Origins of the Ai (艾) surname
Chinese sources record 8 separate lines of origin for the Ai (艾) surname. Each is summarised below with its source.
Descended from Ru Ai (汝艾), a minister of the Xia Dynasty
Ru Ai, a minister during the reign of King Shao Kang (少康) of the Xia Dynasty, had descendants who adopted 'Ai' (艾) from their ancestor's personal name as their surname.
Descended from the State of Ai (艾) of the Shang Dynasty
During the Shang Dynasty, there existed a fiefdom named Ai (艾) located in present-day Jiangxi Province; its descendants adopted the state's name as their surname.
Descended from members of the Song Dynasty (宋国) royal family who changed their surname
During the Spring and Autumn period, members of the royal family of the State of Song (宋国) changed their surname to Ai Sui (艾岁); later, some simplified it to Ai (艾), while others adopted the surname Sui (岁).
Descended from Ai Kong (艾孔), a high-ranking official of the State of Qi (齐国) during the Spring and Autumn period
During the Spring and Autumn period, descendants of Ai Kong (艾孔), a high-ranking official of the State of Qi (齐国), adopted 'Ai' (艾) from his personal name as their surname.
Descended from the Xianbei clan Qujin (去斤) of the Northern Wei Dynasty, which adopted Han-style surnames
During the sinicization reforms promoted by Emperor Xiaowen (孝文帝) of the Northern Wei Dynasty, the Xianbei clan Qujin (去斤) adopted the single-character Han surname Ai (艾).
Descended from Kaifeng (开封) Jews of the Northern Song Dynasty who changed their surname
Jews who settled in Kaifeng (开封) during the Northern Song Dynasty adopted the surname Ai (艾) as they integrated into Central Plain society.
Descended from Mongol descendants in Yunnan (云南) who changed their surname
Some Mongol descendants residing in Yunnan (云南) changed their surname to Ai (艾) during historical evolution.
Descended from cultural figures originally surnamed Jiang (蒋) who changed their surname after the founding of the People's Republic of China
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, some cultural figures originally surnamed Jiang (蒋) changed their surname to Ai (艾).