Cui Surname

Surname Overview

Pronunciation and Population

The surname is written 翠 in both simplified and traditional Chinese and pronounced cuì (Cui). It has about 1,000 bearers, ranks 1,320th, and is classified as rare.

Reference: 翠姓,姓翠(cui),翠姓的起源,翠姓名人明星-百家姓大全-

Origins

Descent from Jing Cui of the Mi Clan

One branch derives from the Mi clan and descends from Jing Cui, a high military official of late Warring States Chu. His descendants fled into the Guanzhong region and adopted 翠, a homophonically related character from their ancestor's name, as their surname.

Reference: 翠姓_翠姓的来源_翠姓族谱_姓氏翠姓的名人_翠氏家谱_百家姓

Occupational Origin

Another branch is associated with the occupation of cui-gong: jade artisans and merchants engaged in collecting, processing, carving, or selling jadeite. Some descendants or apprentices adopted the occupational title as the surname Cui.

Reference: 翠姓_翠姓的来源_翠姓族谱_姓氏翠姓的名人_翠氏家谱_百家姓

Historical Records

Historical Attestation

The surname appears in Zheng Tongzhi's Shizu Lue, which cites Jijiuzhang and identifies it as a Mi-clan surname descended from Chu's Jing Cui, adopted from an ancestor's name after flight from danger. The reading “descendants of Chu Chen” is identified as erroneous.

Reference: 翠_翠姓氏起源来源_翠姓氏名人查询_姓氏大全:翠

Commanderies and Clan Halls

Commanderies and Ancestral Halls

Recorded commandery affiliations include Nanjun, Xianyang, and Jingzhao. Hall names include Jingzhao Hall, also called Chang'an Hall, and Xianyang Hall, also called Jingwei Hall or Fengyi Hall.

Reference: 翠姓_翠姓的来源和历史_百家姓

Migration and Distribution

After Qin conquered Chu, descendants of Jing Cui dispersed in flight; some entered Guanzhong, later migrated repeatedly, and some joined the Tujia people of western Hunan. The surname is now found in Xi'an, Tongchuan, Baoji, Xianyang, and Weinan in Shaanxi and in western Hunan, as well as Wuqing in Tianjin, Pingyi and Pingdu in Shandong, Taiyuan and Datong in Shanxi, Hancheng in Shaanxi, Xinhui and Gaoyao in Guangdong, and Yifeng in Jiangxi. It occurs among both Han and Hui people.

Reference: 翠姓_翠姓的来源和历史_百家姓