Origins
Two Origins of the Leng Surname
The Leng surname has two origins: an official title and the Ji clan.
Reference: 冷姓起源分布与家谱家族
Descendants of Ling Lun Adopted Leng
Tradition traces one branch to Ling Lun, also written 泠伦, a music official under the Yellow Emperor. His descendants used the surnames 伶 and 泠, originally pronounced líng, and later changed to 冷; this branch has a history of about 2,000 years.
Reference: 冷姓起源分布与家谱家族
The Ji-Clan Branch
Another branch originated from the Ji clan and descended from Wei Kangshu, a younger brother of King Wu of Zhou; it has a history of about 3,000 years.
Reference: 冷姓起源分布与家谱家族
Migration and Distribution
Distribution During the Song and Ming Periods
During the Song dynasty, about 11,000 people bore the Leng surname, mainly in Jiangxi and Jiangsu. During the Ming dynasty, the number was about 17,000; Sichuan accounted for roughly 32%, followed by Shandong, Hubei, Jiangxi, Guizhou, Hebei, and other areas.
Reference: 冷姓起源分布与家谱家族
Leng Among Ethnic Groups
During the Qing dynasty, Mongols of the Huite clan collectively changed their surname to Leng. Today, the surname is also found among the Yi, Manchu, Hui, Tibetan, Bouyei, Daur, and other ethnic groups.
Reference: 冷姓起源分布与家谱家族
