Origins
Extension to Clan Meaning
From the appearance of things gathered together, expressed by “族族,” the character extended to refer to clans, families, and related groups.
族 Surname
Surname profileHistorical Records
Classical Attestations
In classical texts, “族” can mean family or clan. The Book of Documents contains “以亲九族,” explained as extending from great-grandparent to great-grandchild.
Surname-Meaning Attestation
The surname-related meaning of “族,” as a designation for family and clan systems, appears in examples from Jia Yi’s “On Passing the Qin,” Wang Anshi’s “The Injury of Zhongyong,” and Hong Liangji’s “On Governance and Population.”
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Surname attestation references
These catalogs or datasets attest written names, not every origin or lineage claim on this page.
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