Song is the pinyin transliteration of the Chinese family name 宋. It is transliterated as Sung in Wade-Giles, and Soong is also a common transliteration. In addition to being a common surname, it is also the name of a Chinese dynasty, the Song Dynasty, written with the same character.
The first written record of the character Song was found on the oracle bones of the Shang dynasty. The origin of the character can possibly be dated to an even earlier time (ca. 3800 BC). Structurally, the character has remained virtually unchanged for nearly 4,000 years. The etymology of the character can possibly be traced back to the abstract representation of a totem symbol. With the outer (upper) radical denoting preciousness, and the inner (lower) character representing trees or woods, the entire character literally means "holy wood" or "treasured tree", possibly a totem symbol from the late Neolithic and Bronze Age.
In the written records of Chinese history, the first time the character Song was used as a surname appeared in the early stage of the Zhou dynasty. One of the children of the last emperor of Shang dynasty, Weizi Qi - (子啟), was a duke named Song. The State of Song, Song's personal dominion, became part of the Zhou dynasty after the fall of the Shang dynasty. Citizens of the former State of Song, to commemorate the overthrow of their state in 286 BC by the State of Qi, began to use the character Song as their surname.
A less common Chinese family name (崇 pinyin Chóng) can also be transliterated to Soong in some Chinese dialects.
The surname is also used in Korea.
In Vietnam, the surname is pronounced as Tống.
Song Yu, Zhou Dynasty poetSong Yi, d. 207 BC, minister of ChuConsort Song, empress during Han DynastyEmpress Song (Han dynasty), empress during Han DynastySong Xian, Three Kingdoms era military officerSong Qian, officer of Eastern Wu during Three Kingdoms eraSong Hun, d. 361, regent of the Chinese state Former Liang during the Sixteen Kingdoms eraSong Bian, Northern Wei official, during Southern and Northern Dynasties periodSong Jing, b. 663, Tang Dynasty chancellorSong Shenxi, d. 833, Tang Dynasty chancellorSong Di, b. ca. 1015, Song Dynasty scholar-official and artistSong Ci, b. 1186, Song Dynasty writer of Collected Cases of Injustice RectifiedSong Zhun, Song Dynasty scholarSong Lian, b. 1310, Ming Dynasty historianSong Maojin, b. 1368, Ming Dynasty landscape painterSong Xu, b. 1525, Ming Dynasty landscape painterSong Yingxing, b. 1587, Ming Dynasty scientist and encyclopedistCharlie Soong, b. 1863, missionary and businessman, several of whose children were highly influential in early 20th century China:children include (see, chronologically, below): Soong sisters (Soong Ai-ling, Soong Ching-ling and Soong Mei-ling), and their brother T. V. SoongSir Song Ong Siang, b. 1871, Singaporean lawyer and Knight Commander of the Order of the British EmpireSong Shijie, b. 1873, Chinese revolutionarySong Jiaoren, b. 1882, President of the KuomintangSong Zheyuan, b. 1885, Kuomintang generalSoong Ai-ling, b. 1890, wife of H. H. KungSoong Ching-ling, b. 1893, wife of Sun Yat SenT. V. Soong, b. 1894, businessman and Premier of the Republic of ChinaSoong Mei-ling, b. 1897, wife of Chiang Kai-shekSong Shi-Lun, b. 1899, PLA generalSong Renqiong, b. 1909, PLA generalSong Ping, b. 1919, Communist Party officialSong Xi, b. 1920, former President of the Chinese Culture UniversityJames Soong, b. 1942, Republic of China governorSong Defu, b. 1946, Communist Party politicianSung, Chi-li, b. 1948, Taiwanese religious leaderSong Tao, b. 1955, diplomat and politicianSong Xiaobo, b. 1958, female basketball player and coachSong Dandan, b. 1961, actressSong Lianyong, b. 1965, football player from Hong KongSong Tao, b. 1965, basketball playerSong Zuying, b. 1966, ethnic Miao Chinese singerSong Ligang, b. 1967, Chinese basketball playerSong Weiping, b. 1967, billionaireSong Zude, b. 1968, entertainment managerAnna Song, b. 1976, Taiwanese American journalistSong Aimin, b. 1978, discus throwerDevon Song, b. 1980, Taiwanese singer-songwriterSong Lun, b. 1981, figure skaterSong Zhenyu, b. 1981, football playerSong Hongjuan, b. 1984, Chinese race walkerSarah Song, b. 1985, Miss Chinese International 2007Song Qian b. 1987, leader of the female South Korean group f(x)Brenda Song, b. 1988, American actress, singer, and modelSong Dan, b. 1990, female Chinese javelin throwerSong Nan, b. 1990, figure skaterSong Andong, b. 1997, first Chinese-born ice hockey player ever drafted by an NHL pro team (2015)Song Jiang, major character in 14th century novel Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literatureSong Qing younger brother of Song JiangSong Wan, fictional character in the Water MarginSong Yiren, character featured within the famed Ming Dynasty novel Investiture of the GodsSong Yuanqiao, b. 1295, character in novel The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber by Jin YongSong Qingshu, son of Song YuanqiaoNoonien Soong, The creator of the android Data in Star TrekArik Soong, Great grandfather of Noonien Soong
