Surname Overview
You (yóu) is a currently uncommon surname found among both the Han and Lisu peoples.
yóu Surname
Population reference (not a current census): 42yóu
Origins
The specific origin of the You surname is unknown. A tradition says that after a Tang-dynasty high official surnamed Niu was executed, his descendants adopted You to escape punishment.
Historical Records
Documentary Attestations
The surname appears in the Ming-dynasty work Qixing Tong and is also recorded in Xu Tongzhi: Shizu Lue.
Migration and Distribution
Today, the You surname is distributed across Shanxi, Shandong, Anhui, Hebei, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Shaanxi, Yunnan, Taiwan, and other areas. One branch in Youlou Village, Heze, Shandong, traces its origin to the Hongdong locust tree in Shanxi during the Ming dynasty; part of it moved to Xinjiang from the 1970s onward.
Notable People
Historical Figures
Historical figures include You Wei of the Tang dynasty; You Feng of the Ming dynasty, who served as governor of Jiaozhi and prefect of Liangjiang; and You Gong, who served as assistant prefect of Pingliang.
Research Notes
Population Records
A 2007 statistic recorded 6,651 people surnamed You nationwide, including 19 in Beijing; Jiangsu recorded seven.
Continue your family research
Start with ancestral counties, villages, personal names and dates. Record genealogy titles, volumes, editions and catalog identifiers. A shared surname does not prove a shared lineage; compare branch records.
Surname attestation references
These catalogs or datasets attest written names, not every origin or lineage claim on this page.
This page includes automatically organized material. Check the references and original family documents.
Add or correct information
Submit the information and a reference link for possible inclusion on this page.