Explore the Family Name Zhi

The meaning of Zhi

Chinese: 1. Mandarin form of the surname 植, meaning ‘plant’ in Chinese: (i) borne by members of the royal family of the state of Yue during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (ii) borne by immigrants from ancient India. 2. Mandarin form of the surname 支, meaning ‘pop up’ or ‘branch’ in Chinese: (i) said to be borne by descendants of Zhi Fu (支父), an official during the reign of the legendary Emperor Yao (c.24th century bc) and Emperor Shun (c.23rd century bc). (ii) said to be borne by descendants of the royal family of the Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC) and the Eastern Zhou dynasty (770–256 BC). (iii) adopted as a surname by immigrants from the ancient state Yue Zhi, located in present-day Central Asia. 3. Mandarin form of the surname 智, meaning ‘intelligence’ in Chinese: from the placename Zhi (智, also written as 知), the name of a fief granted to Xun Shou, an official in the state of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). 4. Mandarin form of the surname 郅: (i) from Zhi (郅), the name of an ancient state (located in present-day Gansu province) during the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC). (ii) derived from another surname 姞, an ancient surname said to be traced back to the descendants of the legendary Huang Di, the ‘Yellow Emperor’ (c.27th century bc).

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.