What is the origin of surnames?

1. Originated from ethnic minorities: During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, there were tribes such as Chimen, Tumen and Kumen in the extension of Xianbei nationality in the Northern Wei Dynasty. Tuoba Hong, Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty, vigorously promoted the policy of sinicization after Taihe moved its capital to Luoyang in 17 to 20 years. In this process, he changed the compound surnames of Jimen, Tumen and Kumen into single surnames, and then merged them into the Han nationality and passed them down from generation to generation.

2. Originated from Ji surname: from a noble family in the Zhou Dynasty, belonging to a title. The male family is the earliest descendant of Emperor Yao's agricultural official, taking the family as the surname, and later became a symbol of official status. According to the ancient book "Zhou Li", all the sons of official doctors must learn six arts, namely, etiquette, music, shooting, imperial, calligraphy and counting, in order to be an official. People who can be an official can go through the main entrance when they enter and leave the imperial palace. It will be ready soon, so they call the door. Among the descendants of Menzi, there are those who take their ancestors' official titles as their surnames, which is the beginning of Menzi and one of the very old surnames.

3. Originated from the surname of the son: after the official position of the Song Dynasty in the Spring and Autumn Period, it belonged to the official title. During the Spring and Autumn Period, the state-owned guards in the Song Dynasty, that is, the Guards, were proud of their ancestral official positions, so they took their official positions as their surname and called them Mens. In addition, every vassal state has a guard at the gate of the city, called the master, also called the door.

4. Originated from compound surname: it belongs to the province with compound surname, and it is simplified to surname. There are many compound surnames in history, such as South Gate, East Gate, West Gate, North Gate, etc., which were originally the surnames formed by Guo Cheng garrison commander or residents near their residence in the Spring and Autumn Period. Later, many provincial bamboo slips were changed to single surnames and passed down from generation to generation.