Surname Overview
Pronunciation and Ranking
The surname Gou is pronounced gōu and ranks 374th in the Hundred Family Surnames.
Gou Surname
Population reference (not a current census): 90,468Gou / Gou
Origins
Four Origins
The surname Gou has four stated origins: the Goumang lineage, the Cao surname, place names, and Di people.
Historical Records
Early Documentary Attestation
The Classic of Mountains and Seas records: “In the Country of the Kunmin, the surname is Gou,” an early textual attestation of the surname.
Commanderies and Clan Halls
Commandery Prestige
The Gou lineage is associated with Pingyang Commandery, corresponding to the area southwest of present-day Linfen County, Shanxi.
Migration and Distribution
Distribution in the Ming Period
During the Ming period, the surname Gou was mainly distributed in Guizhou and Sichuan.
Research Notes
Limit of Evidence on the Surname Change
The Gou lineage later changed the written form to “句”, but the specific reason for the change can no longer be reliably established.
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Surname attestation references
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