Language(s) Chinese Word/Name State of Lu | Language(s) Old Chinese | |
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Pronunciation Lǔ (Mandarin)
Lo (Cantonese) | ||
Lǔ is the pinyin romanization of the Chinese surname written 鲁 in simplified character and 魯 in traditional character. It is also spelled Lo according to the Cantonese pronunciation. Lu 鲁 is listed 49th in the Song Dynasty classic text Hundred Family Surnames. As of 2008, Lu 鲁 is the 115th most common surname in China.
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Origin
According to several ancient genealogy texts including the Tang Dynasty Yuanhe Xing Zuan, Xing Pu (姓谱), and Xingshi Kaolue (姓氏考略), the surname Lu 鲁 originated from the ancient State of Lu, which was founded by Bo Qin, son of the Duke of Zhou, in the 11th century BC. During the Warring States period, Lu was conquered by the State of Chu, one of the seven major powers at the time, in 256 BC. Many people of Lu subsequently adopted the name of their former state as their surname. It is considered a branch of Ji 姬, the royal surname of the state of Lu.