Hou Surname

Surname Overview

Meaning of the Surname

Hou was the second rank among the five grades of nobility, and the surname Hou may be closely related to the title of marquis.

Reference: 侯姓起源分布与家谱家族

Origins

The surname Hou may have originated from the ancient place name Hou, from place names such as Houma and Minhou, and in some cases from surname changes among ethnic minorities.

Reference: 侯姓起源分布与家谱家族

Historical Records

Early Attestations

Around the Qin-Han transition, the surname Hou was already present in the Jin, Ji, Yu, and Lu regions; associated figures included Hou Ba and Hou Ba of the Western Han, and Hou Lan, Hou Can, and Hou Xuan of the Eastern Han.

Reference: 侯姓起源分布与家谱家族

Migration and Distribution

Migration

During the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern dynasties, Hou branches among the Jie and Xianbei, including Houfuhou, Hougu, and Houmochen, rose to prominence. The surname became widely distributed in northern China and spread southward.

Reference: 侯姓起源分布与家谱家族

Contemporary Regional Distribution

Among contemporary Hou users, ancestral places of origin are mainly distributed in Shandong, Henan, Hebei, Shanxi, Beijing, and Sichuan. Shandong accounts for 11.7%, Henan 9.8%, and Hebei 8.8%.

Reference: 侯姓起源分布与家谱家族

Notable People

The Hou Line of Shanggu

The Hou lineage of Shanggu was a prominent local clan. Its notable figures included Hou Kan and Hou Zhang of the Northern Wei, and Hou Xingguo and Hou Zhongzhuang of the Tang dynasty.

Reference: 侯姓起源分布与家谱家族