Mo Surname

Surname Overview

Three Main Origins

The Mo surname mainly has three origins: an official title, a place name, and the Mu surname.

Reference: 莫姓起源分布与家谱家族

Origins

Origin From the Mo’ao Office

During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, Chu had the office of Mo’ao. Some descendants of the Qu clan took “Mo” from the official title as their surname; Qu Yuan once inherited this office.

Reference: 莫姓起源分布与家谱家族

Historical Records

Classical Text Records

The Guangyun records the Mo’ao office of Chu and descendants taking the surname from the office. The Tongzhi: Clan Records states that Mo is an abbreviated form of Mu and that the surname’s commanderies were Julu and Jiangling.

Reference: 莫姓大全 - 族谱宝

Commanderies and Clan Halls

Commanderies and Hall Names

The Mo surname’s commanderies include Julu, Jiangling, and Hejian. Its hall names include Julu, Dunben, Deyin, Weiyuan, Siji, Hejian, and Anding.

Reference: 莫姓大全 - 族谱宝

Migration and Distribution

In its early period, the Mo surname was mainly distributed in Hebei and south of the Yangtze. During the Song, Yuan, and Ming periods, its population mainly moved southward, southwestward, and southeastward from the north.

Reference: 莫姓起源分布与家谱家族

Notable People

Historical Figure: Mo Xuanqing

Mo Xuanqing was from Fengkai, Guangdong. In the fifth year of the Dazhong era of the Tang dynasty, he became a zhuangyuan in the special examination, the first zhuangyuan in Guangdong history and the youngest zhuangyuan since the Sui and Tang imperial examination system began.

Reference: 莫姓大全 - 族谱宝