fāng Surname

Surname Overview

The surname Fang is pronounced fāng. It is currently uncommon but broadly distributed, and is found among the Han, Shui, Lisu, Tujia, and other ethnic groups.

Reference: 芳姓_芳姓的来源和历史_百家姓

Origins

Three origins are recorded for the Fang surname: one descends from Fang Shu of the Ji clan, with some descendants adding the grass radical to Fang and adopting Fang as their surname to avoid calamity; one derives from the Xianbei, taking the name of Changfang County; and one derives from the Mongolian Zharifu clan, adopting Fang from the Chinese meaning of its name.

Reference: 芳姓_芳姓的来源和历史_百家姓

Historical Records

Documentary Attestations

The surname Fang is recorded in Zheng Tongzhi: Clan Survey. The Xing shi kao lüe, citing the Lu shi, states that the Zhou had the Fang surname and that it came from the Fang clan, also saying that it came from Fang Shu and was associated with Xinfeng. It is also found in Xing yuan and Feng su tong.

Reference: 芳姓_芳姓的来源和历史_百家姓

Migration and Distribution

Distribution

Fang surname communities are scattered across Taiyuan in Shanxi, Zhengding in Hebei, Zhengzhou and Xuchang in Henan, Shiyan in Hubei, Tianjin, Beijing, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and elsewhere. They are also found in Wuqing, Yutai, Changle, Qingyuan, Zhijiang, Xinhui, and Tianlin.

Reference: 芳姓_芳姓的来源和历史_百家姓

Notable People

Historical Figures

Fang Cheng, courtesy name Chuifu, was a Han-dynasty Inspector of Youzhou. Fang Dan was a Red Eyebrows army commander during the transition between the Western and Eastern Han; he occupied Xinfeng and later was the first to surrender to Feng Yi.

Reference: 芳姓_芳姓的来源和历史_百家姓