Là Surname

Surname Overview

A Rare Multiethnic Surname

La, written 腊（臘） and pronounced Là, is a relatively rare surname found among the Han, Yi, Bai, Lisu, and other ethnic groups. It has more than one origin, whose full details remain incomplete.

Reference: 腊姓_腊姓的来源和历史_百家姓

Origins

Bai Origin

The Bai branch of the La surname derives from the original totem “làbō,” meaning “tiger clan”; 腊 may represent the first sound of the Bai word “làbō.”

Reference: 腊姓_腊姓的来源和历史_百家姓

Tradition of a Qin-to-La Branch

One La lineage preserves a tradition that its ancestors bore the surname Qin. While fleeing into Shangluo during the Yongzheng era, their surname was mistakenly recorded as La at an inn because of a reference to “Qin pepper,” after which they adopted La.

Reference: 腊姓|百家姓 - 查字典

Historical Records

Documentary Records and Early Residence

The surname La is included in the New Thousand Family Names, while the Dictionary of Surnames cites the Index of Personal Names in the Twenty-Five Histories. A separate account places La families near the Lao River southwest of Hu County, Shaanxi, during the Song and Yuan periods.

Reference: 腊姓_腊姓的来源和历史_百家姓

Migration and Distribution

Modern Distribution

The La surname occurs in Wuchuan, Guangdong; Tianlin, Guangxi; Lushui and Qiubei, Yunnan; Xingan, Jiangxi; Jiuquan, Gansu; Xinzhou and northern Shanxi; as well as Huainan, Anhui; Zhongxiang, Hubei; Hutubi, Xinjiang; Xichuan and Weihui, Henan; and Dongxiang, Gansu.

Reference: 腊姓_腊姓的来源和历史_百家姓

Notable People

Jin and Yuan Figures

Recorded bearers of the surname include La Pei of the Jin dynasty and La Zhen and La Yue of the Yuan dynasty.

Reference: 腊姓_腊姓的来源和历史_百家姓