Gu is a Chinese family name. Some places such as South Korea usually romanize this family name as "Koo" or "Ku". It is the 93rd name on the Hundred Family Surnames poem. The family name Gù is the most common pronounced "Gu", as well as the only one pronounced "Gù" and is ranked #88 on the list of top Chinese family names, according to the 2006 Chinese census.
History
China
Northern lineage
The survivors of uncultured unknown kingdom adopted the name and became the northern lineage of the family Gu. After the area annexed by Shang Dynasty.
Southern lineage
A second, southern lineage of the family Gu came around the Spring and Autumn period. Although they technically did not obtain that name until the Han Dynasty. The Southern lineage of Gu family makes up the majority of all those who bear the name today. A book of family tree was published. The Gu family traces its origins to the Yue Kingdom, which was later destroyed around 306 BC during the Warring States period and partitioned between Chu and Qi. At the beginning of the Han dynasty, the 7th generation descendant of King Goujian of Yue was named Yao, a regional warlord. He assisted the royal family of the Han dynasty in establishing the new dynasty. For his service, the Han emperor rewarded Yao with the title of "King of Eastern Sea". Yao later bestowed his own son the title of "Duke of Gu Yu". Thus his descendants proclaimed themselves the last name "Gu", and called "Gu Yao" as the 1st Ancestor of "Gu". According to a 2002 article similar trace of that family was confirmed through historical archives. Other commentaries are found at and
Most recent
The surviving members of disputed official changed their names and concealed their royal bloodline to hide their shame. One of the adopted names was Gu.
Distribution
This family name can be found mostly in eastern and southern Chinese provinces, especially in Jiangsu, Northern Zhejiang, and around the city ofShanghai. This surname can also be found in Korea, Vietnam and Indonesia.
Gu Jingzhou was a Chinese ceramic artist who specialised in the creation of zisha-ware teapots. He was a founder and Deputy Director of Research and Technology at the Number One Yixing Factory.
Joseph Gu was former senior pastor of the Chongyi Church in Hangzhou, one of the largest churches in China today, and former head of the Zhejiang Christian Council
Gu Jun was a Chinese badminton player in the 1990s from Wuxi, Jiangsu
Gu Hengbo, Gu Mei,, better known by her art name Gu Hengbo, also known as Xu Mei and Xu Zhizhu after her marriage, was a Chinese courtesan, poet and painter
Gu Zhongchen was a military leader and politician at the end of Qing Dynasty and in the early Republic of China
Gu Deng was a mathematician and politician at the end of Qing Dynasty and in the early Republic of China. His courtesy name was Yangwu
Gu Yanhui was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty
