The ancients attached great importance to surnames because they were related to the ritual system of clans and patriarchy. Exploring the origin of surnames can be cautious and far-reaching, understanding where we came from and where we are going.
The origin of surnames is more varied and complex, and once the surname is obtained, it is generally unchanged. Zheng Qiao of the Southern Song Dynasty summarized 32 categories in the Tongzhi Clan Sketch. The following categories are common:
Surnames with national names: surnames such as Qi, Chu, Yan, Han, Zhao, Wei, Qin and other surnames
Take the official title as a surname: such as Sima (司馬), Situ (司图), Sikong (司空), Lezheng (樂正), etc
Place names and surnames: such as Dongmen, Ximen, Dongguo, Liuxia, Nanguo, etc
Occupation as a surname: such as Jia, Tao, Wu, Che, Tu, Bu, etc
Surnames with ancestral names: such as uncles, jisun, zhongsun, mengsun, etc
There are also exceptions regarding surnames. In later generations, there were also ethnic minorities who changed their surnames, such as the Xianbei people who changed their surnames to Liu, Lou, Yuan, Mu, lou and so on. In ancient times, it was also possible to change the surname, but this situation was relatively rare, such as the royal family giving the surname, avoiding disasters and changing the surname.