You Surname

Origins

Two Main Origins

The You surname has two main origins: the Shanyue people and the Shen clan.

Reference: 尤姓起源分布与家谱家族

Shanyue Origin

During Eastern Wu in the Three Kingdoms period, the You clan of Poyang came from the Shanyue people, a branch descended from indigenous inhabitants of southeastern China in the Qin and Han periods that was assimilated into the Han population after the Jin dynasty began.

Reference: 尤姓起源分布与家谱家族

Adoption by the Shen Clan

One account says descendants of Jidan surnamed Shen removed the water component from the character 沈 and adopted 尤 to escape a feud. Another says that during the Five Dynasties, people surnamed Shen in Min adopted You to avoid the sound shen associated with Wang Shenzhi.

Reference: 尤姓起源分布与家谱家族

Adoption among Manchu and Hui Communities

During the early Qing adoption of Han surnames within the Manchu Eight Banners, a Hezhen branch in Heilongjiang adopted You. Among Hui people in northwestern China, those bearing the Islamic name Yusuf often chose the character You for its initial sound when selecting a Han surname.

Reference: 尤姓起源分布与家谱家族

Migration and Distribution

Historical Areas of Settlement

During the Three Kingdoms period, the You surname was present around Jiangsu, Jiangxi, and Zhejiang. By the Tang and Song periods it had expanded across southern China and the Central Plains, and in the Ming dynasty it entered Shaanxi and became a prominent clan there.

Reference: 尤姓起源分布与家谱家族

Population and Distribution in the Song and Ming

In the Song dynasty, about 60,000 people bore the You surname, chiefly in Jiangsu, Fujian, and Zhejiang, with Jiangsu having the largest population. In the Ming dynasty, the total was about 61,000, chiefly in Shaanxi, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Hubei, Fujian, and Shandong; Shaanxi accounted for about 53% and ranked first.

Reference: 尤姓起源分布与家谱家族