Chinese Surnames Research Articles

A study of the spatial distribution characteristics of Chinese surnames.

The spatial distribution of Chinese surnames is diverse and provides rich information about the evolution of human society. This study aims to propose several indices to quantify the spatial distribution characteristics of Chinese common surnames and to explore how these distributions are related to historical evolution. This study uses data from China's ID information system covering 1.28 billion people across 362 cities. Based on the location quotient, several new concepts, such as "moderately concentrated cities" and "highly concentrated cities," are defined. Then indices such as range, ununiformity and spatial autocorrelation are proposed and calculated to analyze the spatial characteristics of Chinese common surnames. A significant correlation is observed between the commonness of a surname and its spatial characteristics: the more common the surname, the wider its spatial range, the lower the ununiformity, and the higher the autocorrelation coefficient. These patterns reflect the complex interplay of historical, geographical, and cultural factors influencing surname spatial distribution. The spatial distribution of Chinese surnames is intricately linked to their historical evolution. Most common surnames, often with deeper historical roots, exhibit wider distributions and lower ununiformity, whereas less common surnames show higher concentrations in specific areas. These quantitative results provide a comprehensive understanding of the evolutionary characteristics of Chinese surnames.

Development and validation of YARN: A novel SE-400 MPS kit for East Asian paternal lineage analysis

Y-chromosomal short tandem repeat polymorphisms (Y-STRs) and Y-chromosomal single nucleotide polymorphisms (Y-SNPs) are valuable genetic markers used in paternal lineage identification and population genetics. Currently, there is a lack of an effective panel that integrates Y-STRs and Y-SNPs for studying paternal lineages, particularly in East Asian populations. Hence, we developed a novel Y-chromosomal targeted panel called YARN (Y-chromosome Ancestry and Region Network) based on multiplex PCR and a single-end 400 massive parallel sequencing (MPS) strategy, consisting of 44 patrilineage Y-STRs and 260 evolutionary Y-SNPs. A total of 386 reactions were validated for the effectiveness and applicability of YARN according to SWGDAM validation guidelines, including sensitivity (with a minimum input gDNA of 0.125 ng), mixture identification (ranging from 1:1–1:10), PCR inhibitor testing (using substances such as 50 μM hematin, 100 μM hemoglobin, 100 μM humic acid, and 2.5 mM indigo dye), species specificity (successfully distinguishing humans from other animals), repeatability study (achieved 100% accuracy), and concordance study (with 99.91% accuracy for 1121 Y-STR alleles). Furthermore, we conducted a pilot study using YARN in a cohort of 484 Han Chinese males from Huaiji County, Zhaoqing City, Guangdong, China (GDZQHJ cohort). In this cohort, we identified 52 different Y-haplogroups and 73 different surnames. We found weak to moderate correlations between the Y-haplogroups, Chinese surnames, and geographical locations of the GDZQHJ cohort (with λ values ranging from 0.050 to 0.340). However, when we combined two different categories into a new independent variable, we observed stronger correlations (with λ values ranging from 0.617 to 0.754). Overall, the YARN panel, which combines Y-STR and Y-SNP genetic markers, meets forensic DNA quality assurance guidelines and holds potential for East Asian geographical origin inference and paternal lineage analysis.

Renaming monkeypox to Mpox: correspondence.

Renaming monkeypox to Mpox: correspondence.

INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION IN THE TRILOGY OF RUSH HOUR

Intercultural communication (ICC) is a dynamic communicative phenomenon due to the cultural value presented in the multicultural communication exchange. The present study aims to explore the intercultural communication between Black and Chinese speakers in the trilogy of Rush Hour. Specifically, this study aims to see the characteristics of Black English and the communicative effects of conversation among speakers of different cultural backgrounds. Through the methods of qualitative descriptive, linguistic behavior is justified to show whether the conventions are acceptable to each community group. The results show that as an American English-speaking, Carter, a Black American is more expressive in using English because he is a native speaker, while Lee, as an L2 English from China, faces more communicative barriers. The cultural value of non-standard forms also adorns such conversation, e.g., phonological and sentence structures stigmatization. Not to mention, Chinese surnames produce homonyms with English pronouns.

Use of a Matching Preference Index to Empirically Examine Distribution Imbalances in Beijing Citizens’ Names

Personal names contain considerable meaningful information about biological and social characteristics of the name-bearer. They also routinely contain important data about cultural preferences in the naming process. Access to this level of information has been limited in the past by a lack of access to large-scale empirical data. As this investigation demonstrates, by utilizing a reliable large-scale sample of Beijing citizens, it is possible to empirically demonstrate onomastic imbalances in the occurrence of Chinese surnames, given names, and full names. In particular, this paper explores the matching imbalance between Chinese surnames and given names, a phenomenon which has as yet received scant attention in onomastic literature. As this article demonstrates, our innovative quantitative approach makes it possible to reveal statistically significant differences between real names and “random-matching names” that reflect a matching imbalance and imply the probable existence of underlying cultural preferences in Chinese naming processes. The key to this approach is generating a matching preference index (MPI) for names in a dataset. Alongside explaining how this approach is used, this paper offers possible reasons to explain why specific names have higher or lower MPI rankings. As this paper argues, one of the main reasons for these empirical differences may be found in special associations name-givers have within Chinese culture.

Research on the Graphical Design of Chinese Surnames Based on English Letters

This project takes the graphic(logo) design combining English letters and Chinese surnames as the research theme. In the modern social level, people use personalized logo symbols to establish personal and corporate images and deliver effective information. This design project takes surnames as the theme, breaks through the traditional Chinese characters as content graphics, uses the first letters of the surnames in English for logo design and combines the background of Chinese character culture to show a personalized graphic design Computer software is used in designing.

Inventing Surnames A case study of Tabgach identity construction

AbstractThe Tabgach, as a non-Chinese tribe, ruled North China from the end of 4th century to the middle of 6th century. Through a series of social reforms, Emperor Xiaowen depicted himself as a typical Chinese emperor rather than as a kaghan over the steppe people. One of the reforms he und ertook was a reform of Tabgach surnames. The Tabgach people used Chinese characters to transcribe their proper names. As Chinese characters are single-syllabic, sometimes they had to use several Chinese characters to transcribe a single Tabgach proper name. The multi-character Tabgach surnames sounded exotic to the Chinese people. In order to be accepted by Chinese society, they changed these sophisticated multi-character surnames into simple and traditional Chinese surnames. This paper is going to discuss the methods used by the reform committee in inventing Tabgach surnames.

Surnames in modern Russia

Background: Previous studies on Russian surnames have been based on outdated and inconsistent sources; they also had limited territorial coverage and population samples constrained by Russian ethnicity.Aim: To study surnames for the present Russian population, including migrants, as of January 2019.Subjects and methods: Based on cell phone subscriber data, our sample has twenty nine million people and 380 thousand different surnames.Results: We made a list of five hundred of the most popular surnames in modern Russia, and the top five surnames in several regions. Ivanov is the most common surname in Russia. Kuznetsov, Smirnov, Popov, and Petrov contribute to the top five most popular surnames. Thirty-one percent of the names listed are of non-Russian origin: Arabian, Turkic, Ukrainian, Armenian, Jewish, Chinese and Korean surnames are among them. There is a core of fourteen thousand surnames, which are used by 70% of the population. The regions with a high variety of surnames are located within the main belt of settlement in Russia, which fostered a more active exchange of the population.Conclusions: The regional surname distribution reflects the specificity of historical pathways of settlement and ethnic, cultural and religious plurality.

A Metaphor for Identities in Transition through Urbanization and Globalization: Tofu and One Hundred Surnames

The Chinese artist Chen Qiulin has been taking displacement and the resulting unrest in people’s identity as her persistent theme since the early 1990s. Focusing on a series of her works made since 2004 dealing explicitly with tofu and Chinese surnames, this paper examines her exploration of identities in transition in the context of China’s mass urbanization and globalization. By showing the artist’s conceptual evolution, her preference for materials and mediums, and her exhibition strategy, this paper explores two issues. First, it illuminates how the artist has transformed “tofu” and “surname” into a metaphor for the dilemma of identity under the urbanization in China. Second, it discusses how the artist has integrated her trans-cultural experience with Chinese migrant communities in Australia, to reflect the continuity and fluidity of cultural identity under global migration. The Tofu and One Hundred Surnames series provides a useful case study for examining the complexity of identity transition in Chinese contemporary art, which was previously not fully recognized.
 
 Keywords: Chinese contemporary art, symbolic mobility, identity, memory, displacement, transition, diaspora, urbanization, global migration

Inferring Chinese surnames with Y-STR profiles

Co-ancestry of human surnames and Y-chromosomes in most human populations and social groups suggests the possibility of inferring one from the other. However, such an intuitive perspective remains to be formally explored. In the present study, we develop two computational methods, based on cosine distance (dcos) and coalescence distance (dcoal) respectively, to infer surnames from Y-STR profiles. We also survey Y-STR variations at 15 loci for 19,009 individuals of Shandong Province in China. For a total of 266 surnames included in the data set, our methods can pinpoint to a single surname with an average accuracy of 65%, and with an average accuracy higher than 80% when providing >4 candidate surnames. We also demonstrate that increasing the sample size of surnames and the number of STR loci improves the accuracy of surname inference. Our results indicate that the 15 non-duplicated Y-STR loci contain information from which surname can be reliably inferred for Chinese populations, showing a promising application in forensics.

What's in a Surname? Central Asian Participation in the Culture of Naming of Medieval China

Medieval China, and particularly the Tang dynasty, witnessed unprecedented cultural interactions among Chinese and non-Chinese peoples. One well-researched aspect of these interactions is the changing practice of naming. By reading documents in Central Asian languages, in particular Khotanese, in conjunction with transmitted Chinese records, this article highlights the distinctive Central Asian tradition in the use of Chinese surname. I argue that, unlike the better-studied North Asian tradition, in which surnames were derived from usually multisyllabic tribal names, surnames for Central Asian peoples were largely invented and not traceable in Central Asian languages. In particular, these surnames were usually monosyllabic and hence formally much closer to typical Chinese surnames. The Central Asian participation in the practice of surnaming did not introduce a large number of new surnames, but it did profoundly influence what a surname could mean in medieval China.

Scientific author names: errors, corrections, and identity profiles.

Authorship problems are deep-rooted in the field of science communication. Some of these relate to lack of specific journal instructions. For decades, experts in journal editing and publishing have been exploring the authorship criteria and contributions deserving either co-authorship or acknowledgment. The issue of inconsistencies of listing and abbreviating author names has come to the fore lately. There are reports on the difficulties of figuring out Chinese surnames and given names of South Indians in scholarly articles. However, it seems that problems with correct listing and abbreviating author names are global. This article presents an example of swapping second (father’s) name with surname in a ‘predatory’ journal, where numerous instances of incorrectly identifying and crediting authors passed unnoticed for the journal editors, and no correction has been published. Possible solutions are discussed in relation to identifying author profiles and adjusting editorial policies to the emerging problems. Correcting mistakes with author names post-publication and integrating with the Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID) platform are among them.

浙江省古今人物姓氏的地理集中度与复杂度

通过对《中国名人大词典•历史人物卷》与《中国名人大辞典•当代人物卷》中的浙江省古今人物进行统计，从集中度和复杂度两方面对古今人物姓氏的特点进行分析，并结合浙江省不同时期自然地理条件、经济、政治社会历史、文化等因素对人物姓氏特点的原因进行探讨。研究发现：浙江省人物姓氏在古代呈现“小集中，大分散”，人物姓氏多样；南宋以后，经济文化中心逐渐南移，南北方渐趋均衡发展，但随着中国人物姓氏种类的稳定，浙江人物姓氏集中度趋于缓和；在近现代，特别是民国时期，我国政治形势复杂，涌现出大量的军事政治人物，在整体趋势影响下，浙江省人物姓氏多样，出现高复杂度现象。通过对浙江省古今人物姓氏的复杂度与集中度进行分析，对我们研究浙江省人才发展潜力、解读浙江古代社会结构、标记浙江历史上人口迁移、反映时代文化特征、增强中华民族凝聚力等方面具有重要价值。 Statistics on ancient and modern characters in Zhejiang Province according to China Celebrities Dictionary-Volume of Historical Figures and China Celebrities Dictionary—Volume of Contemporary Figures help to analyze characteristics of the ancient and modern figures from the two aspects, concentration and complexity ratio, and to explore the reasons, it has been combined with natural and geographical conditions, economic, political and social history, culture and other factors of Zhejiang Province in different periods. As is shown in the study: The ancient characters’ surnames in Zhejiang Province are “small concentration, large dispersion” and various. After the Southern Song Dynasty, as the economic and cultural center gradually transferred to the south, the devel-opment of the north and south were gradually becoming balanced, but as Chinese surnames are stable, Zhejiang concentration radio of characters’ surnames were tending to ease. In modern times, especially during the period of Republic of China, the political situation in our country was complex, a large number of military and political figures emerged. With the influence of the overall trend, characters’ surnames in Zhejiang Province were diverse and showed high complexity ratio phenomenon. It is to be of value for us to research the potential development of characters, explain ancient social structure, record historical migration of population, reflect cultural characteristics of the times, enhance Chinese national cohesion and other aspects about Zhejiang Province by analyzing the concentration and complexity ratio of ancient and modern figures’ surnames.

The Chinese Jews of Kaifeng: A Millennium of Adaptation and Endurance eds. by Anson H. Laytner and Jordan Paper

Reviewed by: The Chinese Jews of Kaifeng: A Millennium of Adaptation and Endurance eds. by Anson H. Laytner and Jordan Paper Rene Goldman (bio) Anson H. Laytner and Jordan Paper, editors. The Chinese Jews of Kaifeng: A Millennium of Adaptation and Endurance. Lanham: Lexington Books, 2017. vii, 270 pp. Hardcover $105.00, isbn 978-1-4985-5026-0. The volume reviewed here is the latest English language compilation of studies on the subject of the Chinese Jews to have been published over a period of three quarters of a century. The monumental three-volume compilation Chinese Jews: A Compilation of Matters Relating to the Jews of K'aifeng by the Canadian Anglican bishop of Kaifeng William C. White, published in Toronto in 1942, stands out as the first of its kind. A subsequent anthology that stands out is Jonathan Goldstein's two-volume The Jews of China. In addition to these collections of scholarly articles produced were comprehensive, multilingual bibliographies, authored by Rudolf Loewenthal, Michael Pollack, and the most complete of all: Donald D. Leslie's Jews and Judaism in Traditional China: A Comprehensive Bibliography. Any study of the Jewish presence in China would need to take into consideration the historical existence of the two kinds of Jewish presence in China: (1) That of Chinese Jews properly speaking, of whom a uniquely ancient community survives in the city of Kaifeng in Henan province. These bear Chinese surnames, are fully Chinese in culture, yet retain a Jewish identity in the sense that some of them call themselves Chinese Jews, while others regard themselves as Chinese with Jewish ancestry. (2) Jews in China. This category includes descendants of Mizrahi Jews from Iraq and India, who settled in Shanghai in mid-nineteenth century in the wake of British colonial expansion; Ashkenazi Jews, a major part of whom fled the pogroms of Russia, and who settled in Harbin, Shanghai, and Tianjin; and Jewish refugees mainly from Germany and Austria fleeing from the Holocaust. The first two chapters delve into the origins of the Jewish presence in China: Nigel Thomas investigates the early commercial activities of Jewish merchants traveling the Silk Road of the Steppes, while Erik Zürcher traces a historical overview of eight centuries of the Chinese diaspora. In the Tang and Northern Sung periods there existed Jewish communities in six or seven Southern port cities, of which scarcely a trace remains other than mentions of contacts between them and their Kaifeng brethren. A fortuitous encounter between Matteo Ricci, founder of the Jesuit mission in Beijing in 1605, and Ai Tian, a Chinese-Jewish candidate to the examinations for the mandarinate arriving from Kaifeng, revealed to Europe the existence of this remote, isolated community. In the following century this community received visits from several Jesuits. It had by then briefly recovered from the [End Page 282] devastation inflicted in the 1640s by the rebel Li Zicheng, a flood of the Yellow River, and then the Manchu invasion and founding of the Qing dynasty. Among the leading figures of the community at that time were two outstanding brothers, both mandarins and recipients of the jinshi or highest degree, both learned in Hebrew and in Chinese: Zhao Yingdou, who authored a guide to the moral precepts of Judaism entitled "Preface to the Illustrious Way," and Zhao Yingcheng, whose book "Vicissitudes of the Holy Scriptures" gave an account of the destruction of the city and the synagogue, and of their reconstruction and the repairing of the Torah scrolls saved from the flood, under his guidance. Alas, neither book survived the disintegration of the community and of its religious life in the nineteenth century. The Kaifeng Jews left no written documents other than four historical inscriptions engraved on stone stelae, a memorial book, and a few inscriptions from the synagogue. Moshe Bernstein devotes an admirable chapter to Zhao Yingcheng and proposes that his Hebrew name Moshe was richly deserved, for like the Biblical Moses who led his people to the Promised Land, Moshe Zhao repatriated the Jewish survivors of the calamities that befell Kaifeng to their home town. Unlike Moses who died a venerated elder on Mount Nebo, Moshe Zhao led in reconstruction but resigned from his...

Salted and preserved duck eggs: a consumer market segmentation analysis

The combination of increasing ethnic diversity in North America and growing consumer support for local food products may present opportunities for local producers and processors in the ethnic foods product category. Our study examined the ethnic Chinese (pop. 402,000) market for salted and preserved duck eggs in Vancouver, British Columbia (BC), Canada. The objective of the study was to develop a segmentation model using survey data to categorize consumer groups based on their attitudes and the importance they placed on product attributes. We further used post-segmentation acculturation score, demographics and buyer behaviors to define these groups. Data were gathered via a survey of randomly selected Vancouver households with Chinese surnames (n = 410), targeting the adult responsible for grocery shopping. Results from principal component analysis and a 2-step cluster analysis suggest the existence of 4 market segments, described as Enthusiasts, Potentialists, Pragmatists, Health Skeptics (salted duck eggs), and Neutralists (preserved duck eggs). Kruskal Wallis tests and post hoc Mann-Whitney tests found significant differences between segments in terms of attitudes and the importance placed on product characteristics. Health Skeptics, preserved egg Potentialists, and Pragmatists of both egg products were significantly biased against Chinese imports compared to others. Except for Enthusiasts, segments disagreed that eggs are ‘Healthy Products’. Preserved egg Enthusiasts had a significantly lower acculturation score (AS) compared to all others, while salted egg Enthusiasts had a lower AS compared to Health Skeptics. All segments rated “produced in BC, not mainland China” products in the “neutral to very likely” range for increasing their satisfaction with the eggs. Results also indicate that buyers of each egg type are willing to pay an average premium of at least 10% more for BC produced products versus imports, with all other characteristics equal. Overall results indicate that opportunities exist for local producers and processors: Chinese Canadians with lower AS form a core part of the potential market.

Evolution and Identity of the Kelantan Peranakan Chinese: Issues and Challenges

The Kelantan Peranakan Chinese (KPC) has become the earliest evidence of China relationship with the Malay World. The fifty or so Peranakan settlements in Kelantan were believed to have been founded sometime before the 1800s starting from Tumpat to Gua Musang and along Sungai Kelantan. The descendants of those early Chinese settlers married local women and had close contacts with the Malays and Thais who formed the majority of the populace. This eventually led to the acculturation of the Chinese and gave rise to the formation of the Peranakan community. He is ethnically Chinese but his Kelantanese dialect is so homey that he could easily pass off as Malay. The Chinese perceived the local Malays as legitimately dominant and themselves as legitimately subordinate. This understanding and acceptance of the legitimacy of their relative positions is very crucial in the promotion of a successful inter-ethnic interaction. Today, the days of the Peranakan are numbered and the size of their community is rapidly declining. Modernisation, migration and marriage with non-Peranakans are among the main reasons for the decline. But perhaps the most significant factor is the need to re-orient their identities to suit the post-colonial racial landscape with its ethnic demarcations of Malay, Chinese, Indian and others categories. Peranakan children no longer mix with their Malay or Thai neighbours, preferring instead the society of their schoolmates or those of similar ethnicity. It is just a matter of time before the community disappears. The objectives of the research is to indicate present and future transformations of the Kelantan Peranakan Chinese in the rapidly changing and the future of a small group of Kelantanese Chinese, whose forefathers landed in this country more than 250 years ago - much longer than many current crop of so-called Malaysians. Through the process of assimilation, they have lost their identity. They are not Malays; and naturally would not be accepted as bumiputras. Since they don't speak Mandarin, Hakka or Cantonese, they feel out of place among the "real" or more "genuine" Chinese. Compounded by their tanned skin, they look every inch like the Malays. Though their Chinese surnames are maintained, many have taken the Malay names or are being called by the Malay names. But this unfortunate group of people will perish in history in 30 - 40 years to come. They may be a minority in Kelantan but the Peranakan are as colourful as they come. However, this community is in danger of losing its unique identity. After they are, the Kelantan Peranakan Chinese will go down in history. The whole wide gone world would not even know of their existence}.

Chinese Jews and China-Israel Relation

This is a passage excerpted from its author’s memoir written recently. The author recounts the role he played in the establishment of official diplomatic relation between the People’s Republic of China and Israel 20 years ago. The memoir cites the historical records that show a considerable Jewish community who migrated from Mumbai, India 1000 years ago and settled down in Kaifeng, the Capital of Song Dynasty (960-1127). The ensuing emperors, personally concerned about these Diasporas, allowed them to stay in the Capital, conferred Chinese surnames upon them, and made official positions in government obtainable by them. Synagogues had stood in Kaifeng for as long as 700 years until they were finally destroyed by a big flood in 1854. Since then they had never been restored. The Jewish community gradually dispersed nationwide and fully intermixed with other ethnicities via intermarriage. Now millions of Chinese people may have distant lineage from Kaifeng Jews. China is one of a few countries that have always been treating Diasporas graciously as compatriots for a millennium.

A comparison of Chinese and non-Chinese Canadian patients hospitalized with heart failure

BackgroundCanadians of Chinese descent, represent one of the fastest growing visible minority groups in Canada, (as well as the second largest), but relatively little is known about the clinical features of heart failure (HF) in Chinese-Canadian versus non-Chinese Canadian patients.MethodsWe conducted a population-based analysis of urban patients hospitalized in Ontario, Canada for the first time with a most responsible diagnosis of HF between April 1, 1995 and March 31, 2008. Among the 99,278 patients, 1,339 (1.3%) were classified as Chinese using a previously validated list of Chinese surnames. Through linkage to other administrative databases, we compared the clinical characteristics, pharmacological management, and outcomes of Chinese versus non-Chinese HF patients.ResultsIschemic heart disease was identified as the possible etiology of HF in a greater proportion of non-Chinese patients (47.7% vs. 35.3%; p < 0.001) whereas hypertension (26.1% vs. 16.1%; p < 0.001) and valvular heart disease (11.6% vs. 7.2%; p < 0.001) were relatively more common in Chinese patients. Chinese patients were prescribed angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors less frequently (57.5% vs. 66.4%, p < 0.001) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) more frequently (17.4% vs. 8.9%, p < 0.001) compared to non-Chinese patients. They were also less likely to be adherent to ACE inhibitors over a 1-year follow up period. However, the 1-year case-fatality rates were comparable between the Chinese (31.7%) and non-Chinese (30.2%) subjects (p = 0.24).ConclusionThere are important differences in the causes and medical management of HF in Chinese and non-Chinese patients residing in Canada. Despite these differences, the long-term outcomes of HF patients were similar.

Resource‐sharing and genealogical research on Islamic Chinese names in Guilin

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide the historical background of genealogical records and analyze the value of Chinese genealogical research through the study of names and genealogical resources.Design/methodology/approachThe paper examines the historical evolution and value of Chinese genealogical records, with the focus on researching the Islamic Chinese names used by the people living in Guilin. The highlight of this paper includes the analysis and evolution of the Islamic Chinese names commonly adopted by the local people in Guilin. It concludes with the recommendations on emphasizing and making the best use of genealogical records to enhance the research value of Chinese overseas studies.FindingsThe paper covers the history of Islam and describes how the religion was introduced into China, as well as Muslims' ethnicity and identity. It also places focus on the importance of building a research collection in Asian history and Chinese genealogy.Research limitations/implicationsThis research study has a strong subject focus on Chinese genealogy, Asian history, and Islamic Chinese surnames. It is a narrow field that few researchers have delved into.Practical implicationsThe results of this study will assist students, researchers, and the general public in tracing the origin of their surnames and developing their interest in the social and historical value of Chinese local history and genealogies.Social implicationsThe study of Chinese surnames is, by itself, a particular field for researching the social and political implications of contemporary Chinese society during the time the family members lived.Originality/valueVery little research has been done in the area of Chinese local history and genealogy. The paper would be of value to researchers such as historians, sociologists, ethnologists and archaeologists, as well as students and anyone interested in researching a surname origin, its history and evolution.

Statistical distribution of Chinese names

This paper studies the statistical characteristics of Chinese surnames, first names and full names based on a credible sample. The distribution of Chinese surnames, unlike that in any other countries, shows an exponential pattern in the top part and a power-law pattern in the tail part. The distributions of Chinese first names and full names have the characteristics of a power law with different exponents. Finally, the interrelation of the first name and the surname is demonstrated by using a computer simulation and an exhibition of the name network. Chinese people take the surname into account when they choose a first name for somebody.