Helan Surname

Surname Overview

Written Forms and Pronunciation

Helan is also written Helai; the traditional forms are 賀蘭 and 賀賴. It may be pronounced hè lài or hè lán.

Reference: 0738 姓氏略考－贺兰(贺赖)姓－姓氏渊源_sinosurname_新浪博客

Origins

A Tribal Origin

One branch derives from the Helan部, a Xiongnu group descended from an ancient Donghu branch, and took its tribal name as a surname. The Helan部 later became one of the eight great princely and noble groups below the Northern Wei imperial clan.

Reference: 贺兰姓来源和历史名人-贺兰姓排名-智名网

Granted Surnames

Another branch arose through imperial surname grants: Pei Wenju was granted the surname Helan by Western Wei, Su Zhuang by Eastern Wei during the Wuding era, and Liang Tai by Northern Zhou.

Reference: 贺兰姓_贺兰姓的来源_贺兰姓族谱_姓氏贺兰姓的名人_贺兰氏家谱_百家姓

Historical Records

Early Records and Surname Change

The Helai部 appears in records of Xiongnu tribes from the Western Jin Taikang era, 284–287. After Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei's sinicization reforms, the Helan clansmen adopted the Han surname He.

Reference: 0738 姓氏略考－贺兰(贺赖)姓－姓氏渊源_sinosurname_新浪博客

Commanderies and Clan Halls

Ancestral Hall Couplet

A common four-character ancestral-hall couplet for the Helan surname is: “Cultivated the Dao at Wangwu; achievements distinguished in Jingzhou.”

Reference: 贺兰姓_贺兰姓的来源_贺兰姓族谱_姓氏贺兰姓的名人_贺兰氏家谱_百家姓

Migration and Distribution

The Helai部 settled in the Helan Mountain area north of Yongzhou and later moved east to north of Daqing Mountain in Inner Mongolia. After Northern Wei moved its capital to Luoyang, the Helan surname became He, forming the Henan He lineage.

Reference: 0738 姓氏略考－贺兰(贺赖)姓－姓氏渊源_sinosurname_新浪博客

Notable People

Historical Figure: Helan Jinming

Helan Jinming was a poet of the Tang dynasty. He passed the metropolitan examination in the sixteenth year of Kaiyuan, served as Censor-in-Chief, and became military governor of Henan under Emperor Suzong.

Reference: 贺兰姓来源和历史名人-贺兰姓排名-智名网