Surname Overview
Distribution and Communities
Yi (yì) is a current surname found in Hebei, Shanxi, Hubei, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Yunnan, Sichuan, and other places. It occurs among Han, Yi, Shui, Miao, Tujia, Naxi, and other ethnic groups.
Yi Surname
Population reference (not a current census): 1,597,113Yi / Yi
Origins
Main Lineages
The Yi surname has multiple proposed origins, including descendants of the Qi grandee Yi Ya, descendants of Jiang Taigong, and people who took the surname from the ancient place-name Yizhou.
Historical Records
Early Records
Early historical material on the Yi surname is scarce, with scattered records beginning in the Three Kingdoms period. Recorded figures include Yi Xiong in the Jin dynasty, Yi Yuanji in the Song dynasty, Yi Si in the Ming dynasty, and Yi Zhengyan in the Qing dynasty.
Commanderies and Clan Halls
Commanderies and Hall Names
The Yi surname has the commanderies of Taiyuan and Jiyang. Recorded hall names include Ruizhi, Chunxiao, Zhil i, Jiyang, Taiyuan, and Chonggui.
Migration and Distribution
Historical Migration and Present Distribution
Hebei was an early area of Yi activity in the Three Kingdoms period. The surname expanded to Hunan and Gansu in the Western Jin, reached Jiangxi in the Tang, appeared in Shanxi, Shandong, Guangdong, and Hubei during the Song and Yuan, and entered southwestern China and Fujian by the Ming. Today it is concentrated mainly in Hunan, Sichuan, Hubei, and Chongqing.
Genealogy and Generation Names
Generation Names of the Qianyang Branch
The recorded generation names of the Qianyang Yi branch are “Zi, Zu, Guo, Ting, Ren; Zhi, Liang, Shao, Shun, Yao; Kong, Sheng, Tu, Yan, Chuan; Si, Wen, Ji, Shu, Tao.” This branch records Yi Zibin as a native of Taihe, Jiangxi, in the Song dynasty, whose descendants multiplied in Qianyang.
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Surname attestation references
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