Surname Overview
A Rare Surname
Zhi is a rare Chinese surname found mainly in Beijing, Shanxi, Anhui, Sichuan, and other areas. It is absent from the Hundred Family Surnames, and no definite historical rankings are recorded.
Zhi Surname
Surname profileZhi / Zhi
Origins
Four Lineage Traditions
Four origins are recorded for the Zhi surname: descendants of the ancient state of Zhi adopted a place-based surname; a branch arose among the Chu ruling clan, alternatively from the descendants of the Chu official Zhiru Zigong; descendants of the Jin official Luan Zhi adopted his personal name as their surname; and descendants of the Qin official Gongsun Zhi did likewise.
Historical Records
Historical Attestations
The surname Zhi is included in the clan-name section of Zheng's Comprehensive Treatises. Zheng Qiao associated it with descendants of the Chu official Zhiru Zigong, who may also have used the compound surname Zhiru. A passage in the Examination of Surnames, citing the History of the Road, records Zhi among the Chu ruling clan.
Commanderies and Clan Halls
Commandery Association
The commandery association of the Zhi surname is Chu Commandery.
Migration and Distribution
Modern Distribution
In modern times, the Zhi surname is found in Chengdu in Sichuan, Wuhan in Hubei, and Xiaoshan and Shangyu in Zhejiang, among other places.
Notable People
Zhi Hong of the Han Dynasty
Zhi Hong served as a fu-jie-ling official during the Han dynasty and was from Handan in Zhao Commandery.
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