Surname Overview
The surname Kuai is pronounced Kuǎi and is not among the 100 most common surnames in mainland China or Taiwan.
Kuai Surname
Population reference (not a current census): 37,027Kuai / K'uai
Origins
Three Origins
The surname has three origins: one derives from the name of the Shang-era state of Kuai; one derives from the fief of Jin official Kuai De under the Ji surname; and one derives from the ancestral name Kuai Kui, a descendant of Duke Zhuang of Wey, also under the Ji surname.
Historical Records
Ancestral Founder
Kuai De is regarded as the founding ancestor of the surname. His descendants took Kuai from his fief as their surname, a tradition said to have continued for more than 2,000 years.
Commanderies and Clan Halls
Commandery and Hall
The surname's commandery is Xiangyang Commandery, and its hall name is Fuguo Hall, associated with Kuai En of the Liu Song dynasty.
Migration and Distribution
The surname is mainly distributed around Xiangyang in Hubei. The records also mention Kuai Township west of Luoyang in Henan, the location of the Shang state of Kuai and a Han-era place west of Luoyang.
Notable People
Historical Figures
Kuai Tong was a strategist of the Han period, Kuai Xiang was a Ming-period builder, and Kuai Guangdian was a Qing-period scholar.
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