Shao
A Chinese surname most commonly romanized from several different characters, so it can have more than one original meaning.
The #8,765 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 82,530 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Shao is a romanized Chinese surname, but in English it can represent more than one Chinese family name written with different characters. Depending on the character, it may have originated as a place name, a clan name, or an old hereditary surname with its own distinct meaning. Because the same spelling is used for multiple lineages, the literal root meaning cannot be given as a single certainty.
History
In modern usage, Shao is most often encountered as the pinyin spelling of Chinese surnames, especially after the adoption of standard Mandarin romanization. Earlier or alternate romanizations may appear in older records and among overseas Chinese communities. In the United States, the name is relatively uncommon and usually reflects immigration from Chinese-speaking regions.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because romanized Chinese surnames often collapse several characters into one spelling, two people named Shao may not share the same ancestral surname in Chinese script.