Origins of the Xue (薛) surname
Chinese sources record 4 separate lines of origin for the Xue (薛) surname, and name 4 commanderies of origin (junwang). Each is summarised below with its source.
Originated from the Ren (任) surname
Yu Yang (禺阳), son of the Yellow Emperor (Huangdi, 黄帝), was enfeoffed at Ren (任) territory; his descendant Xi Zhong (奚仲) served as Chē Zhèng (chariot minister) during the Xia (夏) dynasty and was enfeoffed at Xue (薛) territory, where he was revered as the founding ancestor of the Xue (薛) surname; Zhong Hui (仲虺) served as left chancellor to Tang (汤) of the Shang (商) dynasty; at the beginning of the Zhou (周) dynasty, King Wu (武王) enfeoffed his maternal grandfather Zhi (挚) in the former territory of the State of Xue (薛国); during the Warring States period, Prince Deng (公子登) served the State of Chu (楚) and was granted Pei (沛) territory, after which his descendants adopted Xue (薛) as their surname.
Originated from the Feng (风) surname
The You Reng (有仍) clan descended from Tai Hao Fu Xi Shi (太昊伏羲氏); Mín (缗), wife of Xia Xiang (夏相), came from this clan; after Shao Kang (少康) restored the Xia dynasty, he enfeoffed his maternal grandfather at Ren (任) territory; Zhong Hui (仲虺) may have been a descendant of the You Reng (有仍) clan and resided in Xue Cheng (薛城); his descendants later adopted Xue (薛) as their surname.
Originated from the Gui (妫) surname
After the Tian (田) clan—descendants of Chen Hu Gong (陈胡公)—replaced the Qi (齐) state, Tian Ying (田婴) was enfeoffed in the former territory of the State of Xue (薛国); his son, Lord Mengchang (孟尝君) Tian Wen (田文), inherited the fief; as Xue’s power grew, it was destroyed by the states of Qi (齐) and Wei (魏); after Qin (秦) unified China, descendants of Xue adopted Xue (薛) as their surname.
Originated from the Xianbei (鲜卑) Chi Qian (叱乾) clan
During the Northern and Southern Dynasties (南北朝), the Northern Wei (北魏) compound surname Chi Qian (叱乾) from Dai Bei (代北) was changed to the single-character surname Xue (薛) during Emperor Xiaowen’s (孝文帝) sinicization reforms.
Commanderies of origin (junwang)
- Gao Ping (高平)
- Pei Guo (沛国)
- Ru Nan (汝南)
- He Dong (河东)