Hang (surname) explained

Hang (杭) is a Chinese surname.^[1] It is romanized Hong in Cantonese romanization. According to a 2013 study, it was the 350th most common name in China; it was shared by 128,000 people, or 0.01% of the population, being most popular in Jiangsu.^[2] It is the 183rd name in the Hundred Family Surnames poem.^[3]

Origins

Hang (杭) was adopted in place of another Chinese surname, 抗 (Kàng, "fight against"), which can be traced back to San Kang (三抗, 三杭, 三伉), an official in the state of Wey during the Spring and Autumn Period. The two characters 抗 and 杭 were interchangeable in ancient Chinese.^[4] During the Northern Song period (10th–12th centuries AD), many people with the surname 抗 (Kàng) changed it to 杭 (Hang).^{[5] [6]}

Notable people

• Empress Hang, wife of the Jingtai Emperor
• Hang Yihong (杭义洪, born 1962), engineer
• Han Lih-wu (杭立武, 1903–1991), educator, politician and diplomat

Notes and References

1. Book: 羊姓史话. February 23, 2001. 江西人民出版社. 9787210024453 . Google Books.
2. [Yuan Yida]
3. K. S. Tom. [1989] (1989). Echoes from Old China: Life, Legends and Lore of the Middle Kingdom. University of Hawaii Press. .
4. Chao, S. J. (2000:64). 尋根溯源中國人的姓氏. United States: Clearfield Company.
5. https://www.familysearch.org/en/surname?surname=hang
6. https://www.mychinaroots.com/surnames/detail?word=%E6%9D%AD