Wang (surname)

Wang () is the pinyin romanization of the common Chinese surnames 王 (Wáng) and 汪 (Wāng). It is currently the most common surname in Mainland China, one of the most common surnames in Asia, with more than 107 million in Asia. It is the 8th name listed in the famous Hundred Family Surnames.

Population and distribution

Wáng is one of the most common surnames in the world and was listed by the People's Republic of China's National Citizen ID Information System as the most common surname in mainland China in April 2007, with 92.88 million bearers and comprising 7.25% of the general population.

A 2018 survey found that there were over 100 million Wang in China, ranking first.

Wáng was also the most common surname in Mainland China in 2019.

A 2013 study found the province with the most people sharing the name was Henan. Overall the name is more prevalent in Northern China. In 2019 it was the most common surname in nearly every northern province or province-level division: Xinjiang, Gansu, Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Henan, Hebei, Anhui, Jiangsu, Shandong, Beijing, Tianjin, Liaoning, Jilin, and Heilongjiang, as well as the southern province of Hainan.

It was the 6th most common surname in Taiwan in 2018, comprising 4.10% of the general population.

Ong is the 5th-most-common surname among Chinese Singaporeans and Wang the 6th, although Wong also includes the surname 黃 (Huang in Mandarin). Singaporean Wangs are 78,000 and 1.5% of Singapore's population and 2.5% of Singapore's Chinese population.

There are 143,000 recorded Wangs in the United States, as of 2014. This is a double increase from 2000, when 63,800 Wangs ranked 10th most common amongst Asian Americans and 440th amongst all Americans, respectively. There are 51,000 Wangs in California, 17,000 New York, 10,400 Texas, 5,900 New Jersey, 5,700 Illinois. Californian Wangs rank 55th in state, highest in rank as well by state of any state. Wang and Wong are sometimes interchangeable, as well as other Wang-based surnames so the number could vary.

Wang (Korean: 왕) is a fairly rare surname in South Korea. The year 2000 South Korean Census listed only 23,447 Wangs.

Origins of Wang

Wang 王 is the Chinese word for "king". William Baxter and Laurent Sagart reconstructed the Old Chinese form of Wáng as *‍ɢʷaŋ and the Middle Chinese as hjwang.

The modern bearers of the name Wang come from many different backgrounds, but there are four principal origins of the modern surname: Zi, Ji, Gui, and the adoption of the name from ethnic groups outside the Han Chinese.

House of Zi

The most ancient family name of Wang was originated from the surname Zi (子). The Chinese legend mentions that near the end of Shang Dynasty, King Zhou of Shang's uncle Bi Gan, Ji Zi, and Wei Zi were called "The Three Kindhearted Men of Shang". King Zhou was violent in his rule, and Bi Gan repeatedly remonstrated to the king regarding his behavior. The king shunned his comments and killed Bi Gan instead. Bi's descendants used Wang as their surname as they are descendants of a prince and were known as "The Bi clan of the Wang family". The Zi clan has existed for about 3100 years through Qin Dynasty to Tang Dynasty and exists today. The Zi clan of Wang lived predominantly in modern-day Henan during these times and developed into the famous Wang family of Ji prefecture.

House of Ji

More Wang were originated from the royal family of Zhou Dynasty. The original surname of the royal family of Zhou Dynasty was Ji (姬). However, many of them have separated out of the family due to the loss of power and land. Because they once belonged to the royal family, they used Wang as their surname. This family of Wang traced its ancestry to Wang Ziqiao.

According to the classical records, after King Wu of Zhou defeated the Shang Dynasty, he established the Western Zhou Dynasty. During the reign of the 21st king, King Ling of Zhou (571 - 545 BCE), the capital was in Chengzhou, which is the present day Luoyang, Henan. A son of King Ling, Wangzi Qiao or Prince Qiao, was reduced to civilian status due to his remonstration to the king. His son Zong Jin remained as a Situ in the palace, and because of the people at the time recognized him as the descendant of the royal family, they called his family the "Wang family".

Another origin is that the surname is from Crown Prince Jin, son of King Ling of Zhou of the Eastern Zhou dynasty. Jin criticized plans to divert the Gu and Luo rivers and was disinherited by his father. His descendants adopted the surname Wang in commemoration of his royal status.

In other cases, the name can also be traced back to Tian He, who usurped the throne of the Qi in 391 BC. After the annihilation of Qi by Qin in 221 BC, some descendants of nobles of Qi adopted the surname Wang in commemoration of royal ancestry.

Wang was also used as a surname by descendants of royal families in certain other states, like Wei, during the Warring States period.

The surname has also been adopted by some families of minorities like the Ke Yi (可颐) families of the Xianbei during the Northern Wei dynasty.

In some families, this surname is traced back to ancestors who either were endowed with it by an emperor or changed their original surname, claiming royal status.

During the Tang dynasty the Li clan of Zhaojun 赵郡李氏, the Cui clan of Boling 博陵崔氏, the Cui clan of Qinghe 清河崔氏, the Lu clan of Fanyang 范陽盧氏, the Zheng clan of Xingyang 荥阳郑氏, the Wang clan of Taiyuan 太原王氏, and the Li clan of Longxi 隴西李氏 were the seven noble families between whom marriage was banned by law. Moriya Mitsuo wrote a history of the Later Han-Tang period of the Taiyuan Wang. Among the strongest families was the Taiyuan Wang. The prohibition on marriage between the clans issued in 659 by the Gaozong Emperor was flouted by the seven families since a woman of the Boling Cui married a member of the Taiyuan Wang, giving birth to the poet Wang Wei. He was the son of Wang Chulian who in turn was the son of Wang Zhou.

The marriages between the families were performed clandestinely after the prohibition was implemented on the seven families by Gaozong. The Zhou dynasty King Ling's son Prince Jin is assumed by most to be the ancestor of the Taiyuan Wang. The Longmen Wang were a cadet line of the Zhou dynasty descended Taiyuan Wang, and Wang Yan and his grandson Wang Tong hailed from his cadet line. Both Buddhist monks and scholars hailed from the Wang family of Taiyuan such as the monk Tanqian. The Wang family of Taiyuan included Wang Huan. Their status as "Seven Great surnames" became known during Gaozong's rule. The Taiyuan Wang family produced Wang Jun who served under Emperor Huai of Jin. A Fuzhou-based section of the Taiyuan Wang produced the Buddhist monk Baizhang.

The surname in other countries

East Asia

Korea

The surname Wang has a Goguryeo origin and was the royal surname of Goryeo dynasty which was founded by Wang Geon. It is said that when Goryeo fell, many changed their surname to Jeon (全) / Jeon (田) / Ok (玉) to avoid severe persecution from the succeeding Joseon Dynasty. The Kaesong Wang lineage traces its ancestry to the Goryeo rulers.

Japan

Ō (Japanese: 王) is a rare Japanese name, mostly held by those of Chinese descent, such as the baseball player Sadaharu Oh (王貞治), also known as Wang Chen-chih, as well as Go player, Ō Rissei (王立誠). .

Southeast Asia

Indonesia

In Indonesia, the surname is often romanized as "Heng", "Bong" or "Ong" for people of Hokkien descent, and more commonly as Ong by Chinese Peranakan. In some cases, the meaning of the names were translated into a name that sounds more like the area where these immigrant families settled in such as the surname Suraja, where in this case raja means king in Indonesian and Javanese and Su- is a common prefix within Javanese surnames.

Vietnam

In Vietnam, the name is rendered Vương (王) meaning King.

Europe

Scandinavia

Wang is also an unrelated surname in Sweden and Norway. It is a variant spelling of the name Vang which is derived from the Old Norse word vangr, meaning field or meadow.

Germany and Netherlands

Wang is also a surname in the German and Dutch languages. The name is derived from Middle German wang/ Middle Dutch waenge, which is literally "cheek". However, in southern German, its meaning, "grassy slope" or "field of grass", is similar to the Scandinavian surname.

Notable people surnamed Wang

Historical figures

Mainland China

• Wang Zisai (born 2006), Chinese athlete

Taiwan

• Andrew H. J. Wang (王惠鈞), Taiwanese biochemist
• Cyndi Wang (王心凌), Mandopop singer
• Joanna Wang (王若琳), Taiwanese-American singer-songwriter
• Leehom Wang (王力宏), Taiwanese-American singer-songwriter, actor and commercial model
• Ong Iok-tek (Wang Yude) (王育德), scholar and early leader of the Taiwan independence movement
• Wang Cheng-teng (王政騰/王政腾), Deputy Minister of the Council of Agriculture of the Republic of China
• Wang Chien-fa (王乾發/王乾发), Magistrate of Penghu County (2005–2014)
• Chien-Ming Wang (王建民), former professional baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees and Washington Nationals
• Wang Chien-shien (王建煊), Republic of China politician
• Wang Chung-yi (王崇儀/王崇仪), Minister of Coast Guard Administration of the Republic of China (2014–2016)
• Darren Wang (王大陸/王大陆), Taiwanese actor famous in the Mainland
• Wang Ginn-wang (王進旺/王进旺), Minister of the Coast Guard Administration of the Republic of China (2006–2014)
• Jimmy Wang Yu (王羽), Mainland-born Taiwanese actor, film director, producer, and screenwriter who started his career in Hong Kong as a Shaw Brothers Studio actor.
• Wang Ju-hsuan (王如玄), Minister of Council of Labor Affairs of the Republic of China (2008–2012)
• Hsien Chung Wang (王宪锺/王宪钟), Chinese-American mathematician
• Wang Kwo-tsai (王國材/王国材), Political Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications
• Wang Li-ling (王儷玲/王俪玲), Chairperson of Financial Supervisory Commission of the Republic of China (2016)
• Wang Mei-hua (王美花), former Vice Minister of Economic Affairs of the Republic of China
• Wang Yu-chi (王郁琦), former Minister of Mainland Affairs Council of the Republic of China (2012–2015)
• Wang Yu-yun (王玉雲/王玉云), former Mayor of Kaohsiung City (1973–1981)

Hong Kong

• Jackson Wang (王嘉爾/王嘉尔), Hong Kong born Chinese member of South Korean boy group GOT7

Malaysia

• Wang Shujin (Ong Seok Kim) (王樹金/王树金), Malaysian educationist, social worker and philanthropist

• Wang Wenhua (Chin Peng)/(Ong Boon Hua)(王文華/王文华), Leader of the Malayan Communist Party

Singapore

• Ong Teng Cheong (王鼎昌), Former President of the Republic of Singapore
• Heng Swee Keat (王瑞杰), Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore
• Ong Ye Kung (王乙康), Singaporean politician
• Daniel Ong (王盟友), Singaporean businessman, radio DJ and television host
• David Ong (王金发), Former Singaporean member of parliament
• Peter Ong (王文辉), Government official in Singapore; Head of Civil Service
• Thomas Ong (王沺裁), Singaporean actor, television host and businessman
• Xavier Ong (王胜宇), Singaporean actor
• Wang Yuqing (王昱清), Singaporean actor
• Ong Eng Guan (王永元), Singaporean politician
• Ong Keng Sen (王景生), Singaporean director of the theatre group TheatreWorks
• Ong Keng Yong (王景荣), Singaporean diplomat
• Ong Kim Seng (王金成), Singaporean artist
• Anthea Ong (王丽婷), former Singaporean Nominated Member of Parliament
• Ong Pang Boon (王邦文), former Singaporean politician
• Remy Ong (王雷明), Singaporean bowler
• Ong Soh Khim (王素琴), former Singaporean Nominated Member of Parliament
• Ong Teck Chin (王德进), Singaporean educator
• Melvyn Ong (王赐吉), Singapore army general and the current Chief of Defence Force of the Singapore Armed Forces
• Glenn Ong (王书佳), Singaporean radio DJ
• Olivia Ong (王俪婷), Singaporean singer and actress
• Wang Sa (王沙), Singaporean comedian
• Wang Weiliang (王伟良), Singaporean actor and singer
• Ong Yeow Tian 王耀添, Singaporean convicted killer
• Wang Xiuyun (王秀云), Singaporean actress

Korea

• Wang Bit-na (왕빛나, 王嫔娜) actress and model
• Wang Geon (왕건, 王建), founder of the royal family of the Goryeo Dynasty
• Wang Jeung-hun (왕정훈), born 1995, professional golfer
• Jun Ji-hyun (born Wang Ji-hyun; 왕지현, 王智賢) actress and model
• Wang Ji-won (왕지원, 王智媛) actress and ballet dancer
• Wang Ki-Chun (왕기춘, 王機春), judo world champion

In non-Asian countries

Australia

• Beverley Wang, radio broadcaster and producer
• Mindy Meng Wang, composer and player of the Guzheng

Canada

• Jeremy Wang (born 1991), better known by his pseudonym Disguised Toast, streamer and Internet personality
• Richard Wang, chess player
• Suning Wang, Chinese-born chemist
• Vincent Wang, competitive video game player

Norway

• Sølvi Wang, singer, actress and comedian

United States

• An-Ming Wang, composer
• Angela Wang, figure skater
• Alexander Wang (王大仁), fashion designer
• An Wang (王安), computer scientist who founded Wang Laboratories
• Chloe Bennet Wong (汪可盈), actress
• Daniel I.C. Wang (王义翘), Chinese American professor
• Ed Wang, American football player
• Garrett Wang (王以瞻), Chinese American actor
• Ignatius C. Wang, Auxiliary Bishop of San Francisco in 2002-2009
• Iris Wang, badminton player
• Izaac Wang, American actor
• Joanna Wang (王若琳), Taiwanese-American singer-songwriter
• Wang Ju-Rong (王若琳), Chinese Muslim martial artist
• Kris Wang, former mayor of Cupertino, California
• Leehom Wang (王力宏), Taiwanese-American singer-songwriter, actor and commercial model
• Linda Wang (王憲苓/王宪苓), actress
• Lulu Wang (王子逸), filmmaker
• Qingde Wang (王青德), professor
• Shuping Wang (王淑平), a Chinese-American medical researcher and public health whistleblower
• Taylor Wang (王赣骏/王贛駿), Chinese-American astronaut
• Vera Wang (王薇薇), fashion designer
• Wayne Wang (王穎/王颖), film director
• Yuan Wang (control theorist) (王沅), mathematician specializing in control theory

Fictional people

• Evelyn Quan Wang, character from Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)
• Joy Wang, character from Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)
• Lo Wang, character from video game Shadow Warrior
• Nina Wáng, character from anime My-Otome
• Paul Wang, character from Space: Above and Beyond (1995)
• Socqueline Wang, character from Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir
• Waymond Wang, character from Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)
• Wang Ai Ling, character from Lilo & Stitch (2002)
• Wang Chiang, character from Moorim School (2016)
• Wang Jinrei, character from video game Tekken
• Wang Liu Mei, character from anime Mobile Suit Gundam 00
• Wang Lung, character from the novel The Good Earth
• Wang Shizhen, character from manga Hikaru no Go

See also

• List of common Chinese surnames
• Wang Wang and Funi, two pandas in Adelaide Zoo, South Australia
• Whang, surname
• Vương, the equivalent surname in Vietnamese
• Wang (disambiguation)

Notes

References

Sources

1. Wāng
2. Wang
3. Wong (surname)
4. Chinese surname
5. List of common Chinese surnames
6. Huang (surname)
7. Heng (surname)
8. Oh (surname)
9. Whang
10. Phil Wang
11. Wang Qiang
12. Ang (surname)
13. Táng (surname)
14. Surname
15. Ong (surname)
16. Hong (surname)
17. Zhang (surname)
18. Dynasties of China
19. Li (surname 李)
20. Four Wangs