Yi Surname

Surname Overview

Yi is a currently uncommon surname, pronounced yī. It is found in places including Songjiang in Shanghai, Wuqing in Tianjin, Jingxian in Hebei, and Changle in Shandong, with a particularly large distribution in Shandong.

Reference: 衣姓_衣姓的来源和历史_百家姓

Origins

Descent from Yin

One origin tradition holds that in the Qi dialect of the Spring and Autumn period, Yin was pronounced like Yi; the Yi lineage descended from the Yin surname and belonged to the Zi lineage.

Reference: 衣姓_衣姓的来源和历史_百家姓

Origin from an Official Title

The Yi genealogy records a tradition that the ancestors served as officials of the Shangyi Bureau and received the surname Yi because of that office.

Reference: 衣姓_衣姓的来源和历史_百家姓

Historical Records

Documentary Attestations

Xingyuan is the earliest surname book currently recorded as including the Yi surname, but it does not describe its origin or notable figures. The Song edition of the Zhongyong commentary first mentions descent from the Yin surname, while the Ming work Da Ming Yitong Zhi mentions a Yi figure and the commandery affiliation.

Reference: 衣姓起源分布与家谱家族

Migration and Distribution

Historical Distribution and Migration

In the Ming period, the Yi surname was uncommon and remained concentrated mainly in Shandong, with additional distribution in Hebei and Henan. Later accounts state that branches moved out from Shandong and Liaoning to areas across China and overseas.

Reference: 衣姓_衣姓的来源和历史_百家姓