Shǐ (surname)


Shǐ is a Chinese surname meaning "history" of "official historiographer". It is romanized Shih in Wade–Giles, or Sze or Si in Cantonese romanization. According to a 2008 study, it was the 82nd most common name in China. A 2013 study found that it is shared by 2.85 million people, or 0.210% of the population, with the province with the most people being Henan. It is the 63rd name on the Hundred Family Surnames poem.

Origins

  1. It is said to be borne by descendants of Cang Jie, the official historiographer during the reign of the mythical Huang Di, the ‘Yellow Emperor’
  2. Shi, post name of an official in charge of recording historical events during the Western Zhou dynasty. Later, the surname was subsequently adopted as a surname by descendants of official historiographers in many regional states during the Spring and Autumn period
  3. one of the "Nine Sogdian Surnames", also known as ‘nine surnames of Zhaowu’, because their ancestors came from Zhaowu, an ancient city in present-day Gansu province in NW China. During the Sui and Tang
  4. adopted as a surname by the Ashina tribe, a Turkic tribe during the Tang dynasty
  5. descendants of Shi Ji, who was bestowed with the surname by Emperor Suzong of Tang

    Notable people