Chinese Origin Surnames

Abe 1 Japanese
From Japanese 安 (a) meaning "peace" and 倍 (be) meaning "multiple times".

Abe 2 Japanese
From Japanese 安 (a) meaning "peace" and 部 (be) meaning "part, section".

Aikawa Japanese
From Japanese 相 (ai) meaning "mutually, together", 愛 (ai) meaning "love, affection" or 哀 (ai) meaning "grief, sorrow" combined with 川 (kawa) or 河 (kawa) both meaning "river, stream".

Akabane Japanese
From Japanese 赤 (aka) meaning "red" and 羽 (hane) meaning "feather".

Akai Japanese
From Japanese 赤 (aka) meaning "red" and 井 (i) meaning "well, mine shaft, pit".

Akamatsu Japanese
From Japanese 赤 (aka) meaning "red" and 松 (matsu) meaning "pine tree, fir tree".

Akiyama Japanese
From Japanese 秋 (aki) meaning "autumn" and 山 (yama) meaning "mountain, hill".

Amano Japanese
From Japanese 天 (ama) meaning "heaven" and 野 (no) meaning "field, wilderness".

Aoki Japanese
From Japanese 青 (ao) meaning "green, blue" and 木 (ki) meaning "tree, wood".

Aoyama Japanese
From Japanese 青 (ao) meaning "green, blue" and 山 (yama) meaning "mountain, hill".

Arima Japanese
From Japanese 有 (ari) meaning "have, possess" and 馬 (ma) meaning "horse".

Asano Japanese
From Japanese 浅 (asa) meaning "shallow" and 野 (no) meaning "field, wilderness".

Asanuma Japanese
From Japanese 浅 (asa) meaning "shallow" and 沼 (numa) meaning "swamp, marsh".

Bai Chinese
From Chinese 白 (bái) meaning "white".

Bùi Vietnamese
Vietnamese form of Pei, from Sino-Vietnamese 裴 (bùi).

Cai Chinese
From Chinese 蔡 (cài) referring to the ancient state of Cai that existed during the Zhou dynasty in what is now Henan province.

Cao Chinese
From Chinese 曹 (cáo) referring to the ancient state of Cao, which existed during the Zhou dynasty in what is now Shandong province.

Chai Chinese
From Chinese 柴 (chái) meaning "firewood".

Chan Chinese (Cantonese)
Cantonese romanization of Chen.

Chang Chinese
Alternate transcription of Chinese 张 (see Zhang).

Chen Chinese
From Chinese 陈 (chén) meaning "exhibit, display, old, ancient" and also referring to the former state of Chen, which existed in what is now Henan province from the 11th to 5th centuries BC.

Cheng 1 Chinese
From Chinese 程 (chéng) meaning "rule, order, regulations", also referring to the territory of Cheng (in present-day Henan province) that existed during the Zhou dynasty.

Cheng 2 Chinese (Cantonese)
Cantonese romanization of Zheng.

Cheung Chinese (Cantonese)
Cantonese romanization of Zhang.

Chia Chinese (Hokkien)
Hokkien romanization of Xie.

Chiba Japanese
From Japanese 千 (chi) meaning "thousand" and 葉 (ha) meaning "leaf".

Chiu Chinese (Cantonese)
Cantonese romanization of Zhao.

Cho Korean
Korean form of Zhao, from Sino-Korean 趙 (jo).

Choe Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 최 (see Choi).

Choi Korean
From Sino-Korean 崔 (choe) meaning "high, lofty, towering".

Chong Chinese (Cantonese)
Cantonese romanization of Zhang.

Chou Chinese
Alternate transcription of Chinese 周 (see Zhou).

Chow Chinese
Alternate transcription of Chinese 周 (see Zhou).

Chu Chinese
Alternate transcription of Chinese 朱 (see Zhu).

Chung Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 정 (see Jeong).

Deng Chinese
From Chinese 邓 (dèng) referring to the ancient state of Deng, which existed during the Shang and Zhou dynasties in what is now either Henan or Hubei province. A famous bearer was the Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping (1904-1997).

Ding Chinese
From Chinese 丁 (dīng) meaning "man, person".

Đỗ Vietnamese
Vietnamese form of Du, from Sino-Vietnamese 杜 (đỗ).

Dong Chinese
From Chinese 董 (dǒng) meaning "direct, supervise".

Du Chinese
From Chinese 杜 (dù) meaning "stop, prevent" or "birchleaf pear tree".

Egawa Japanese
From Japanese 江 (e) meaning "bay, inlet" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Fan Chinese
From Chinese 范 (fàn) meaning "bee".

Feng 1 Chinese
From Chinese 冯 (féng), which referred to an ancient city in Henan province.

Feng 2 Chinese
From Chinese 凤 (fèng) meaning "phoenix, fire bird, fenghuang".

Fujimori Japanese
From Japanese 藤 (fuji) meaning "wisteria" and 森 (mori) meaning "forest".

Fujimoto Japanese
From Japanese 藤 (fuji) meaning "wisteria" and 本 (moto) meaning "base, root, origin".

Fujimura Japanese
From Japanese 藤 (fuji) meaning "wisteria" and 村 (mura) meaning "town, village".

Fujioka Japanese
From Japanese 藤 (fuji) meaning "wisteria" and 岡 (oka) meaning "hill, ridge".

Fujisawa Japanese
From Japanese 藤 (fuji) meaning "wisteria" and 沢 or 澤 (sawa) meaning "marsh".

Fujita Japanese
From Japanese 藤 (fuji) meaning "wisteria" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy".

Fujiwara Japanese
From Japanese 藤 (fuji) meaning "wisteria" and 原 (wara) meaning "field, plain".

Fukuzawa Japanese
From Japanese 福 (fuku) meaning "happiness, good fortune, blessing" and 沢 or 澤 (sawa) meaning "marsh".

Furukawa Japanese
From Japanese 古 (furu) meaning "old" and 川 (kawa) or 河 (kawa) both meaning "river, stream".

Gang Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 강 (see Kang).

Gao Chinese
From Chinese 高 (gāo) meaning "tall, high".

Gim Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 김 (see Kim).

Guan Chinese
From Chinese 关 (guān) meaning "frontier pass".

Guo Chinese
From Chinese 郭 (guō) meaning "outer city".

Hagihara Japanese
From Japanese 萩 (hagi) meaning "bush clover" and 原 (hara) meaning "field, plain".

Hamaguchi Japanese
From Japanese 浜 (hama) meaning "beach, seashore" and 口 (kuchi) meaning "mouth, entrance".

Hamasaki Japanese
From Japanese 浜 (hama) meaning "beach, seashore" and 崎 (saki) meaning "cape, peninsula".

Han Chinese, Korean
From Chinese 韩 (hán) referring to the ancient state of Han, which existed from the 5th to 3rd centuries BC in what is now Shanxi and Henan provinces.

Haraguchi Japanese
From Japanese 原 (hara) meaning "field, plain" and 口 (kuchi) meaning "mouth, entrance".

Hasegawa Japanese
From the Japanese place name 長谷 (Hase, not a standard reading) combined with 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Hashiguchi Japanese
From Japanese 橋 (hashi) meaning "bridge" and 口 (kuchi) meaning "mouth, entrance".

Hashimoto Japanese
From Japanese 橋 (hashi) meaning "bridge" and 本 (moto) meaning "base, root, origin".

Hayasaka Japanese
From Japanese 早 (haya) meaning "already, now" and 坂 or 阪 (saka) meaning "slope".

Hayashi Japanese
From Japanese 林 (hayashi) meaning "forest".

He Chinese
From Chinese 何 (hé), representing a southern pronunciation of the name of the ancient state of Han (see Han). After Han was destroyed by the state of Qin, those who resettled further south changed their name to this character in order to match the local pronunciation.

Hidaka Japanese
From Japanese 日 (hi) meaning "sun, day" and 高 (taka) meaning "tall, high".

Higashi Japanese
From Japanese 東 (higashi) meaning "east".

Himura Japanese
From Japanese 緋 (hi) meaning "scarlet, dark red" and 村 (mura) meaning "town, village".

Hino Japanese
From Japanese 日 (hi) meaning "sun, day" or 火 (hi) meaning "fire" and 野 (no) meaning "field, wilderness".

Hiramatsu Japanese
From Japanese 平 (hira) meaning "level, even, peaceful" and 松 (matsu) meaning "pine tree, fir tree".

Hirano Japanese
From Japanese 平 (hira) meaning "level, even, peaceful" and 野 (no) meaning "field, wilderness".

Hirata Japanese
From Japanese 平 (hira) meaning "level, even, peaceful" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy".

Hisakawa Japanese
From Japanese 久 (hisa) meaning "long time ago" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Ho Chinese (Cantonese), Chinese (Hokkien)
Cantonese and Min Nan romanization of He.

Hoàng Vietnamese
Vietnamese form of Huang, from Sino-Vietnamese 黃 (hoàng).

Honda Japanese
From Japanese 本 (hon) meaning "root, origin, source" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy".

Hoshino Japanese
From Japanese 星 (hoshi) meaning "star" and 野 (no) meaning "field, wilderness".

Hou Chinese
From Chinese 侯 (hóu) meaning "lord, nobleman".

Hsieh Chinese
Alternate transcription of Chinese 谢 (see Xie).

Hsu 1 Chinese
Alternate transcription of Chinese 徐 (see Xu 1).

Hsu 2 Chinese
Alternate transcription of Chinese 许 (see Xu 2).

Hu Chinese
From Chinese 胡 (hú) meaning "beard, whiskers, recklessly, wildly, barbarian".

Huang Chinese
From Chinese 黄 (huáng) meaning "yellow".

Huỳnh Vietnamese
Variant of Hoàng used more often in southern Vietnam.

I Korean
Variant of Lee 2.

Igarashi Japanese
From Japanese 五十 (i) meaning "fifty", an unwritten subject marker が (ga), and 嵐 (arashi) meaning "storm".

Ikeda Japanese
From Japanese 池 (ike) meaning "pool, pond" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy".

Im Korean
From Sino-Korean 林 (im) meaning "forest", making it the Korean form of Lin, or 任 (im) of uncertain meaning, making it the Korean form of Ren.

Imai Japanese
From Japanese 今 (ima) meaning "now, present" and 井 (i) meaning "well, mine shaft, pit".

Inaba Japanese
From Japanese 稲 (ina) meaning "rice plant" and 葉 (ha) meaning "leaf".

Inada Japanese
From Japanese 稲 (ina) meaning "rice plant" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy".

Inoue Japanese
Means "above the well", from Japanese 井 (i) meaning "well, mine shaft, pit", an unwritten possessive marker の (no), and 上 (ue) meaning "above, top, upper".

Ishida Japanese
From Japanese 石 (ishi) meaning "stone" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy".

Ishikawa Japanese
From Japanese 石 (ishi) meaning "stone" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Ito Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 伊藤 (see Itō).

Itō Japanese
From Japanese 伊 (i) meaning "this" and 藤 (tō) meaning "wisteria". The final character may indicate a connection to the Fujiwara clan.

Itou Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 伊藤 (see Itō).

Iwai Japanese
From Japanese 岩 (iwa) meaning "cliff, rocks" and 井 (i) meaning "well, mine shaft, pit".

Iwamoto Japanese
From Japanese 岩 (iwa) meaning "cliff, rocks" and 本 (moto) meaning "base, root, origin".

Iwasaki Japanese
From Japanese 岩 (iwa) meaning "cliff, rocks" and 崎 (saki) meaning "cape, peninsula".

Iwata Japanese
From Japanese 岩 (iwa) meaning "cliff, rocks" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy".

Izumi Japanese
From Japanese 泉 (izumi) meaning "spring, fountain".

Jeong Korean
Korean form of Zheng, from Sino-Korean 鄭 (jeong).

Jiang 1 Chinese
From Chinese 江 (jiāng) meaning "river, Yangtze".

Jiang 2 Chinese
From Chinese 姜 (jiāng) meaning "ginger".

Jin Chinese
From Chinese 金 (jīn) meaning "gold".

Jo Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 조 (see Cho).

Jung 2 Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 정 (see Jeong).

Kamiya Japanese
From Japanese 神 (kami) meaning "god" and 谷 (ya) meaning "valley".

Kanda Japanese
From Japanese 神 (kan) meaning "god" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy".

Kaneko Japanese
From Japanese 金 (kane) meaning "gold, metal, money" and 子 (ko) meaning "child".

Kanemaru Japanese
From Japanese 金 (kane) meaning "gold, metal, money" and 丸 (maru) meaning "circle, round, whole".

Kang Korean
Korean form of Jiang 2, from Sino-Korean 姜 (gang).

Kanzaki Japanese
From Japanese 神 (kan) meaning "god" and 崎 (saki) meaning "cape, peninsula".

Kato Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 加藤 (see Katō).

Katō Japanese
From Japanese 加 (ka) meaning "add, increase" and 藤 (tō) meaning "wisteria". The latter character may indicate a connection to the Fujiwara clan.

Katou Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 加藤 (see Katō).

Kawaguchi Japanese
Means "mouth of the river", from Japanese 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream" and 口 (kuchi) meaning "mouth, entrance".

Kawakami Japanese
From Japanese 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream" and 上 (kami) meaning "above, top, upper".

Kawasaki Japanese
From Japanese 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream" and 崎 (saki) meaning "cape, peninsula".

Kazama Japanese
From Japanese 風 (kaza) meaning "wind, style" and 間 (ma) meaning "among, between".

Kim Korean
Korean form of Jin, from Sino-Korean 金 (gim) meaning "gold". This is the most common surname in South Korea.

Kimura Japanese
From Japanese 木 (ki) meaning "tree, wood" and 村 (mura) meaning "town, village".

Kishimoto Japanese
From Japanese 岸 (kishi) meaning "beach, shore, bank" and 本 (moto) meaning "base, root, origin".

Kita Japanese
From Japanese 北 (kita) meaning "north".

Kitagawa Japanese
From Japanese 北 (kita) meaning "north" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream". A famous bearer was the artist and printmaker Kitagawa Utamaro (1753-1806).

Ko Chinese (Cantonese), Chinese (Hokkien)
Cantonese and Min Nan romanization of Gao.

Kobayashi Japanese
From Japanese 小 (ko) meaning "small" and 林 (hayashi) meaning "forest".

Koizumi Japanese
From Japanese 小 (ko) meaning "small" and 泉 (izumi) meaning "spring, fountain". A notable bearer of this name is Junichiro Koizumi (1942-), who was Prime Minister of Japan.

Konishi Japanese
From Japanese 小 (ko) meaning "small" and 西 (nishi) meaning "west".

Kuang Chinese
From Chinese 邝 (kuàng), which refers to the clan of the same name.

Kubo Japanese
From Japanese 久 (ku) meaning "long time ago" and 保 (ho) meaning "protect".

Kumagai Japanese
From Japanese 熊 (kuma) meaning "bear" and 谷 (gai) meaning "valley".

Kumamoto Japanese
From Japanese 熊 (kuma) meaning "bear" and 本 (moto) meaning "base, root, origin".

Kurata Japanese
From Japanese 倉 (kura) or 蔵 (kura) both meaning "granary, storehouse" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy".

Kuroda Japanese
From Japanese 黒 (kuro) meaning "black" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy".

Kuroiwa Japanese
From Japanese 黒 (kuro) meaning "black" and 岩 (iwa) meaning "cliff, rocks".

Kuroki Japanese
From Japanese 黒 (kuro) meaning "black" and 木 (ki) meaning "tree, wood".

Kurosawa Japanese
From Japanese 黒 (kuro) meaning "black" and 沢 or 澤 (sawa) meaning "marsh". A notable bearer was Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998), a Japanese film director.

Kusumoto Japanese
From Japanese 楠 (kusu) meaning "camphor tree" and 本 (moto) meaning "base, root, origin".

Kwan Chinese (Cantonese)
Cantonese romanization of Guan.

Kwok Chinese (Cantonese)
Cantonese romanization of Guo.

Lam Chinese (Cantonese)
Cantonese romanization of Lin.

Lau Chinese (Cantonese)
Cantonese romanization of Liu.

Lê Vietnamese
Vietnamese form of Li 2, from Sino-Vietnamese 黎 (lê). This is the third most common surname in Vietnam.

Lee 2 Korean, Chinese
Korean form of Li 1, from Sino-Korean 李 (i). This is the second most common surname in South Korea. It is also a variant Chinese romanization of Li 1.

Leong Chinese (Cantonese)
Cantonese romanization of Liang.

Leung Chinese (Cantonese)
Cantonese romanization of Liang.

Li 1 Chinese
From Chinese 李 (lǐ) meaning "plum, plum tree". This was the surname of Chinese emperors of the Tang dynasty.

Li 2 Chinese
From Chinese 黎 (lí) meaning "black".

Liang Chinese
From Chinese 梁 (liáng) referring to the ancient state of Liang, which existed from the 8th to 7th centuries BC in what is now Shaanxi province.

Liao Chinese
From Chinese 廖 (liào) referring to the ancient state of Liao, which was located in present-day Henan province.

Lim Chinese (Hokkien)
Min Nan romanization of Lin.

Lin Chinese
From Chinese 林 (lín) meaning "forest".

Liu Chinese
From Chinese 刘 (liú) meaning "kill, destroy". This was the surname of Chinese emperors of the Han dynasty.

Lo Chinese (Cantonese)
Cantonese romanization of Luo.

Lu 1 Chinese
From Chinese 吕 (lǚ) meaning "musical note" and also referring to the former state of Lu, which was situated in what is now Henan province.

Lu 2 Chinese
From Chinese 卢 (lú) meaning "rice bowl, black", also referring to an ancient minor territory in what is now Shandong province.

Luo Chinese
From Chinese 罗 (luó) referring to the minor state of Luo, which existed from the 11th to 7th centuries BC in what is now Hubei province.

Ma Chinese
From Chinese 马 (mǎ) meaning "horse".

Maeda Japanese
From Japanese 前 (mae) meaning "front, forward" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy".

Maekawa Japanese
From Japanese 前 (mae) meaning "front, forward" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Mah Chinese
Alternate transcription of Chinese 马 (see Ma).

Mai Vietnamese
Vietnamese form of Mei, from Sino-Vietnamese 梅 (mai).

Maki 1 Japanese
From Japanese 牧 (maki) meaning "shepherd, tend cattle".

Maki 2 Japanese
From Japanese 真 (ma) meaning "real, genuine" and 木 (ki) meaning "tree".

Man Chinese (Cantonese)
Cantonese romanization of Wen.

Matsubara Japanese
From Japanese 松 (matsu) meaning "pine tree, fir tree" and 原 (hara) meaning "field, plain".

Matsuda Japanese
From Japanese 松 (matsu) meaning "pine tree, fir tree" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy".

Matsumoto Japanese
From one of the many places with this name in Japan, derived from Japanese 松 (matsu) meaning "pine tree, fir tree" and 本 (moto) meaning "base, root, origin".

Matsumura Japanese
From Japanese 松 (matsu) meaning "pine tree, fir tree" and 村 (mura) meaning "town, village".

Matsuoka Japanese
From Japanese 松 (matsu) meaning "pine tree, fir tree" and 岡 (oka) meaning "hill, ridge".

Matsushita Japanese
From Japanese 松 (matsu) meaning "pine tree, fir tree" and 下 (shita) meaning "under, below".

Mei Chinese
From Chinese 梅 (méi) meaning "plum, apricot".

Minami Japanese
From Japanese 南 (minami) meaning "south".

Miura Japanese
From Japanese 三 (mi) meaning "three" and 浦 (ura) meaning "bay, inlet".

Miyagawa Japanese
From Japanese 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Miyajima Japanese
From Japanese 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace" and 島 (shima) meaning "island".

Miyake Japanese
From Japanese 三 (mi) meaning "three" and 宅 (yake) meaning "house, home".

Miyamoto Japanese
From Japanese 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace" and 本 (moto) meaning "base, root, origin". A notable bearer is video game pioneer Shigeru Miyamoto (1952-).

Miyashita Japanese
From Japanese 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace" and 下 (shita) meaning "under, below".

Miyata Japanese
From Japanese 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy".

Miyazaki Japanese
From Japanese 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace" and 崎 (saki) meaning "cape, peninsula".

Mizuno Japanese
From Japanese 水 (mizu) meaning "water" and 野 (no) meaning "field, wilderness".

Mizushima Japanese
From Japanese 水 (mizu) meaning "water" and 島 (shima) meaning "island".

Mizutani Japanese
From Japanese 水 (mizu) meaning "water" and 谷 (tani) meaning "valley".

Mochizuki Japanese
Means "full moon" in Japanese, a compound of 望 (mochi) meaning "wish, desire" and 月 (tsuki) meaning "moon".

Moon 1 Korean
Korean form of Wen, from Sino-Korean 文 (mun).

Mori Japanese
From Japanese 森 (mori) meaning "forest".

Morikawa Japanese
From Japanese 森 (mori) meaning "forest" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Morimoto Japanese
From Japanese 森 (mori) meaning "forest" and 本 (moto) meaning "base, root, origin".

Morishita Japanese
From Japanese 森 (mori) meaning "forest" and 下 (shita) meaning "under, below".

Morita Japanese
From Japanese 森 (mori) meaning "forest" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy".

Moriyama Japanese
From Japanese 森 (mori) meaning "forest" and 山 (yama) meaning "mountain, hill".

Moto Japanese
From Japanese 本 (moto) meaning "base, root, origin". More commonly it is the final character in Japanese surnames.

Mun Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 문 (see Moon 1).

Mutō Japanese
From Japanese 武 (mu) meaning "military, martial" and 藤 (tō) meaning "wisteria". The final character may indicate a connection to the Fujiwara clan.

Nagasawa Japanese
From Japanese 長 (naga) meaning "long" and 沢 or 澤 (sawa) meaning "marsh".

Nakabayashi Japanese
From Japanese 中 (naka) meaning "middle" and 林 (hayashi) meaning "forest".

Nakagawa Japanese
From Japanese 中 (naka) meaning "middle" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Nakahara Japanese
From Japanese 中 (naka) meaning "middle" and 原 (hara) meaning "field, plain".

Nakai Japanese
From Japanese 中 (naka) meaning "middle" and 井 (i) meaning "well, mine shaft, pit".

Nakajima Japanese
From Japanese 中 (naka) meaning "middle" and 島 (shima) meaning "island".

Nakamura Japanese
From Japanese 中 (naka) meaning "middle" and 村 (mura) meaning "town, village".

Nakano Japanese
From Japanese 中 (naka) meaning "middle" and 野 (no) meaning "field, wilderness".

Nakashima Japanese
Variant of Nakajima.

Namgung Korean
From Sino-Korean 南 (nam) meaning "south" combined with 宮 (gung) meaning "palace, house". This is the most common Korean compound surname.

Ng 1 Chinese (Cantonese)
Cantonese romanization of Wu 1.

Ng 2 Chinese (Hokkien)
Min Nan romanization of Huang.

Ngo Vietnamese
Simplified variant of Ngô.

Ngô Vietnamese
Vietnamese form of Wu 1, from Sino-Vietnamese 吳 (ngô).

Nguyễn Vietnamese
Vietnamese form of Ruan, from Sino-Vietnamese 阮 (nguyễn). This is the most common Vietnamese surname, accounting for over a third of the population.

Nguyen Vietnamese
Simplified variant of Nguyễn.

Nishikawa Japanese
From Japanese 西 (nishi) meaning "west" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Nishimura Japanese
From Japanese 西 (nishi) meaning "west" and 村 (mura) meaning "town, village".

Nishitani Japanese
From Japanese 西 (nishi) meaning "west" and 谷 (tani) meaning "valley".

Nishiyama Japanese
From Japanese 西 (nishi) meaning "west" and 山 (yama) meaning "mountain, hill".

Noguchi Japanese
From Japanese 野 (no) meaning "field, wilderness" and 口 (kuchi) meaning "mouth, entrance".

Nozawa Japanese
From Japanese 野 (no) meaning "field, wilderness" and 沢 or 澤 (sawa) meaning "marsh".

O Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 오 (see Oh).

Ogawa Japanese
From Japanese 小 (o) meaning "small" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Oh Korean
Korean form of Wu 1, from Sino-Korean 吳 (o).

Okabe Japanese
From Japanese 岡 (oka) meaning "hill, ridge" and 部 (be) meaning "part, section".

Okamoto Japanese
From Japanese 岡 (oka) meaning "hill, ridge" and 本 (moto) meaning "base, root, origin".

Okamura Japanese
From Japanese 岡 (oka) meaning "hill, ridge" and 村 (mura) meaning "town, village".

Okazaki Japanese
From Japanese 岡 (oka) meaning "hill, ridge" and 崎 (saki) meaning "cape, peninsula".

Okumura Japanese
From Japanese 奥 (oku) meaning "inside" and 村 (mura) meaning "town, village".

Ong Chinese (Hokkien)
Min Nan romanization of Wang 1.

Ono Japanese
From Japanese 小 (o) meaning "small" and 野 (no) meaning "field, wilderness".

Ōshiro Japanese
From Japanese 大 (ō) meaning "big, great" and 城 (shiro) meaning "castle". It is especially common on Okinawa.

Pan 2 Chinese
From Chinese 潘 (pān) meaning "water in which rice has been rinsed", and also referring to a river that flows into the Han River.

Park 1 Korean
From Sino-Korean 樸 or 朴 (bak) meaning "plain, unadorned, simple". This is the third most common surname in South Korea.

Pei Chinese
From Chinese 裴 (péi), possibly referring to an ancient city.

Peng Chinese
From Chinese 彭 (péng) referring to the ancient state of Peng, which existed during the Shang dynasty in what is now Jiangsu province.

Phạm Vietnamese
Vietnamese form of Fan, from Sino-Vietnamese 范 (phạm). This is the fourth most common surname in Vietnam.

Phan Vietnamese
Vietnamese form of Pan 2, from Sino-Vietnamese 潘 (phan).

Ren Chinese
From Chinese 任 (rén), of uncertain meaning.

Rhee Korean
North Korean form of Lee 2.

Ruan Chinese
From Chinese 阮 (ruǎn), which refers to a type of musical instrument, similar to a lute.

Saito Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 斎藤 (see Saitō).

Saitō Japanese
From Japanese 斎 (sai) meaning "purification, worship" and 藤 (tō) meaning "wisteria". The latter character could indicate a connection to the Fujiwara clan.

Saitou Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 斎藤 (see Saitō).

Sakamoto Japanese
From Japanese 坂 or 阪 (saka) meaning "slope" and 本 (moto) meaning "base, root, origin".

Sakurada Japanese
From Japanese 桜 (sakura) meaning "cherry blossom" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy".

Sanada Japanese
From Japanese 真 (sana) meaning "real, genuine" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy".

Sano Japanese
From Japanese 佐 (sa) meaning "help, aid" and 野 (no) meaning "field, wilderness".

Sasaki Japanese
From Japanese 佐 (sa) meaning "help, aid" (repeated, indicated by the iteration mark 々) and 木 (ki) meaning "tree, wood".

Sato Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 佐藤 (see Satō).

Satō Japanese
From Japanese 佐 (sa) meaning "help, aid" and 藤 (tō) meaning "wisteria". The final character might indicate a connection to the Fujiwara clan. This is the most common surname in Japan.

Satou Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 佐藤 (see Satō).

Seki Japanese
From Japanese 関 (seki) meaning "frontier pass".

Serizawa Japanese
From Japanese 芹 (seri) meaning "celery" and 沢 or 澤 (sawa) meaning "marsh".

Shen Chinese
From Chinese 申 (shēn) referring to the ancient state of Shen, which existed during the Zhou dynasty.

Shibuya Japanese
From Japanese 渋 (shibu) meaning "astringent, rough" and 谷 (ya) meaning "valley".

Shimada Japanese
From Japanese 島 (shima) meaning "island" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy".

Shimamura Japanese
From Japanese 島 (shima) meaning "island" and 村 (mura) meaning "town, village".

Shimizu Japanese
From Japanese 清 (shi) meaning "clear, pure, clean" and 水 (mizu) meaning "water".

Shin Korean
Korean form of Shen, from Sino-Korean 申 (sin).

Shinkawa Japanese
From Japanese 新 (shin) meaning "fresh, new" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Shinoda Japanese
From Japanese 篠 (shino) meaning "dwarf bamboo" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy".

Shinohara Japanese
From Japanese 篠 (shino) meaning "dwarf bamboo" and 原 (hara) meaning "field, plain".

Shinozaki Japanese
From Japanese 篠 (shino) meaning "dwarf bamboo" and 崎 (saki) meaning "cape, peninsula".

Shirai Japanese
From Japanese 白 (shira) meaning "white" and 井 (i) meaning "well, mine shaft, pit".

Shiraishi Japanese
From Japanese 白 (shira) meaning "white" and 石 (ishi) meaning "stone".

Shirakawa Japanese
From Japanese 白 (shira) meaning "white" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Shiratori Japanese
From Japanese 白 (shira) meaning "white" and 鳥 (tori) meaning "bird".

Son Korean
Korean form of Sun, from Sino-Korean 孫 (son).

Song Chinese, Korean
From Chinese 宋 (sòng) referring to the Song dynasty, which ruled China from 960 to 1279.

Su Chinese
From Chinese 苏 (sū) meaning "perilla", also referring to an ancient minor state called Su.

Suen Chinese (Cantonese)
Cantonese romanization of Sun.

Sugimoto Japanese
From Japanese 杉 (sugi) meaning "cedar" and 本 (moto) meaning "base, root, origin".

Sugimura Japanese
From Japanese 杉 (sugi) meaning "cedar" and 村 (mura) meaning "town, village".

Sugita Japanese
From Japanese 杉 (sugi) meaning "cedar" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy".

Sugiura Japanese
From Japanese 杉 (sugi) meaning "cedar" and 浦 (ura) meaning "bay, inlet".

Sugiyama Japanese
From Japanese 杉 (sugi) meaning "cedar" and 山 (yama) meaning "mountain, hill".

Sun Chinese
From Chinese 孙 (sūn) meaning "grandchild, descendant". A famous bearer of the surname was Sun Tzu, the 6th-century BC author of The Art of War.

Sung Chinese
Alternate transcription of Chinese 宋 (see Song).

Suzuki Japanese
From Japanese 鈴 (suzu) meaning "bell" and 木 (ki) meaning "tree, wood". This is the second most common surname in Japan. A notable bearer was the artist Suzuki Harunobu (1725-1770).

Tachibana Japanese
From Japanese 橘 (tachibana) meaning "orange, tangerine".

Takahashi Japanese
From Japanese 高 (taka) meaning "tall, high" and 橋 (hashi) meaning "bridge".

Takeda Japanese
From Japanese 武 (take) meaning "military, martial" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy".

Takenaka Japanese
Means "dweller amongst bamboo", from Japanese 竹 (take) meaning "bamboo" and 中 (naka) meaning "middle".

Takeuchi Japanese
From Japanese 竹 (take) meaning "bamboo" and 内 (uchi) meaning "inside".

Tamura Japanese
From Japanese 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy" and 村 (mura) meaning "town, village".

Tan Chinese (Hokkien)
Min Nan romanization of Chen.

Tanaka Japanese
Means "dweller in the rice fields", from Japanese 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy" and 中 (naka) meaning "middle".

Tang 1 Chinese
From Chinese 唐 (táng) referring to the Tang dynasty, which ruled China from 618 to 907.

Tang 2 Chinese (Cantonese)
Cantonese romanization of Deng.

Tani Japanese
From Japanese 谷 (tani) meaning "valley".

Taniguchi Japanese
From Japanese 谷 (tani) meaning "valley" and 口 (kuchi) meaning "mouth, entrance".

Tian Chinese
From Chinese 田 (tián) meaning "field".

Tomioka Japanese
From Japanese 富 (tomi) meaning "wealth, abundance" and 岡 (oka) meaning "hill, ridge".

Tong Chinese (Cantonese)
Cantonese romanization of Tang 1.

Toyoda Japanese
From Japanese 豊 (toyo) meaning "bountiful, luxuriant" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy". A famous bearer was Kiichiro Toyoda (1894-1952), founder of Toyota Motor Corporation.

Trần Vietnamese
Vietnamese form of Chen, from Sino-Vietnamese 陳 (trần). This is the second most common surname in Vietnam.

Tran Vietnamese
Simplified variant of Trần.