Explore the Family Name Li
The meaning of Li
1. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 李, meaning ‘plum’: (i) said to have been adopted in place of the Chinese surname 理 (also pronounced Li; meaning ‘rules’ in Chinese) by Li Zhen (利貞), son of an official called Li Zheng (理徵) in the late Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC). It is said that Li Zhen’s father incurred the displeasure of King Zhou of Shang (died 1046 BC) and Li Zhen fled to a wasteland area, where he survived on wild plums. After his return to civilization, he changed his surname to Li (李 ‘plum’), a word with the same pronunciation. The original surname, 理, is said to be from Li Guan (理官), the name of a post of officials in charge of legislation in ancient China. Li Er (李耳), also known as Lao Tzu or Lao Zi, traditionally regarded as the founder of Taoism, is believed to have been a descendant of Li Zhen. (ii) adopted as a surname by the Chi Li (叱李) family from the Xianbei ethnic group during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD). (iii) in the early years of the Tang dynasty (618–907 AD), sixteen high officials with different surnames were granted the surname Li (李), the surname of the royal family of the Tang dynasty, by Emperor Taizong of Tang (died 649 BC), because of their contributions to the establishment of the Tang regime. (iv) the surname can also be traced back to several minority ethnic groups in ancient China. 2. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 黎, meaning ‘black’ or ‘multitude’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from Li (黎), the name of an ancient state (located in Changzhi in Shanxi province) during the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC), which was annexed in the Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC) and later granted to Fengshu, also known as Li Hou (黎侯, ‘Marquis Li’). (ii) adopted as a surname by the Su Li (素黎) family, members of the Xianbei ethnic group, during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD). 3. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 利, meaning ‘sharp, fortunate’ or ‘benefits’ in Chinese: (i) from the first element of the personal name Li Zhen (利貞), son of an official called Li Zheng (理徵) in the late Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC), also see 1 (i) above. (ii) from the placename Li (利), the name of a fief (located in Hubei province or in Sichuan province) granted to a prince in the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (iii) adopted as a surname by the Chi Li (叱利) family, members of the Xianbei ethnic group during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD). 4. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 栗, meaning ‘chestnut’ in Chinese: (i) said to be from Li Lu (栗陸), the title of a legendary emperor in ancient China. (ii) from Li (栗), the name of an ancient state (located in Xiayi in Henan province) during the late Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC), which was annexed in the Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC). 5. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 厲, meaning ‘strict, rigorous’ in Chinese: (i) from Li (厲), the posthumous title of Qi Li Gong (齊厲公, the Duke Li of Qi, ruler of the state of Qi, died 816 BC). (ii) from Li (厲), the name of an ancient state (located in Suixian in Hubei province) during the Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC). (iii) adopted in place of the Chinese surname 孫. The king Sun Hao in the state of Wu during the Three Kingdoms period (220–80 AD) ordered the family members of Sun Xiu (a general in the state of Wu, possibly died 301 BC) to change their surname to Li (厲) because Sun Xiu had defected to the state of Jin. (iv) adopted in place of the Chinese surname Li (李) by the extended family of an official called Li Jin (李晉) during the Tang dynasty (618–907 AD), who was killed because of his attempt to usurp the throne. 6. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 酈: from the placename Li (酈), the name of an ancient state (located in Henan province) annexed by the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). 7. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 禮, meaning ‘ceremonies’ or ‘etiquette’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from the first element of the personal name Li Kong (禮孔) and Li Zhi (禮至), officials in the state of Wey who were descendants of Wey Kang Shu (衛康叔, Kang Shu of Wey), founder of the state of Wey. (ii) borne by the descendants of the masters of ceremonies in ancient China. 8. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 勵, meaning ‘encourage’ in Chinese: (i) said to be adopted in place of another surname Sun (孫) by descendants of Sun Xiu (possibly died 301 BC), also see 5 (iii) above. (ii) said to be adopted in place of another surname Li (厲) by Li Dune, an official in the Qing dynasty (1616–1911 AD) who was endowed with the surname Li (勵) by the then emperor. 9. Vietnamese: variant of Lệ, from the Chinese surname 酈, see 6 above and Le. 10. Vietnamese (Lí): variant of Ly, from the Chinese surname 李see 1 above. 11. Norwegian: habitational name from any of numerous farmsteads named Li, from Old Norse hlíth ‘mountain slope, hillside’. Compare Lie 1. Some characteristic forenames: Chinese Wei, Ming, Li, Jian, Hong, Yan, Ping, Jing, Yong, Ying, Hui, Jin, Min, Chung.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Li in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Li has significantly increased between 2000 and 2010. The rank of the name improved from 519th to 273rd, showing a notable change of 47.4%. The count of individuals with the surname Li also rose substantially during this period from 57,786 to 111,786, marking an increase of 93.45%. The proportion per 100,000 people grew by 76.94%, moving from 21.42 to 37.9.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #519 | #273 | 47.4% |
| Count | 57,786 | 111,786 | 93.45% |
| Proportion per 100k | 21.42 | 37.9 | 76.94% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Li
Looking at the ethnic identity of individuals with the surname Li, again using data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the majority identify as Asian/Pacific Islander. In 2000, 96.44% identified in this way and this figure slightly increased to 96.78% in 2010. Those identifying with two or more races decreased by 36.43%, while the proportion of White individuals increased by 16.41%. Hispanic representation fell by 16%, while Black representation saw an increase of 58.33%. Lastly, those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native doubled from 0.01% to 0.02%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 96.44% | 96.78% | 0.35% |
| White | 1.28% | 1.49% | 16.41% |
| Two or More Races | 1.4% | 0.89% | -36.43% |
| Hispanic | 0.75% | 0.63% | -16% |
| Black | 0.12% | 0.19% | 58.33% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.01% | 0.02% | 100% |
Li ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Li is Chinese, which comprises 85.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Korean (3.9%) and Manchurian & Mongolian (3.2%). Additional ancestries include Chinese Dai, Vietnamese, British & Irish, French & German, and Eastern European.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 85.7% |
| Korean | 3.9% |
| Manchurian & Mongolian | 3.2% |
| Other | 7.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Li
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Li have recent ancestry locations all within China.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Guangdong, China | 36.60% |
| Zhejiang, China | 36.30% |
| Shandong, China | 36.30% |
| Shanghai, China | 36.10% |
| Jiangsu, China | 36.10% |
What Li haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Li is O-F46, which is predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Haplogroup O-F46 is descended from haplogroup O-M1359. Other common haplogroups include O-F8 and N-L665, which are predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American and East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Zhang, Wang, Chen, Wu, Liu, Yang, Chang, Zhao, Sun, Lu.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Li surname are: F1a1, F2, M7b. These most commonly trace back to individuals of East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins O-M1359
Your paternal lineage may be linked to many of the Massim groups of Papua New Guinea
Haplogroup O2a is prevalent among Massim ethnic groups, including the populations of Airara, Nomanby, the eastern tip of the mainland, the Trobriand Islands, Gawa, Woodlark, the Laughland Islands, and western Calvados. While Papua New Guinea has been inhabited for over 50,000 years, the Massim may have arrived in the last 2,000 years. Today, these populations remain connected through a traditional island trading system called the Kula Ring. Under this exchange system, residents ensure that goods that are only available on some islands, but that are vitally needed in other islands, are shared among the island populations. Only Massim men participate in the Kula exchange system, and it is common for men to be away from home for months at a time when trading with men from other islands.
Your maternal lineage may be linked to the ancient people of the Indian subcontinent
While Haplogroup M is widespread throughout South and East Asia, it is more diverse on the Indian sub-continent than anywhere else in the world. The high degree of diversity of M in India is likely tied to its ancient arrival here nearly 50,000 years ago. In addition to M2, which is found throughout the subcontinent, there are dozens of haplogroups branching off of M that exist in India. These branches are often connected to specific regions, tribes, or ethnic groups. For example, haplogroup M18 is found among the Oraon peoples of eastern India and Bangladesh, while haplogroup M41 is common among the Pardhan speakers of eastern India, and haplogroup M31a can be found on the Andaman Islands, just off the southeast coast of India.
What do people with the surname Li have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Li" Surname 28.5%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Li" Surname 28.1%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Li" Surname 17.4%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Li" Surname 5.7%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Li?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Li are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition