Explore the Family Name Yu
The meaning of Yu
1. Chinese: Mandarin and Cantonese form of the surname 余 (or rarely written as 餘), meaning ‘I’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from the second element of the personal name You Yu (由余), the name of a prime minister in the state of Qin during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (ii) from Yu (余), the name of a small state during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (iii) said to be borne by descendants of Xia Yu, the first king of the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC). 2. Chinese: Mandarin and Cantonese form of the surname 于 (meaning ‘go’ in ancient Chinese) or 於 (often simplified as 于 in Mainland China, meaning ‘depend on’ in ancient Chinese): (i) simplified form of the Chinese character 邘, the name of an ancient state (located in Qinyang in Henan province), which was granted to Yu Shu (邘叔), the third son of King Wen of Zhou (1152–1056 BC). After it was annexed by the state of Zheng during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC), the Chinese character 邘 (pronounced Yu) was simplified to (于) and adopted as a surname. (ii) adopted as a surname by the Wan Niu Yu (萬忸于) family from the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD). (iii) adopted in place of the Chinese compound surname Chun-Yu (淳于), because the first element of the surname, Chun, happened to share the same pronunciation with the personal name of the emperor Li Chun, also known as Emperor Xianzong of Tang (778–820 AD), which was taboo in ancient China. (iv) said to be traced back to Yu Ze (於則), who said to be the inventor of shoes, an official the legendary Huang Di, the ‘Yellow Emperor’ (c.27th century bc). (v) from the second element of the placename Shang Yu (商於) in the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). 3. Chinese: Mandarin and Cantonese form of the surname 俞, meaning ‘assent, consent’ in ancient Chinese: (i) said to be traced back to Yu Fu (俞跗), a famous doctor during the reign of the legendary Huang Di, the ‘Yellow Emperor’ (c.27th century bc). (ii) said to be traced back to the noble families in the state of Zheng and Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). 4. Chinese: Mandarin and Cantonese form of the surname 虞, referring to a kind of beast in ancient Chinese: from Yu (虞), the name of two ancient states. One is known as Dong Yu, or Eastern Yu (located in Yucheng in Henan province), said to have been granted by Xia Yu, the first king of the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC), to the son of the legendary Emperor Shun (c.23rd century bc). The other is known as Xi Yu, or Western Yu (located in Pinglu in Shanxi province), which was annexed by the state of Jin in 655 BC. 5. Chinese: Mandarin and Cantonese form of the surname 庾, meaning ‘open-air granaries’ in Chinese: (i) from the second element of Zhang Yu (掌庾), literally meaning ‘in charge of open-air granaries’, the name of an official post during the reign of the legendary Emperor Yao (c.24th century bc). (ii) from the first element of Yu Lin (庾廩), meaning ‘granaries’, the name of an official post during the Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC). (iii) from Yu (庾), the name of an ancient state during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). 6. Chinese: Mandarin and Cantonese form of the surname 喻, meaning ‘explain’ or ‘analogy’ in Chinese: (i) adopted in place of another Chinese surname, Yu (諭), after the Eastern Jin dynasty (316–420 AD). (ii) adopted in place of another Chinese surname pronounced Yu (渝) during the reign of Emperor Jing of Han (188–141 BC), because the Chinese character happened to be identical to the personal name of the wife of the emperor. It was taboo in ancient China to bear a name that was the same as that of a member of a royal or imperial family. (iii) from the name of Yu Chu (喻樗), who was granted the surname Yu (喻) during the Southern Song dynasty (1127–1279 AD). 7. Chinese: Mandarin and Cantonese form of the surname 禹: (i) from the personal name Yu (禹), the name of the first king of the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC). (ii) simplified form of Chinese (鄅), the name of a small state (located in present-day Shandong province). After this state was annexed during the late Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC), the Chinese character Yu (鄅) was simplified to Yu (禹) and adopted as a surname. 8. Chinese: Mandarin and Cantonese form of the surname 宇, meaning ‘house’ or ‘world’ in ancient Chinese: (i) borne by descendants of Shen Bo (the Earl of Shen), king of the state of Shen and uncle of King Xuan of Zhou (reigned 827–782 BC). (ii) shortened form of the compound surname Yu-Wen (宇文), a surname traced back to the Hun ethnic group in ancient northern China. (iii) traced back to the Tangut ethnic group in ancient northwestern China. 9. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 郁 or 鬱 (often simplified to 郁 in Mainland China), meaning ‘luxuriant’ in Chinese: (i) from the placename Yu (郁), the name of an ancient state which later became a fief in the state of Wu (located in present-day Zhejiang and Jiangsu province). (ii) possibly from the first element of Yu Li (郁立), the name of a state (located in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region) during the Western Han dynasty (206 BC–25 AD). (iii) possibly from the first element of the placenames Yu Yi (郁夷) (located in Shaanxi province), Yu Zhi (郁秩) (located in Shandong province), or Yu Zhi (郁致) (located in ancient northwestern China). (iv) said to be traced back to Yu Hua (鬱華), teacher of Xia Yu, the first king of Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC). (v) possibly evolving from another Chinese surname, Yu (蔚). 10. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 魚, meaning ‘fish’ in Chinese: (i) from the second element of Zi Yu (子魚), style name of a prince of the state of Song during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (ii) possibly from Yu (魚), the name of an ancient state (located in Sichuan province). (iii) traced back to some minority ethnic groups in southern China. 11. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 玉, meaning ‘jade’ in Chinese: (i) borne by descendants of Gong Yu Dai (公玉帶), a person who lived during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han (156–87 BC), whose surname Gong Yu (公玉) was later shortened to Yu (玉). (ii) possibly from Yu Yin (玉尹, literally meaning ‘jade official’), title of an official in charge of the imperial jade seal in the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). 12. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 尉 (also pronounced as Wei in Mandarin, see Wei 6): (i) borne by the descendants of Yu Zhi (尉止), an official in the state of Zheng during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (ii) shortened form of the compound surname Yu-Chi (尉遲), a surname from the Xianbei ethnic group. 13. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 蔚: (i) from the placename (蔚), the name of a fief (located in present-day Shanxi province) during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD) and the Northern Zhou dynasty (557–81 AD). (ii) possibly another written form of the Chinese surname Yu (尉). 14. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 遇, meaning ‘encounter’ in Chinese: (i) from the placename Yu (遇), the name of a fief (located in present-day Shandong province) said to be granted to descendants of the legendary emperor Huang Di, the ‘Yellow Emperor’ (c.27th century bc). (ii) a surname from the Tangut ethnic group in ancient northwestern China. 15. Chinese: Cantonese form of the surnames 茹 and 汝, see Ru 1 and 2. 16. Chinese: alternative Mandarin form of the surnames 游, 尤, 由 and 有. Also Teochew or Hokkien form of the Chinese surnames 游 and 尤. See You 1–4. 17. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 楊, see Yang 1. 18. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 姚, based on its Cantonese pronunciation, see Yao 1. 19. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 饒, based on its Cantonese pronunciation, see Rao 3. 20. Korean: written 유 and 류, in Chinese characters 柳, meaning ‘willow’, 庾, meaning ‘stack of grain’, 劉, and 兪. Some sources indicate the existence of as many as 230 clans, but only about 20 can be positively documented. Several of the clans are of Chinese origin. (i) The character 柳 is used by the largest Yu clan, the Munhwa Yu, founded by a man named Yu Ch’a Tal (柳車達). Ch’a’s fifth great-grandfather had been involved in an attempt to overthrow the Shilla king. To avoid prosecution, the ancestor fled to Munhwa and changed his surname, first to that of his maternal grandmother, Yang, and then to Yu. Many years later, Yu Ch’a Tal assisted Wang Kŏn to establish the Koryŏ Kingdom. Ch’a was recognized for his support and was rewarded accordingly. Ch’a’s eldest son began again to use the Ch’a surname, but his younger son continued to use Yu. The Munhwa Yu clan, along with the Andong Kwŏn clan, possesses one of the oldest extant clan genealogies in Korea. (ii) The character 庾 is borne by the descendants of Yu Kŏm-p’il (庾 黔弼), a general who fought during the founding of the Koryŏ kingdom in the early 10th century. He was enfeoffed with P’yŏngsan in Hwanghae province. Yu Kŏm-p’il’s fifth-generation descendant established the Musong Yu clan. (iii) The character 劉 is borne by the descendants of Yu Sŭng-bi (劉 承備), whose descendants established the Kangnŭng Yu clan in the 11th century. (iv) The character 兪 is borne by the descendants of Yu Sam-chae (兪 三宰), a Shilla official whose descendants settled in the Kigye area of Kyŏngsang North province. Compare Ryu, Yoo 2, and You 8.Some characteristic forenames: Chinese Hong, Ming, Yong, Young, Ping, Chi, Chun, Jae, Li, Sung, Jin, Yang. Korean Chung, Chang, Byung, Chong, Min, Pyong, Myong, Hyong, Moon, Yiu, Inyoung, Shiu."]
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Yu in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname "Yu" has seen a significant increase in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 874th most common surname, but by 2010, it had risen to the 658th position, marking a 24.71% climb in the ranks. Furthermore, the number of individuals with this surname also grew during this decade, from 36,285 in 2000 to 52,035 in 2010, reflecting a 43.41% increase. This surge resulted in an ascending proportion of Yu's per 100,000 people, which went up by 31.15%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #874 | #658 | 24.71% |
| Count | 36,285 | 52,035 | 43.41% |
| Proportion per 100k | 13.45 | 17.64 | 31.15% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Yu
In regards to ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census showed that the vast majority of individuals with the surname "Yu" identified as Asian or Pacific Islander in both 2000 and 2010, holding steady at about 96%. The proportion of Yu's identifying with two or more races decreased slightly by 4.17%, while those identifying as White remained relatively stable with a slight uptick of 0.69%. Meanwhile, the percentage of Yu's identifying as Hispanic saw a substantial relative increase of 23.21%, although the overall numbers remain quite small. There was also a minor emergence of Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native identifications within the Yu surname group over this period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 96.22% | 96.1% | -0.12% |
| Two or More Races | 1.68% | 1.61% | -4.17% |
| White | 1.45% | 1.46% | 0.69% |
| Hispanic | 0.56% | 0.69% | 23.21% |
| Black | 0% | 0.12% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0.02% | 0% |
Yu 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 Yu is Chinese, which comprises 77.3% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Korean (9.9%) and Chinese Dai (2.6%). Additional ancestries include Filipino & Austronesian, British & Irish, Manchurian & Mongolian, Vietnamese, and French & German.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 77.3% |
| Korean | 9.9% |
| Chinese Dai | 2.6% |
| Other | 10.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Yu
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 Yu have recent ancestry locations in China and Taiwan.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Guangdong, China | 42.80% |
| Fujian, China | 42.00% |
| Zhejiang, China | 42.00% |
| Jiangsu, China | 41.90% |
| Shanghai, China | 41.80% |
What Yu 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 Yu is N-L665, which is predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Haplogroup N-L665 is descended from haplogroup N-M231. Other common haplogroups include O-F8 and O-F46, which are predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American and East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Chang, Wu, Chen, Cheng, Wang, Zhang, Zhou, Li, Yang, Tan.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Yu surname are: F1a1, F2, M7b. These most commonly trace back to individuals of East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins N-M231
Your paternal lineage may be linked to the people of the lower Xiajiadian culture
Remains from three humans found at a site called Dadianzi in the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region of China, belonged to haplogroup N-M231. The Dadianzi site was dated to 3,600 years old, and it also contained pottery, bronze artifacts, and burial rituals. The artifacts are from a period called the Lower Xiajiadian culture, which was a main branch of the bronze culture of northern China 4,500-3,500 years ago, primarily practiced in the West Liao-River valley. This wealthy civilization had highly developed agriculture, unique painted pottery, and other elaborate artifacts. The human remains found at Dadianzi indicate that haplogroup N-M231 made up a large proportion of the Lower Xiajiadian culture population, perhaps as far back as 12,000 years ago in northern China.
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 Yu 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.
"Yu" Surname 31.6%
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.
"Yu" Surname 23.5%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Yu" Surname 17.3%
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.
"Yu" Surname 5.8%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Yu?
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 Yu are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition