Surname Overview
Qu is a current common surname, pronounced qū, and is widely distributed.
Qu Surname
Population reference (not a current census): 675,945Qu / Ch'ü
Origins
Principal Origins
The principal branches of the Qu surname are from the Mi and Ji surnames: the Mi branch came from Prince Xia, son of King Wu of Chu, who held Qu as his fief; the Ji branch came from Prince Yiwu, Duke Hui of Jin, who lived at Qu.
Historical Records
Textual Attestations and Limits
Texts describe the Mi branch as a Chu royal clan that took its surname from the fief of Qu, while also stating that the location of Chu's Qu fief in the Spring and Autumn period cannot be determined.
Migration and Distribution
Before the Qin period, the Qu surname was mainly active along both sides of the Yangtze in Hubei. In the Ming period, it was mainly distributed in Shaanxi, Jiangsu, and Sichuan; these three provinces accounted for about 71% of the total Qu population, with Shaanxi accounting for about 40%.
Notable People
Historical Figures
Historical figures with the Qu surname include Qu Wan of Chu in the Spring and Autumn period, Qu Yuan in the Warring States period, Qu Yan in the Han period, Qu Zun in the Later Wei, Qu Jian in the Song period, and Qu Dong in the Ming period.
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