Most people know Wang, Li, and Zhang. But what about a last name that means fish, wind, or the number five? Those names are real, and very few families carry them. This guide to rare Chinese last names shows you where to find them.
China has about 6,150 surnames in use today. Just 100 of them, the most popular Chinese last names, are shared by most people. The China Ministry of Public Security found this in its 2019 name report. The top 100 names covered 85.9% of the whole country.
Thousands of smaller names add color to the list. Some belong to old royal clans. Some have two, or even four, characters. Others are named after wind, clouds, and flowers. I think these small names hold the best stories in all of Chinese history.
This page covers six of the rarest names, names with lovely meanings, and two-character names. It explains why some names grew rare. In my opinion, the story of the surname that means "fifth" is the most fun. You will find it near the end.
What Makes a Chinese Last Name Rare?
A Chinese last name is rare when only a small number of families carry it. Most rare names belong to small, close family groups.
Chinese books list 23,813 surnames from all of history. About 6,150 are still in use. So many old names joined bigger names over time.
The rarest Chinese last names often share one of four traits. Some have two or more characters. Some come from an old royal clan. Some come from a small group, like the Manchu. Others use a special word, like wind or fish.
- 复Two or more characters
- 王An old royal clan
- 满A small group, like the Manchu
- 风A special word, like wind or fish
A rare name is still a real name. Families pass it down with pride, the same as Wang or Li. In some villages, a rare name is the most common name in town.
What Are the 6 Rarest Chinese Last Names?
Ying, Diwu, Moqi, Wenren, Aisin-Gioro, and Shi (是 “shr”) are six very rare names. Each one is old, and few families carry it today.
China's name reports focus on the big names. So these six are a well-known group, chosen for their history and small size. Each one is special in its own way.
| Surname | Character | Meaning | Why it is rare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ying | 嬴Yíngsounds like “ying” | The royal clan of Qin | Most royal kin took new names |
| Diwu | 第五Dìwǔsounds like “dee-woo” | Fifth | A family number name from the Han era |
| Moqi | 万俟Mòqísounds like “maw-chee” | A northern clan name | Two signs with a special sound |
| Wenren | 闻人Wénrénsounds like “wun-run” | A famous person | An old title that became a name |
| Aisin-Gioro | 爱新觉罗Àixīn Juéluósounds like “eye-shin-jweh-lwaw” | Golden clan (Manchu) | Four signs; many took Jin (金 “jin”) |
| Shi | 是Shìsounds like “shr” | Right, correct | A word few families use as a name |
Moqi is a fun one to read. The first character, 万 “wahn”, usually sounds like "wan." In this surname, it sounds like "mo."
Aisin-Gioro was the name of the Qing kings. The last one, Puyi, had it too. After 1911, many of his kin took the short name Jin. Jin means gold.
Which Unique Chinese Last Names Have Beautiful Meanings?
Yu (fish), Feng (wind), Yun (cloud), and Hua (flower) are unique Chinese last names with beautiful meanings. Each one is real and fairly rare.
These names come from nature, colors, and good wishes. They feel like small poems. The table below shows twelve of them.
- 鱼YuYúsounds like “yoo”Fish
- 风FengFēngsounds like “fung”Wind
- 云YunYúnsounds like “yoon”Cloud
- 花HuaHuāsounds like “hwah”Flower
- 蓝LanLánsounds like “lahn”Blue
- 玉YuYùsounds like “yoo”Jade
- 乐YueYuèsounds like “yweh”Music, joy
- 万WanWànsounds like “wahn”Ten thousand
- 帅ShuaiShuàisounds like “shwye”Commander, handsome
- 门MenMénsounds like “mun”Gate, door
- 黑HeiHēisounds like “hay”Black
- 墨MoMòsounds like “maw”Ink
Two names here are spelled Yu in English. Fish (鱼 “yoo”) and jade (玉 “yoo”) are different characters with different tones. That is why the character always matters.
Some of these names belong to famous people. Yu Xuanji (鱼玄机 “yoo-shwen-jee”) was a well-known poet of the Tang dynasty. Hua Mulan, the brave hero of an old poem, carries the flower name Hua.
A name like Wan (万 “wahn”), which means ten thousand, is a happy wish. In Chinese, ten thousand also means "very many." So the name wishes the family a long, full life.
Which Two-Character Chinese Surnames Are Rare?
Shangguan, Linghu, Murong, and Yuchi are rare two-character surnames. Two-character names are small, special family groups.
The old book of names, the Hundred Family Surnames, lists 504 names. Of these, 444 use one character and 60 use two. The two-character names are called fuxing (复姓 “foo-shing”).
Ouyang (欧阳 “oh-yahng”) is the biggest of them, with about 1.1 million people. The rest are small and special. The table below shows twelve of these Chinese rare last names.
| Surname | Characters | Meaning | Famous bearer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ouyang | 欧阳Ōuyángsounds like “oh-yahng” | South of Mount Ou | Ouyang Xiu, a Song dynasty writer |
| Shangguan | 上官Shàngguānsounds like “shahng-gwahn” | High official | Shangguan Wan'er, a Tang poet |
| Linghu | 令狐Línghúsounds like “ling-hoo” | An old place name | Linghu Chong, a hero of kung fu novels |
| Murong | 慕容Mùróngsounds like “moo-roong” | Admire and welcome | Rulers of the Former Yan kingdom |
| Yuchi | 尉迟Yùchísounds like “yoo-chr” | A northern clan name | Yuchi Gong, a Tang general |
| Zhangsun | 长孙Zhǎngsūnsounds like “jahng-swun” | Eldest grandson | Empress Zhangsun of the Tang dynasty |
| Gongsun | 公孙Gōngsūnsounds like “goong-swun” | Grandson of a duke | Gongsun Long, an old thinker |
| Dongfang | 东方Dōngfāngsounds like “doong-fahng” | East | Dongfang Shuo, a witty Han official |
| Huangfu | 皇甫Huángfǔsounds like “hwahng-foo” | Great and royal | Huangfu Mi, a Jin dynasty doctor and writer |
| Ximen | 西门Xīménsounds like “shee-mun” | West gate | Ximen Bao, who built water canals |
| Nangong | 南宫Nángōngsounds like “nahn-goong” | South palace | Nangong Kuo, a Zhou dynasty official |
| Situ | 司徒Sītúsounds like “sih-too” | Minister of the people | A job title that became a name |
Yuchi Gong has a special place in Chinese homes. His picture often guards front doors at the New Year. He is one of the two famous door gods.
Many of these names began as job titles or places. Situ was once a high office. Ximen and Dongfang point to directions, like the west gate and the east.
Which Rare Surnames Come From Royal Families?
Ji (姬 “jee”), Ying (嬴 “ying”), and Aisin-Gioro (爱新觉罗 “eye-shin-jweh-lwaw”) are rare surnames from royal families. They belonged to the Zhou, Qin, and Qing rulers.
Both 姬 and 嬴 contain 女 “nyoo”, the sign for woman.
Ji was the clan name of the Zhou kings, about 3,000 years ago. Ying was the clan name of the Qin rulers, including the first emperor. Both names have the sign for woman (女 “nyoo”) inside them. That sign marks them as very old clan names.
Over time, royal families grew into many branches. Each branch took a new name, often from its land. So the old royal names stayed small, while their branches grew big.
Yehe Nara (叶赫那拉 “yeh-huh-nah-lah”) is another royal name. It was the clan of Empress Dowager Cixi. Like Aisin-Gioro, it is a long Manchu name with four characters.
Why Did Some Chinese Last Names Become Rare?
Most names grew rare as families chose new ones. Some did it to honor a king. Some did it to keep things simple. Some did it after a move.
- Respect for the kingA king's name was for him alone
- Easy writingTwo-sign names became one sign
- Moving awayA new place, a new name
One reason was respect for the king. People kept the king's own name for him alone. A Han king named Liu Zhuang had the sign 庄 “jwahng” (Zhuang). So families named Zhuang took the name Yan (严 “yen”) while he ruled.
Another reason was easy writing. Short names are quick to write each day. So many families with two-sign names chose one sign. Over time, one-sign names became the favorite.
Moving played a part too. Families who moved far away took a local name at times. Others joined a big clan for help. Each change made the old name a little more special.
The Family Named Fifth
About 2,200 years ago, the first Han emperor wanted to make his new capital strong. He asked big, old families to move there. Among them were many branches of the Tian (田 “tyen”) family from the east. There were so many Tian branches that the emperor gave them numbers. They were named First, Second, Third, and so on, up to Eighth. Over time, most families took other names. One stayed strong. It was Diwu (第五 “dee-woo”), which means fifth. A man named Diwu Lun later became a high and honest official. Today, the family named Fifth still lives on, in small numbers.
第五 “dee-woo” Diwu, the branch that stayed strong
How Can You Find a Rare Chinese Last Name?
Use the tool at the top of this page. It picks real Chinese surnames, including small and rare ones, and shows each character and meaning.
The tool helps many kinds of people. Writers use it to find a rare Chinese last name for a hero. Gamers use it for a player name that stands out. Students use it to learn new characters.
Look for three things in a good rare name. Check that the character is real, check how it sounds, and check its meaning. Our guide to Chinese surname meanings can help. A name like Feng (风 “fung”) is short, real, and means wind.
- Is the character real?
- What does it mean?
- How does it sound?
Chinese last names that are rare and old can still sound fresh. Shangguan and Murong, for example, show up often in new kung fu stories. Readers love them for their strong, classic sound.
Generate a rare surnameWhat Else Do People Ask About Rare Chinese Last Names?
What is the rarest Chinese last name?
Diwu, Moqi, and Ying are among the rarest well-known names. Some names belong to just a few proud families. China's reports focus on big names, so experts use history to judge.
What is the longest Chinese last name?
Four-character names like Aisin-Gioro (爱新觉罗 “eye-shin-jweh-lwaw”) and Yehe Nara (叶赫那拉 “yeh-huh-nah-lah”) are among the longest. Both are Manchu clan names.
Are two-character Chinese last names rare?
Yes, most of them are. Ouyang is the biggest, with about 1.1 million people. The rest belong to small, close family groups.
What are some Chinese last names unique to one area?
Many rare names stay in one region. About one in three Ouyang families live in Hunan. Most Linghu families live in Guizhou.
Can I use a rare Chinese surname in a story?
Yes. Rare names like Shangguan, Murong, and Feng work well for heroes. They sound special and carry a real history.
Which Chinese unique last names mean nature?
Feng means wind, Yun means cloud, Hua means flower, and Yu means fish. All four are real surnames.
What Is the Short Answer?
These names belong to just a small number of families today.
China uses about 6,150 surnames. Its old books recorded 23,813.
Ying, Diwu, and Moqi are among the rarest. Feng, Yun, and Hua carry beautiful nature meanings.
Two-character names like Shangguan and Murong are rare and very old. Many names grew rare when families changed them over time.
Use the tool at the top of this page to explore more. This guide to rare Chinese last names is now complete.
Generate a rare surname