Wu
A common Chinese surname, usually written 吴/吳, with ancient roots and several possible historical origins.
The #461 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 4,305 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Wu is a very old Chinese surname, most commonly represented by the character 吴/吳. In traditional accounts, it is linked to the ancient state of Wu, and the name was later adopted by people associated with that region or ruling house. Like many Chinese surnames, it may have multiple historical lines of origin, but the modern surname is most strongly associated with the Chinese character 吴/吳.
History
Wu has been borne for centuries across China and later throughout the Chinese diaspora. It is especially common in southern China and in overseas communities where Mandarin or other Chinese romanization systems render the name as Wu. In modern usage, it is one of the best-known Chinese surnames in English-language contexts.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In Mandarin, Wu is one of several Chinese surnames that are short in romanization but represent a character with a much longer written history.
Notable people named Wu
- Wu Zetian (624–705)
- Chien-Shiung Wu (1912–1997)
- Wu Cheng'en (1500–1582)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.