Qu Surname

Surname Overview

Qu is a relatively common single-character surname. It is widely distributed but not numerous, occurring mainly in Shanxi, Shandong, Jiangsu, Henan, and Hebei, with larger numbers in Shanxi and Feng County, Jiangsu.

Reference: 中国百家姓一一1138 渠 姓

Origins

Origin Traditions

One tradition traces the Qu surname to the Ji lineage and the descendants of Kang Shu of Wei in the Zhou period; another holds that most present-day Qu families descend from the Xiongnu surname Juqu. Existing accounts are not consistent on these two views.

Reference: 渠姓_渠姓的来源和历史_百家姓

Historical Records

Documentary Attestations

Early records of the Qu surname appear in the Xing Shi Ji Jiu Zhang. The Yuanhe Xing Zuan, Tongzhi: Shizu Lue, and Wanxing Tongpu also record figures such as Qu Bo, Qu Kong, and Qu Can, along with their lineage traditions.

Reference: 中国百家姓一一1138 渠 姓

Migration and Distribution

The Qu surname was initially concentrated in the Yellow River basin and later spread because of factors including warfare. Genealogies of the Shanxi Qu families and those who migrated from Shanxi to Jiangsu, Shandong, and Henan can generally be traced back no earlier than around the Yuan period.

Reference: 中国百家姓一一1138 渠 姓

Notable People

Historical Figures

Recorded historical figures with the Qu surname include Qu Kong of the State of Wei in the Spring and Autumn period, Qu Bojiu, a chancellor under King Huan of Zhou, Qu Can, a marquis in the Han dynasty, Qu Chengqing of the Ming dynasty, and Qu Benqiao, a presented scholar of the late Qing.

Reference: 中国百家姓一一1138 渠 姓