娜 Surname

Surname Overview

Na is currently a relatively rare surname, with a population of about 30,000; it is found among the Han, Manchu, Nu, Wa, Lahu, Lisu, and other ethnic groups.

Reference: 娜姓_娜姓的来源和历史_百家姓

Origins

Origins in the Records

One record gives no known origin for the Na surname; another associates it with the Ni state and the Yan surname in Tengzhou, Shandong.

Reference: 娜姓_娜姓的来源和历史_百家姓

Historical Records

Lahu Usage

Among the Lahu, “Na” is commonly used to indicate a woman; placing it before a woman's given name can form a “Na + name” pattern, which may be mistaken for a surname.

Reference: 娜姓_娜姓的来源和历史_百家姓

Migration and Distribution

Distribution

The Na surname is found in Beijing, Shangyi in Hebei, Longkou in Shandong, Qingyuan in Liaoning, Taiyuan in Shanxi, Hancheng in Shaanxi, Xinshao in Hunan, Wuchuan in Guangdong, and Tianlin in Guangxi; another record identifies Shandong, Guangdong, and Zhejiang as its main areas of distribution.

Reference: 娜姓_娜姓的来源和历史_百家姓

Notable People

Historical Figures

The records list Na Wenju of the Ming dynasty, Na Sicheng of the Qing dynasty, and the modern Na Bingxun, associated respectively with scholarship, local administration, and military service.

Reference: 娜姓的起源与发展：山东滕州颜姓的历史渊源-族谱网

Research Notes

Limits of Identification

Among the Lahu, “Na” may function as a prefix before a woman's given name rather than as a surname; the records also present both an “origin unknown” account and an account of a surname change from Yan.

Reference: 娜姓_娜姓的来源和历史_百家姓