo ()Jpn.KyoPhil.Kho, Ko, Co, Kaw, Cojuangco27DèngTeng2TangThengTēng (X, Z, K, T)Tèng (Q)TengThenThen