Origins of the Hu (胡) surname
Chinese sources record 8 separate lines of origin for the Hu (胡) surname, and name 3 commanderies of origin (junwang). Each is summarised below with its source.
Originated from the Gui (妫) surname, with the posthumous title used as the clan name
Hu Gong Man (胡公满) originally bore the Gui (妫) surname and was named Man (满). During the Western Zhou dynasty, he received the posthumous title 'Hu Gong (胡公)', and his descendants adopted this posthumous title as their surname, forming the Hu (胡) surname.
Originated from the Gui (归) surname Hu (胡) State
During the Spring and Autumn period, a Hu (胡) State of Gui (归) lineage existed in present-day Anhui (安徽) and Henan (河南) provinces; its descendants adopted the state’s name as their surname, becoming the Hu (胡) surname.
Originated from the Ji (姬) surname Hu (胡) State
Another Hu (胡) State of Ji (姬) lineage existed during the Spring and Autumn period, located in present-day Anhui (安徽) and Henan (河南) provinces; after its destruction, some members of the clan adopted the state’s name 'Hu (胡)' as their surname.
Simplified from the compound surname Humu (胡毋)
The compound surname Humu (胡毋) — also written as Humu (胡母) — existed during the Qin (秦) and Han (汉) dynasties; beginning in the Jin (晋) dynasty, it gradually simplified into the single-character surname Hu (胡).
Li (李) surname descendants changed to Hu (胡) surname to evade persecution
At the end of the Tang (唐) dynasty, some descendants of the imperial Li (李) family changed their surname to Hu (胡) in gratitude or to escape danger after being rescued by Hu San Gong (胡三公).
Northern Wei (北魏) Hegu (纥骨) clan adopted Han-style surname
During the Northern and Southern Dynasties period, the Northern Wei (北魏) northern aristocratic compound surname Hegu (纥骨) adopted the Han-style surname Hu (胡) as part of Emperor Xiaowen’s (孝文帝) sinicization reforms following the capital’s relocation to Luoyang (洛阳).
Xiongnu (匈奴) Huyan (呼延) clan changed surname
Members of the Xiongnu (匈奴) Huyan (呼延) clan widely adopted the Hu (胡) surname after the Ming (明) and Qing (清) dynasties.
Surname adoption through sinicization among multiple ethnic groups
Members of the Xianbei (鲜卑), Khitan (契丹), Korean (朝鲜族), Manchu (满族), Bai (白族), Miao (苗族), Yao (瑶族), Pumi (普米), Yi (彝族), Hui (回族), Hezhe (赫哲), Daur (达斡尔), Lisu (傈僳), and Xibe (锡伯) ethnic groups all adopted the Hu (胡) surname during sinicization processes.
Commanderies of origin (junwang)
- Anding Commandery (安定郡)
- Xincai Commandery (新蔡郡)
- Xin’an Commandery (新安郡)
Hall names (tanghao)
- Anding Hall (安定堂)
- Luling Hall (庐陵堂)
- Dan’an Hall (澹庵堂)
- Mingjing Hall (明经堂)
- Huaiyang Hall (淮阳堂)
- Jing’ai Hall (敬爱堂)
- Lüfu Hall (履福堂)
- Dujing Hall (笃敬堂)
- Hexi Hall (河西堂)
- Dangui Hall (丹桂堂)
- Dunren Hall (敦仁堂)