Surname Overview
A Traditional Han Chinese Compound Surname
Sima is one of the traditional compound surnames of the Han Chinese, with a history of nearly 3,000 years and fifteen emperors among its bearers.
Sima Surname
Population reference (not a current census): 14,421Sima / Ssu-ma
Origins
Six Recorded Origins
Six origins are recorded for the Sima surname: Cheng, Mi, Ji, Zi, Chen and Tian, with another branch arising from surname changes made to avoid danger.
Historical Records
The Jin Imperial Line
The Sima surname reached its height from the end of the Three Kingdoms through the Jin dynasties. In 265, Sima Yan became emperor and established Western Jin; fifteen years later Western Jin conquered Eastern Wu. The two Jin dynasties lasted for more than 150 years and produced fifteen emperors.
Migration and Distribution
Present-Day Distribution
The Sima surname is distributed across Henan, Shanxi, Hunan, Anhui, Shandong, Jiangsu, Guizhou, Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Hebei, Inner Mongolia, Hong Kong and Taiwan. It is especially numerous in Henan, with concentrations in Luoyang, Yanshi and Wen County.
Notable People
Historical Figures
Historical figures bearing the Sima surname include the military strategist Sima Cuo, historian Sima Qian, fu writer Sima Xiangru, cultural figure Sima Hui, Jin dynasty founder Sima Yi, and Song dynasty historian Sima Guang.
Research Notes
Population and Surname Changes
The Sima surname now has fewer than 30,000 people. The Eight Princes' War, the Upheaval of the Five Barbarians, and the post-Song-Yuan trend of changing compound surnames to single surnames are recorded as causes of its decline; some descendants changed to the single surnames Si, Ma, Tong, Tong, or Feng.
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