Surname Overview
An Ancient Compound Surname
Gongye, pronounced Gōng yě, is a compound surname with a history of approximately 2,500 years or more.
GongYe Surname
Population reference (not a current census): 5GongYe / GongYe
Origins
Descent from the Ji Clan
The Gongye surname descended from the Ji-surnamed Jishi clan and was taken from the courtesy name Gongye of Ji Ye in the state of Lu during the Spring and Autumn period; Ji Ye is regarded as the surname ancestor.
Historical Records
Surname from an Ancestor's Courtesy Name
An account associated with the Guoyu Commentary places the surname's origin in the state of Lu and explains that Ji Ye's descendants adopted his courtesy name as their surname.
Commanderies and Clan Halls
Lu Commandery and Botong Hall
The clan's commandery was recorded as Lu, administered from Lu County, now Qufu in Shandong. Its hall name Botong Hall is associated with the story that Gongye Chang understood the language of birds.
Migration and Distribution
Lu Commandery and Shandong Distribution
The ancestral commandery of the Gongye clan was Lu Commandery, with its principal distribution around present-day Qufu and Sishui in Shandong.
Notable People
Gongye Chang
Gongye Chang, courtesy name Zichang, was a native of Qi in the late Spring and Autumn period and a disciple of Confucius noted for virtue; one chapter of the Analects is titled “Gongye Chang.”
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