Ye (surname)

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Ye (Simplified Chinese: 叶; Traditional Chinese: 葉; pinyin: Yè) is the 42nd most common Chinese surname. Its variations in different Chinese dialects include Yeh, Yee,“ Ee, Yip, Ip,Yeap and Yap.

[edit] Origins

The Yè surname is recorded to have started in the city of Ye, China , near present-day Nanyang in Henan (not to be confused with a different Nanyang that refers to South-East Asia). The surname has existed for some 2500 years.

In the Spring and Autumn Period the Chu prince, politician and general Shen Zhuliang (T:沈諸梁 S:沈诸梁), after scoring numerous victories for the Kingdom of Chu, was awarded the fiefdom of Yè, awarded the surname of Yè, and crowned Duke of Yè in 525 BC. After his death some of his descendants took the surname of Yè while others retained their original surname of Shen.

In Ancient Chinese "yè" was pronounced "shè" and had no particular meaning, but later merged with the word for "leaf" and took on its pronunciation "yè", due to the city being a major producer of vegetables.

In the Song Dynasty, Yè once again became a noble surname (著姓).

Famous people with this surname include: