Léi Surname

Surname Overview

Leizu Overview

Leizu, also written Leizu with the character Lei, is a legendary figure of ancient China, associated with the Xiling clan and described as the Yellow Emperor's principal wife.

Reference: 【历史文化】雷映松 ‖ 姓氏探源：西陵氏嫘祖 _史料之窗_文化纵横_四川省情网

Origins

Xiling Marriage Record

The Da Dai Li Ji records that the Yellow Emperor married a child of the Xiling clan, called Leizu, and had Qingyang and Changyi.

Reference: 【历史文化】雷映松 ‖ 姓氏探源：西陵氏嫘祖 _史料之窗_文化纵横_四川省情网

Le and Lei Surname Distinction

Arguments about Leizu's surname origin concern the Le or Lei-character surname and do not amount to an origin account for the Lei surname.

Reference: 【历史文化】雷映松 ‖ 姓氏探源：西陵氏嫘祖 _史料之窗_文化纵横_四川省情网

Historical Records

Early Textual Forms

In early texts, the Shanhaijing writes the name as Leizu with the character Lei, while the Da Dai Li Ji and the Shiji write it as Leizu with the character Lei radical form.

Reference: 【历史文化】雷映松 ‖ 姓氏探源：西陵氏嫘祖 _史料之窗_文化纵横_四川省情网

Variant Character Forms

Related records also use the forms Leizu, Leizu, Leizu, and Leizu with different characters; Leizu later became the standard written form.

Reference: 【历史文化】雷映松 ‖ 姓氏探源：西陵氏嫘祖 _史料之窗_文化纵横_四川省情网

Research Notes

Lei Surname Origin Unsettled

It remains unsettled whether the Lei surname originated from Xiling Leizu, developed from a branch of the Xiling clan, or arose according to another explanation.

Reference: 【历史文化】雷映松 ‖ 姓氏探源：西陵氏嫘祖 _史料之窗_文化纵横_四川省情网