Niu Surname

Surname Overview

The surname Niu ranks 191st in the Hundred Family Surnames and is now relatively uncommon, with a small and scattered population.

Reference: 关于钮姓 | 钮家网

Origins

Warring States Origin

One lineage traces the surname to Xuan Yi of Hualin in Wuxing: after his daughter became King Helü of Wu's eighth palace consort, he received the surname through an imperial seal bearing “纽,” which later evolved into “钮.”

Reference: 关于钮姓 | 钮家网

Manchu Origin

The Niohuru clan traditionally lived in the northeastern region and was one of the Eight Great Manchu surnames; it later adopted the Han surnames Lang and Niu.

Reference: 关于钮姓 | 钮家网

Commanderies and Clan Halls

Commandery and Hall Names

The main hall names associated with the Niu surname are Lide Hall, also called Zhuangyuan Hall, and Benren Hall.

Reference: 关于钮姓 | 钮家网

Migration and Distribution

Jiangnan Roots and Commandery

The surname is said to have originated in Jiangnan, with its ancestral homeland in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang area south of the Yangtze. After generations of expansion and migration, it formed several commandery affiliations, chiefly Wuxing Commandery.

Reference: 关于钮姓 | 钮家网

People bearing the surname Niu were recorded from the Jin dynasty onward. Records of migrants from Hongdong place their descendants in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shandong, Shanxi, Henan, Hubei, Hebei, and Gansu.

Reference: 关于钮姓 | 钮家网

Notable People

Historical Figures

Recorded historical figures with the Niu surname include Niu Tao of the Eastern Jin, Niu Yin and Niu Shixiong of the Northern Zhou, Niu Zhao of the Song, Niu Kerang of the Yuan, Niu Yan of the Ming, and Niu Shuyu, Niu Fichou, and Niu Xiu of the Qing.

Reference: 关于钮姓 | 钮家网