Origins of the Lai (赖) surname
Chinese sources record 3 separate lines of origin for the Lai (赖) surname, and name 4 commanderies of origin (junwang). Each is summarised below with its source.
Originated from Lai State (赖国)
The Lai (赖) surname originated from the ancient Lai State (赖国), which was destroyed by King Ling of Chu (楚灵王). Its descendants adopted the state's name as their surname. This branch of the Lai (赖) clan was mainly distributed in Hubei (湖北) or Henan (河南); some members changed their surnames to Luo (罗) or Fu (傅) to avoid persecution, giving rise to the tradition of joint ancestral worship among the Lai (赖), Luo (罗), and Fu (傅) clans.
Jiang (姜) Surname Theory
Another origin of the Lai (赖) surname is linked to the Yan Emperor (Yandi) Shen Nong Shi (炎帝神农氏), belonging to the Jiang (姜) surname lineage. Their ancestors, the Lie Shan Shi (烈山氏) clan, were also called Lai Shi (赖氏) due to phonetic similarity in ancient pronunciation; they originally resided in the Fen River (汾水) basin in Shanxi (山西), and migrated eastward during the Shang Dynasty (商代) to establish the Lai State (赖国) in Henan (河南) or Hubei (湖北).
Originated from Ethnic Minorities
The Achang (阿昌) ethnic group adopted the surname Lai (赖) because the final syllable of their native term 'La Lai' (喇来) sounds similar to the Chinese word 'Lai' (赖); the Lai (赖) surname is also found among Taiwan’s indigenous peoples and the Mongolian (蒙古族) ethnic group—for example, You Gan Ba Du (尤幹·巴杜, also known as Lai A Ming 赖阿明), descendant of the Atayal (泰雅族) anti-Japanese figure Ba Du Da He Shi (巴杜·达赫史), and his descendants.
Commanderies of origin (junwang)
- Yingchuan Commandery (颍川郡)
- Henei Commandery (河内郡)
- Songyang Commandery (松阳郡)
- Nankang Commandery (南康郡)
Hall names (tanghao)
- Yingchuan Hall (颍川堂)
- Mishu Hall (秘书堂)
- Nankang Hall (南康堂)
- Henan Hall (河南堂)
- Xichuan Hall (西川堂)
- Songyang Hall (松阳堂)
- Wuchang Hall (五常堂)
- Wumei Hall (五美堂)
- Ximei Hall (锡美堂)
- Huaide Hall (怀德堂)
- Jishan Hall (积善堂)
- Sijing Hall (思敬堂)
- Shuisheng Hall (水声堂)
- Xintian Hall (心田堂)
- Dunben Hall (敦本堂)
- Xulun Hall (叙伦堂)
- Keqin Hall (克勤堂)
- Jishu Hall (继述堂)
- Jianwei Hall (建威堂)
- Guangping Hall (广平堂)