Zhu (surname)

Zhu
Family name
Meaning Vermillion; named after an ancient feudal state, Zhu (邾)
Region of origin Shandong, China

Zhu is the pinyin romanization of three family names 朱 and the less common 竺 and 諸, it is spelled as Chu in Wade-Giles romanization system, which is a common surname in China. The former was the "empire's surname" during the Ming Dynasty. Today it is the 13th most common surname in the People's Republic of China,[1] with a population of over ten million. It is often confused with Zhù (祝), a rare chinese surname.

Another surname, 璩 (Pinyin: Qú) is also spelt as Chu in the present-day Republic of China (Taiwan). A famous person named 璩 is the former journalist Melody Chu.

Chu is also an uncommon family name in Vietnam spelt the same way as in Taiwan.

Contents

Origination and distribution

The Zhu (朱) family originated from the small Chinese feudal state of Zhu (邾) within the southwest portion of modern-day Shandong province in the region between Henan, Anhui, and Jiangsu provinces. King Wu of Zhou granted Ts'ao Chia (Cao Xie, using Wade-Giles), a direct lineal descendant of the Yellow Emperor through his grandson Zhuanxu, control over the small state. He was a vassal ruler under the Lu (state) (魯) and held the feudal title, Prince of Zhu (邾王) during the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BCE to 476 BCE). (p. 138, Li Chi; p. 239, Tan & p. 306, Wu). The Zhu (state) (邾) was subsequently renamed the Zou (state) (鄒). (p. 43, Chao).

The ancestral surname (姓) of the ruling family was Ts'ao (曹) (see the Cao (Chinese surname)). (p. 144, Li Xueqin). The state of Zou was conquered and annexed by the state of Chu during the reign of King Xuan of Chu (楚宣王) (369 BCE–340 BCE). (p. 43, Chao). The ruling family and its descendants adopted Zhu (朱) as their surname in memory of their former principality, Zhu (邾). (p. 43, Chao & p. 239, Tan).

During the Ming Dynasty, some Zhus moved to Taiwan, and others later migrated to Southeast Asia, Europe and the Americas. The clan is also found in Korea and is known as: 주 (朱; Ju, Joo); it is the 32nd most common name in Korea though it is combined with the Zhou (周) surname.[2]

Zhu has been one of the most influential clans in Chinese history. The Zhu (朱) clan is technically a branch of the Ts'ao (曹) clan (Cao (Chinese surname)), but now surpasses the parent ranking 13th and 27th respectively in terms of population size. [1]

Notable People with or of the 朱 Surname

The names are divided into different categories, and within each category listed chronologically with early personages appearing before later ones.

Royalty

Qin State, later changed to the Han State (783 - 784 C.E.)

Later Liang Dynasty (907 - 923 C.E.)

Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644 C.E.)

Prominent Princes of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644 C.E.)

Southern Ming Dynasty (1644 - 1662 C.E.)

Government, Politics and Military

Government, Politics and Military (Unconfirmed)

Philosophy and Religion

Arts

Science and Technology

Business

Sports and Entertainment

Miscellaneous

Foreign

References

  1. ^ http://zhongwen.com/xingshi.htm
  2. ^ List of common Korean surnames
  • Brook, Timothy, 1998, The Confucian of Pleasure: Commerce and Culture in Ming China, University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-21091-3
  • Chao, Sheau-yueh J., 2000, "In Search of Your Asian Roots: Genealogical Research on Chinese Surnames", Clearfield. ISBN 0-8063-4946-8
  • Li, Chi, 1967, "The Formation of the Chinese People: An Anthropological Inquiry", Russell & Russell. U.S. Library of Congress Card No: 66-27117.
  • Li, Xueqin, 1985 "Eastern Zhou and Qin Civilizations", (Kwang-Chih Chang trans.). Yale University Press. ISBN 0-300-03286-2
  • Mote, F.W., 1999, "Imperial China 900 - 1800", Harvard University Press. ISBN 0-674-44515-5
  • Paludan, Ann, 1998, "Chronicle of the Chinese Emperors: The Reign-By-Reign Record of the Rulers of Imperial China", Thames & Hudson. ISBN 0-500-05090-2
  • Paludan, Ann, 1981, "The Imperial Ming Imperial Tombs", Yale University Press. ISBN 0-300-02511-4
  • Tan, Thomas Tsu-wee, 1986, "Your Chinese Roots: The Overseas Chinese Story", Times Books International. ISBN 0-89346-285-3
  • Wu, Kuo-Cheng, 1982, The Chinese Heritage. Crown Publishers, Inc. ISBN 0-517-54475-X

External links