Ji Surname

Surname Overview

The surname Ji is pronounced jí. It is a relatively common surname with a broad distribution, found among the Han, Xian, Hui, Li, Tibetan, Tu, Dai, and other ethnic groups.

Reference: 吉姓_吉姓的来源和历史_百家姓

Origins

Origins in JI and Ancestral Names

One line derives from the JI surname bestowed on Boyou, a descendant of the Yellow Emperor, whose descendants later removed the female radical and became Ji. Another derives from Yin Jifu, a worthy minister of King Xuan of Zhou, whose collateral descendants adopted an ancestral name as their surname.

Reference: 吉姓-吉姓来源-吉姓读音-吉姓名人

Historical Records

Documentary Attestations

The Ji surname is recorded in Zheng Qiao's Comprehensive Records of Clans. Related accounts of its origins also refer to works including the Yuanhe Xingzuan, the Tang History genealogical tables of chancellors, the Zuo Zhuan, and the Xingpu.

Reference: 吉姓_吉姓的来源和历史_百家姓

Commanderies and Clan Halls

郡望 and Hall Names

The Ji surname's commanderies include Fengyi and Luoyang. Its corresponding hall names are Fengyi Hall and Luoyang Hall, both established from the commandery names.

Reference: 吉姓_吉姓的来源和历史_百家姓

Migration and Distribution

During the Han and Tang periods, Ji families in the Central Plains were mainly distributed across Shaanxi, Henan, Shanxi, and Hubei, and the Fengyi and Luoyang commanderies emerged. After the upheavals of the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties, Ji families migrated to Hebei, Jiangsu, Shandong, Anhui, and Gansu.

Reference: 吉姓-吉姓来源-吉姓读音-吉姓名人

Notable People

Historical Figure: Ji Hongchang

Ji Hongchang (1895–1934), from Fugou, Henan, was a noted anti-Japanese military leader and served as chairman of the Ningxia provincial government. He joined the Communist Party of China in 1932 and was executed heroically in Beiping in 1934.

Reference: 吉姓-吉姓来源-吉姓读音-吉姓名人