Seng Surname

Surname Overview

A Rare Han Chinese Surname

Seng, pronounced sēng, is a relatively rare surname currently used among Han Chinese.

Reference: 僧姓_僧姓的来源和历史_百家姓

Origins

Origin Associated with Buddhist Monastics

One lineage is traced to Buddhist monastics; as Buddhism flourished from the Western and Eastern Jin periods onward, many monastics were styled “Seng [name]” or “Shi [name].”

Reference: 僧姓_僧姓的来源和历史_百家姓

Mongolian Transliteration Origin

Another lineage arose from the transliteration of a Mongolian surname; after the transliteration became standardized, it formed the Seng surname and was more common in Inner Mongolia and northern China.

Reference: 僧姓_僧姓的来源和历史_百家姓

Historical Records

Surname Attestations

The Seng surname appears in Xing Yuan and is also recorded in the clan section of Xu Tongzhi.

Reference: 僧姓_僧姓的来源和历史_百家姓

Migration and Distribution

Geographic Distribution

The Seng surname is geographically widespread, occurring in Beijing, Songjiang in Shanghai, Jiaojiang in Zhejiang, Guichi in Anhui, Chengdu and Hejiang in Sichuan, Lushi in Henan, Changzhi in Shanxi, and Hancheng in Shaanxi.

Reference: 僧姓_僧姓的来源和历史_百家姓

Notable People

Historical Bearers

Recorded historical bearers include Seng Daorong of the Northern Wei, the Tang poet Seng Kepeng, and Seng Baoruan of the Song dynasty.

Reference: 僧姓_僧姓的来源和历史_百家姓