Surname Overview
A Rare Surname
The Yao surname is geographically widespread but has few bearers and is considered rare today.
要 Surname
Population reference (not a current census): 36,568Origins
Descent from Yao Li
One account traces the surname to descendants of Yao Li, a man of Wu in the Spring and Autumn period, who adopted an ancestor's personal name as their surname.
Historical Records
Historical Attestations
The surname Yao is recorded in the clan-name sections of Zheng Tongzhi and Xu Tongzhi, as well as in Xing Yuan.
Migration and Distribution
Modern Distribution
Today, the surname is found mainly in Hebei, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Henan, Northeast China, Shandong, Shaanxi, Beijing, Gansu, and other areas.
Research Notes
Recorded Pronunciations
The surname is primarily recorded as yāo. A yào reading is also recorded and may represent a sound change from yāo, so the pronunciations require careful distinction.
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.