Lu (surname 盧)


Lú is the pinyin romanization of the Chinese surname written in simplified character and in traditional character. It is also spelled Lo according to the Cantonese pronunciation. Lu 卢 is the 52nd most common surname in China, shared by 5.6 million people, or 0.475% of the Chinese population as of 2002. It is especially common in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, and Hebei provinces. Lu 卢 is listed 167th in the Song Dynasty classic text Hundred Family Surnames.
In 2019 it was the 50th most common surname in Mainland China.

Origins

According to the Tang Dynasty genealogy text Yuanhe Xing Zuan, the surname Lu 卢 originated in the State of Qi during the Spring and Autumn period, and descended from Gao Xi. Gao Xi was the grandson of Prince Gao, who was a son of Duke Wen of Qi and a descendant of Lü Shang, the founder of Qi. When the Qi ruler Wuzhi was murdered in 685 BC, Gao Xi, then prime minister of Qi, helped to install Prince Xiaobai on the throne, to be known as Duke Huan of Qi, one of the Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn period. In gratitude, Duke Huan enfeoffed Gao Xi at the city of Lu 卢, and many of Gao's descendants adopted Lu 卢 as their surname. This is the main origin of the surname, and Gao Xi is regarded as the founding ancestor of the Lu 卢 surname.
According to the Song Dynasty encyclopedia Tongzhi, there was a second source of the Lu 卢 surname from the State of Qi. A branch of Duke Huan of Qi's descendants had the surname Lupu, which was later shortened to Lu.
A separate source of Lu was the minor state of Luzi 庐子 or Lu 庐 during the Spring and Autumn period. The descendants of Jili, a nobleman of Lu, adopted the name of their state as their surname. Lu 庐 was later simplified to Lu 卢.

Distribution

Of the top 30 cities in China, 卢 ranked 9th most common in the city of Nanning.

Later adoption

During the Xianbei Northern Wei dynasty, Emperor Xiaowen implemented a drastic policy of sinicization, ordering his own people to adopt Chinese surnames. The Tufulu and Molu clans of Xianbei adopted Lu as their surname. The Xianbei people have since completely assimilated into the Han Chinese.
According to the Book of Sui, Zhangchou Taiyi, a native of Hejian Commandery was a famous scholar of the time. Emperor Yang of Sui granted him the surname Lu 卢. Zhangchou subsequently became known as Lu Taiyi, and was the ancestor of the prosperous Hejian Lu clan.

Lu clan of Fanyang

In the fourth century BC, the throne of the Qi state was usurped by the Tian clan. Many aristocratic clans that descended from the old ruling house of Jiang, including Lu, fled the state and dispersed all over China. During the Qin dynasty, the erudite Lu Ao settled in Fanyang Commandery. The Fanyang Lu clan later became exceedingly prosperous. During the Jin Dynasty, the Fanyang Lu, together with the Cui clan of Boling, the Wang clan of Taiyuan, the Zheng clan of Xingyang, and the Li clan of Zhao, were considered the five most prominent clans in China. During the Tang dynasty, eight chancellors were surnamed Lu 盧, including several from Fanyang.
During the Tang dynasty the Li clan of Zhao, the Cui clan of Boling, the Cui clan of Qinghe, the Lu clan of Fanyang, the Zheng clan of Xingyang, the Wang clan of Taiyuan, and the Li clan of Longxi were the seven noble clans between whom marriage was banned by law. Their status as "Seven Great surnames" became known during Gaozong's rule.

Notable people