Surname Overview
The surname Yu is pronounced yù; it is widely distributed but not numerous.
Yu Surname
Population reference (not a current census): 179,719Yu / Yu
Origins
The surname has three lines of origin: one from the Chu official title Yuyin among the Mi surname; one from descendants of Gongyu Ran among the Gui surname; and one from ethnic groups such as the Zhuang and Mongols adopting the first character of a personal name as a Han surname.
Historical Records
Texts and Commandery
The surname is recorded in the Xing Shi Kao Lue, and its commandery prestige is Pengcheng.
Migration and Distribution
Distribution
The surname is found in Wuqing of Tianjin, Shangyi of Hebei, Pingdu of Shandong, and also in Guangxi, Yunnan, Sichuan, and other regions.
Notable People
Historical Figure
Yu Guangfu was a Situ official during the Han period.
Research Notes
Research Boundaries
The origin of the surname among the Han remains unresolved because the available materials are inconsistent; the origin traditions of the Zhuang surname in Guangxi also differ and remain unresolved.
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Surname attestation references
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