Surname Overview
Population and Distribution
Today, the Qiu surname has about 290,000 people, concentrated mainly in Jiangsu, Shandong, Zhejiang, Hunan, Inner Mongolia, and Sichuan; Jiangsu accounts for about 31% of the total.
Qiu Surname
Population reference (not a current census): 372,070Qiu / Ch'iu
Origins
Principal Origins
Most modern Qiu lineages regard Qiu Mu, a Song official of the Spring and Autumn period, as their founding ancestor. Other accounts connect the surname with the states of Qiu You and Qiuchi, place names, or surname changes among minority groups.
Historical Records
Early Documentary Record
The Yuanhe Xing Zuan records that Qiu Mu was a Song official in the Spring and Autumn period and that his descendants took Qiu Mu's name as their surname. This branch has a history of at least 2,800 years.
Commanderies and Clan Halls
Commanderies and Hall Names
The Qiu surname is associated with Nanyang and Pingyang commanderies, and with the hall names Fangzheng, Dehua, and Nanyang.
Migration and Distribution
Migrations in Genealogies
Genealogical entries record migrations of several branches: Qiu Tai moved from Jurong to Chongming, Qiu Guoming moved from Huizhou to Jiangdu during the Ming dynasty, and Qiu Qing moved from Shexian in Huizhou to Yixing during the Chenghua era.
Notable People
Historical Figures
Associated historical figures include the Eastern Han official Qiu Lan, the Tang Duke of Chu Qiu Shiliang, the Song anti-Jin official Qiu Yu, the Yuan writer and calligrapher Qiu Yuan, and the Ming painter Qiu Ying.
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Surname attestation references
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