Surname Liu - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'L'
Unraveling Ancestral Ties through iGENEA DNA Test: A Voyage into the Liu Lineage
Concluding a fruitful dissection of my iGENEA DNA test results worth mulling over, long-held conjectures about my surname, Liu, found substantial backing. The saga of my ancestry, encoded within my genome, travels back in time to the regal corridors of China, threading through myriad epochs, cultures, and territories. Striking evidence puts the Liu lineage amidst the originators of Chinese civilization, empowering my present understanding of self, culture, and history.
O. Liu
read moreLiu: What does the surname Liu mean?
The last name Liu is a common Chinese surname. Liu is derived from the Chinese word for "willow tree" and symbolizes strength and flexibility.
Liu is one of the most common surnames among China's majority Han ethnic group and can be found in several countries around the world. Liu is most popular in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand. It is also common among overseas Chinese communities in other parts of the world including the United States, Canada, Australia and parts of Europe.
The name Liu is considered to be a relatively old surname and is believed to have first appeared during the reign of Emperor Yao of the legendary Xia Dynasty (from 2000 BC). The surname is also believed to have its origins in the imperial family of Shang Dynasty (1600 BC - 1046 BC). According to the traditional Chinese system of measuring importance, the surname Liu is ranked at 124th place—making it one of the most common surnames among Chinese people.
Liu has a long and proud history in China, representing strength and endurance. Throughout the centuries, it has been used to express a strong sense of identity within the Chinese culture. To this day, many Chinese people carry the surname Liu as a point of pride and honor.
Order DNA origin analysisLiu: Where does the name Liu come from?
The Liu surname is most common in East Asia. Large populations of people with the surname Liu can be found in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Macau, Vietnam, and Singapore. In mainland China, the Liu surname is the seventh most common surname, with approximately 97 million people bearing it.
In the United States, many people with the surname Liu come from East Asia and immigrated over the past few decades. As of the 2000s, most Liu individuals in the United States were living in California, New York, Texas, New Jersey, Illinois, and Florida. In the US, the surname became the 100th most common surname in 2020, and it was the fastest growing surname in the country that year.
Outside of East Asia and the United States, large Liu populations can also be found in other overseas Chinese populations around the world, such as Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Germany, among other locations.
The surname is derived from various sources and can have different meanings depending on which language the surname is spelled in and from which culture the individual with the surname originates. In Chinese, the Liu surname is usually translated to literal meanings like "flow", "dangle," or "willow tree." In Korea and Japan, the Liu surname is spelled differently and comes from a royal master-slave relationship. Thus, it's usually translated to mean "lord" or "master". In Vietnamese, the Liu surname is closest to the Chinese translation, but in other countries, its meaning is usually associated with Saint Lawrence, a 3rd-century Christian martyr.
Variations of the surname Liu
The surname Liu is a Chinese surname with a variety of different spellings, variants, and other surnames of the same origin. In traditional Chinese characters, the surname is written '劉' and is most commonly pronounced as 'Liu' in mandarin. The surname can also be written in pinyin as 'Lǐu'. Other variants of the surname might feature slight changes in tones or spelling, for example as 'Lüe', 'Liú', 'Liǔ', or 'Lù'.
The surname is mostly used by families originating from mainland China, but is also found in other countries and regions. For example, it is registered as an indigenous surname in Taiwan, and can also be found in Malaysian Chinese populations. In Vietnam, it is spelled as 'Lưu'. Other Chinese characters used to spell the surname include '留' (Líu) and '柳' (Liǔ).
Surnames of the same origin but of different characters can also be written as '楊' and '李', which are both based on the same character for 'plum' in Chinese and both mean 'plum'. Other related surnames include 'Yang', 'Yin', 'Yao', and 'Ye', all of which sound similar to the surname Liu in Mandarin.
In some cases, a Korean or Japanese surname of similar origin may be adopted by Chinese families. For example, in some cases, families with the surname 'Liu' may take on the Japanese surname of 'Ryu' (龍) or the Korean surname of 'Yoo' (劉).
Finally, there are several other surnames derived from 'Liu' that do not follow the principle of same origin but sound similar. Surnames such as 'Lai', 'Lie', 'Lei', 'Luo', and 'Li' are all often confused with the surname 'Liu'. Ultimately, the exact variants and other surnames of the same origin for 'Liu' depend on the geographical location and language of origin.
Famous people with the name Liu
- Liu Yifei: a Chinese actress, singer, and model known for her roles in Chinese-language films such as The Forbidden Kingdom and The Chinese Widow
- Liu Wen: a Chinese model, actress, and current Estēe Lauder Global Spokesmodel
- Liu Jing: a Chinese Olympic athlete who won the Olympic gold in Judo (Women's 48 kg weight class) in 2008 and 2012
- Liu Shishi: a Chinese actress and singer
- Liu Xiang: a Chinese hurdler who won a gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics and silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics
- Liu Chenxi: a Chinese professional cyclist and winner of the Tour de France 2016
- Liu Bao: a Chinese figure skater and winner of two consecutive titles in the 2014 and 2015 Winter Universiade
- Liu Yazhou: a Chinese entrepreneur and founder of the Huawei Technologies Co.
- Liu Yihao: a Chinese hip hop artist, songwriter, and producer
- Liu Jia: a Chinese Go player and the first professional female player to reach 8-dan