Xi Surname

Surname Overview

Overview

The surname Xi is pronounced “xī”; it ranks forty-fifth in the Song edition of the Hundred Family Surnames and has more than 200,000 people, about 0.014% of China’s population.

Reference: 奚氏家谱网 提供5个省区市的18部奚氏家谱、奚氏族谱

Origins

Two Origins

The Xi surname has two branches: one from the Ren surname, descended from Xi Zhong, the Xia-period chariot official; the other from the Ying surname, descended from Shu Dan, ruler of Xi of the ancient Huang state in the Spring and Autumn period.

Reference: 奚姓起源分布与家谱家族

Historical Records

Written Records

The Shiben and Shanhaijing record the Xi surname as descended from Xi Zhong, the Xia chariot official. The Xingyuan and Xingshi Kaolüe record that Xi Zhong moved to Pi, after which his descendants were called Xi, and identify Qiaoguo as the commandery of prominence.

Reference: 奚氏家谱网 提供5个省区市的18部奚氏家谱、奚氏族谱

Commanderies and Clan Halls

Recorded Hall Names

Genealogical records include the hall names Chongben Hall and Yanching Hall; the Jinling Xi genealogy uses Yanching Hall.

Reference: 奚氏家谱网 提供5个省区市的18部奚氏家谱、奚氏族谱

Migration and Distribution

In the Song period, the Xi surname was concentrated mainly in Anhui, followed by Hebei and Zhejiang. In the Ming period, Jiangsu became its largest province, accounting for about half of the total, followed by Anhui, Zhejiang, Hubei, and Shandong.

Reference: 奚姓起源分布与家谱家族

Genealogy and Generation Names

Genealogical Migrations

One Jiangyin Xi genealogy records that its founding ancestor Cheng served as commander of the Pingyue Guard in Guizhou in the early Ming and later moved to Jiangyin. One Jiaoxi Xi genealogy records that its founding migrant Keshi moved from Ronghu in Wujin to Jiaoxi in the late Ming.

Reference: 奚氏家谱网 提供5个省区市的18部奚氏家谱、奚氏族谱