Surname Overview
Bai is a current common Chinese surname, especially concentrated in Sichuan, Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Henan; these four provinces account for about 65% of the Bai population among Han Chinese.
Bai Surname
Population reference (not a current census): 3,588,151Bai / Pai
Origins
Main Origins
Bai has several recorded lines of origin, including descendants of Bai Fu, a minister of the Yan Emperor; descendants of Bai Yibing of Qin; and descendants of Bai Gongsheng of Chu, who adopted the name of his fief.
Historical Records
Documentary Records
The Zheng Tongzhi, Xu Tongzhi, and Qing Tongzhi, in their Genealogical Clans sections, all record the Bai surname; related origins also appear in the Yuanming Bao, Tangshu, and commentary to the Sanguozhi.
Commanderies and Clan Halls
Commanderies and Halls
The Bai surname is associated with the Taiyuan and Nanyang commanderies, and with the halls Zhisheng, Xiangshan, and Nanyang.
Migration and Distribution
The Bai surname is widely distributed, with major concentrations in Henan, Hebei, Shaanxi, and Shanxi, forming two large clusters in Henan-Hebei and Qin-Jin.
Notable People
Historical Figures
Historical figures with the Bai surname include Bai Qi, a Qin general of the Warring States period; Bai Juyi, a Tang poet; Bai Pu, a Yuan dramatist; and Bai Ying, a Ming water-conservation expert.
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Surname attestation references
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