Li Surname

Surname Overview

Li is a relatively rare Han Chinese surname. Its traditional form is 勵 and its pronunciation is lì. It is recorded in the Clan Records sections of the Xu Tongzhi and Qing Tongzhi.

Reference: 励姓_励姓的来源和历史_百家姓

Origins

The main origin traditions of the Li surname involve the Ji, Jiang, and Zi lineages.

Reference: 励姓_励姓的来源和历史_百家姓

Historical Records

Documentary Records

The Clan Records section of the Xu Tongzhi records that Song-dynasty Li Jing passed the Jiayou examination, but does not detail the beginning of the Li surname.

Reference: 励姓_励姓的来源和历史_百家姓

Migration and Distribution

Distribution

Members of the Li surname are distributed in Hangzhou, Ningbo, Yuyao, and Zhoushan in Zhejiang, as well as Jinghai in Tianjin, Beijing, Fucheng in Hebei, Wuxi in Jiangsu, Luyi in Henan, Xi'an in Shaanxi, Harbin in Heilongjiang, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the United States.

Reference: 励姓_励姓的来源和历史_百家姓

Notable People

Historical Figures

Li Duna was a Qing-dynasty official and calligrapher who served as Minister of Rites. Li Tingyi was a Qing official and calligrapher who served as Minister of Justice and Minister of Personnel. Li Zongwan was a Qing official and calligrapher who served as Vice Minister of Justice and Grand Court Attendant.

Reference: 励姓_励姓的来源和历史_百家姓

Genealogy and Generation Names

Genealogical Generations

Li families in the Zhoushan area of Zhejiang use generation names arranged according to a one-hundred-character poem. The Hengyang Li family uses the generation sequence “Wan Xuan Wen Zhang Shuo Yan Ying Jun,” with an alternative reading recorded as “Wan Xuan Wen Zhang Shuo Yan Ji Sheng.”

Reference: 励姓_励姓的来源和历史_百家姓