Surname Overview
Overview
The surname Yang is pronounced yáng, ranks 202nd in the Hundred Family Surnames, and is relatively rare today.
Yang Surname
Population reference (not a current census): 123,115Yang / Yang
Origins
Main Origins
Recorded origins include descendants of the Zhou official called the “sheep officer,” the Jin state’s Yangshe clan shortened by removing “she,” and branches formed among the Lingling population and through a change from the Jie surname.
Historical Records
Documentary Attestations
The surname Yang is recorded in Zheng Tongzhi: Clan Records. Related records, citing A Critical辨證 of Ancient and Modern Surnames, list the Zhou official Yangren, the Yangshe clan, and the Lingling Man as origins.
Commanderies and Clan Halls
Commanderies and Hall Names
Recorded commanderies include Heshang, Taishan, and Jingzhao. Hall names include Xianshan, Zhongbi, Songxia, Yizhi, Zhong’ai, Zhuiyuan, and Yingyang.
Migration and Distribution
Distribution and Migration
The surname is widely distributed but not numerous, occurring in Beijing, Wuqing, Songjiang, Wuchang, Taiyuan, Chenghai, Wuchuan, Longchuan, Lushui, and Lanping. A related record states that descendants of Yangshe moved to Taishan during the Qin disturbances.
Notable People
Historical Figures
Yang Hu was a Western Jin strategist, military leader, and statesman who won widespread esteem while defending Xiangyang. Yang Xu was an Eastern Han official known for integrity and the story of “hanging fish to refuse bribes.”
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