Shǐ (surname)

Shǐ (史) 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.[1] It is the 63rd name on the Hundred Family Surnames poem.[2]

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’[3]
2. Shi (史), 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 (阿史那), a Turkic tribe during the Tang dynasty
5. descendants of Shi Ji (史繼), who was bestowed with the surname by Emperor Suzong of Tang

Notable people

• Empress Shi (Xin Dynasty) (史皇后), an empress during Xin Dynasty
• Shi Dongpeng (史冬鹏), a Chinese hurdler who specializes in the 110 metre hurdles.
• Shi Zhi (史侄), a Zhou-era public officer
• Shi Liangcai (史量才, 1880–1934), a journalist
• Shi Meng (史萌), athlete from the People's Republic of China who competes in triathlon
• Shi Liang (footballer), (史亮) a footballer

References

1. 中国四百大姓 Front Cover, 袁义达, 邱家儒, Beijing Book Co. Inc., 1 January 2013
2. K. S. Tom. [1989] (1989). Echoes from Old China: Life, Legends and Lore of the Middle Kingdom. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 0-8248-1285-9.
3. The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland