Chinese compound surname - Definition and Overview

Chinese compound surname is an uncommon Chinese surname using more than one character. Many of these surnames originated from government official titles. Some are originated from non-Han ethnic groups. Only a few of these names survive to modern days. A small minority of Koreans also have such surnames (see also Korean name).

Example of some compound surnames

• Bo-Li (百里)
• Dong-Fang (東方)
• Du-Gu (獨孤)
• Duan-Mu (端木)
• Gong-Sun (公孫)
• Gu-Liang (穀梁)
• He-Lan (賀蘭)
• He-Lian (赫連)
• He-Ruo (賀若)
• Hu-Yan (呼延)
• Mo-Qi (万俟) A comp. Tungusic (鮮卑) surname; transliteration not in Mandarin.
• Mu-Rong (慕容)
• Ouyang (歐陽)
• Sha-Zha (沙吒) a Turkic surname
• Shang-Guan (上官)
• Si-Tu (司徒) "Public Administrator"
• Si-Ma (司馬) "Military Commander", e.g. Sima Qian
• Si-Kong (司空) "Minister of Constructions"
• Yu-Chi (尉遲)
• Zhu-Ge (諸葛) e.g. Zhuge Liang
• Zhu-Rong (祝融)
• Zuo-Ren (左人)