Origins of Chinese Surnames

Chinese surnames can date back to the time of Fuxi more than 5,000 years ago. The creation of surnames indicated the transition from communal marriage to marriage based on blood relationship, marking a milestone in the evolution of human civilization.

In accordance with Chinese historical records and oracle-bone inscriptions, China is the first country in the world to use surnames. Of the 23,813 surname entries in the Dictionary of Chinese Surnames, 1,834 originated in Henan Province. Of the 120 surnames with the most users, 52 originated in Henan fully and 45 partly. The four most populous surnames in China – Li, Wang, Zhang, and Liu – and the four most populous surnames in the southern areas – Lin, Chen, Zheng, and Huang – are all rooted in the province.

The root-seeking efforts of overseas Chinese have revived the studies of the surname culture. Henan's provincial authorities have also conducted in-depth surveys of the current conditions of Chinese surnames and clan organizations overseas. These have preserved Henan's surname culture and enhanced overseas Chinese's identification with their root in the Central Plains.

中華姓氏之源

中華姓氏的起源，可以追溯到距今大約5000多年的伏羲時期。姓氏的產生，標志著從群婚制到以血緣關系為基礎的婚姻制的轉變，成為人類文明進步的一個重要里程碑。

根據中國史籍記載及甲骨文的出現，中國是世界上最早使用姓氏的國家。在《中華姓氏大辭典》中，共列有23813個姓氏，起源于河南省的姓氏共有1834個。按人口數量排在前120位的主要姓氏中，全源于河南省的姓氏有52個，部分源頭在河南省的姓氏有45個。無論是李、王、張、劉為代表的“中華四大姓”，還是林、陳、鄭、黃為代表的“南方四大姓”，其根源均在河南。

河南省歷史悠久，產生的姓氏多。近年來，海外華人華僑持續尋根謁祖，姓氏文化研究方興未艾。河南省深入考察海外華人姓氏現狀及其姓氏宗親組織，傳播了河南省姓氏根親文化，增強了海外華人“根在中原”的身份認同感。