Gao (Chinese: 高) is an East Asian surname of Chinese origin that can be literally translated as "high" or "tall". There are approximately 16 million living people with this surname. Some places, such as Taiwan, usually romanise this family name into Kao. In Hong Kong, it is romanized to Ko. In Macau, it is romanized to Kou.
According to Lüshi Chunqiu, the earliest figure with the Gao surname was Gao Yuan (高元) who created dwellings in antiquity. The grandson of the Yellow Emperor Zhuanxu was also known as Gao Yang (高陽).
Another origin of Gao is the Jiang (姜) surname. According to the Song dynasty encyclopedia Tongzhi, an early ancestor was Gao Xi (高傒) who was granted the surname Gao in honour of his grandfather Prince Gao (公子高). Prince Gao was the son of Duke Wen of the state of Qi whose ancestral name was Jiang (姜).
Many non-Han Chinese used the surname Gao:
The Xianbei clan of Lou (楼) of the Northern Wei period later changed their surname to Gao. The Yuan (元) family also adopted this surname in this period
Xú (徐) family of the Northern Qi period
Baipu (百濮) people of Yunnan (雲南)
Gao Anagong official of the Northern Qi
Gao Cheng paramount official of the Chinese/Xianbei state Eastern Wei,
Gao Heng emperor of Northern Qi.
Gao Huan paramount general of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei and Northern Wei's branch successor state Eastern Wei.
Gao Shaoyi imperial prince of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi
Gao Wei emperor of Northern Qi
Gao Yang Founding Emperor of Northern Qi
Gao Yanzong imperial prince of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi
Gao Shilian, chancellor during the Tang Dynasty
Gao Shun, Military General under Warlord Lü Bu during the late Han Dynasty
Gao Jiong, official during the Sui Dynasty
Gao Yun (Northern Wei), official during the Northern Wei Dynasty
Gao Yun (Northern Yan), emperor of the Northern Yan Dynasty
Gao Xianzhi, general during the Tang Dynasty of Korean descent
Gao Qiong, general during the Northern Song Dynasty
Gao Gang, a Chinese Communist leader
Gao Hong, pipa player and composer
Gao Jianli, a Zhu player and friend of Jing Ke
Gao Jixing, a king of Jingnan
Gao Jun, Chinese-American table tennis player
Gao Ling, Chinese badminton player
Gao Min (cyclist), Chinese cyclist
Gao Min (diver), Chinese diver
Gao Qiu, character from Shui Hu Zhuan
Gao Shuying, Chinese pole vaulter
Gao Song, Chinese figure skater
Gao Xie, calligraphist, painter, poet, writer, book collector
Gao Xingjian, 2000 Nobel Prize in Literature
Gao Xu, poet, writer, publisher, revolutionary
Gao Yihan, intellectual
Gao Yisheng, creator of the Gao style of the Chinese Internal Martial Art of Baguazhang
Gao Zhisheng, activist
Gao Jianing, also known as J.G. Ex-member of South Korean boy group, Cross Gene
Charles K. Kao, inventor of data transmission using optical fibre, was awarded half of the 2009 Nobel Prize in Physics
Kao Ming-huey
Min Kao
Nicholas Kao Se Tseien (1897–2007), Catholic priest, supercentenarian
Ping-Tse Kao (1888–1970), Taiwanese astronomer
Kao (crater), a lunar crater named after Ping-Tse Kao
Kō no Moronao
Kō no Moroyasu
Kō no Morofuyu
Joseph Cao
