Surname Overview
Overview
The surname Chang is pronounced chāng and is a Han Chinese surname. It ranks 51st in the Song-dynasty edition of the Hundred Family Surnames, has about 270,000 people today, and ranks 276th in the surname rankings.
Chang Surname
Population reference (not a current census): 65,693Chang / Chang
Origins
Recorded origins of the Chang surname include descendants of Changyi, son of the Yellow Emperor, and a Chang lineage among the descendants of the Ren surname. The former derives from an ancestor's name, while the latter is associated with Wang lineages in Runan and Donghai.
Commanderies and Clan Halls
Commanderies and Halls
The Chang surname has the commandery designations Runan and Donghai. Recorded hall names include Shuangzhi, Maoyin, Gaoxun, Dunlun, and Runan. The name Shuangzhi is associated with Chang Yong and the appearance of two lingzhi mushrooms in an ancestral shrine.
Migration and Distribution
Recorded distributions of the Chang surname include Hubei, Henan, Anhui, Shandong, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangxi, Shaanxi, Jiangsu, Sichuan, Chongqing, Hainan, and Yunnan. One lineage in Dongchang Village, Chaohu, is recorded as having migrated from Nanchang, Jiangxi, in the early Hongwu era of the Ming dynasty.
Notable People
Historical Figure
Chang Yong, courtesy name Yugong, was from Jing County in the Southern Song and was a Song-dynasty zhuangyuan. During the Jingkang era he led students of the Imperial Academy in upholding their principles; during the Shaoxing era he ranked first in the special examination and later rose to Taichang Temple Assistant.
Genealogy and Generation Names
Genealogical Generation Names
The generation-name sequence recorded in the Ruxu Chang genealogy is: “Establish the family and cultivate upright conduct; pass it down forever and prosper; inherit the ancestral aspirations in peace and stability; achieve great stability and enjoy longevity and health.”
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Surname attestation references
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