Zhao
A major Chinese surname, best known as one of the oldest and most common family names in China.
The #1,613 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 13,844 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Zhao is a Chinese surname written 赵 in simplified Chinese and 趙 in traditional Chinese. It is usually understood as a family name of ancient Chinese origin, associated with the state of Zhao in early Chinese history and later adopted as a hereditary surname. In Chinese naming tradition, the surname comes first, so Zhao is the family name rather than a given name.
History
The surname Zhao is traditionally counted among the oldest and most prestigious Chinese surnames. It became especially prominent through the historical state of Zhao and later through imperial and scholarly lineages. In modern times it remains one of the best-known surnames in China and among Chinese diaspora communities, and it is often romanized as Zhao under Hanyu Pinyin.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Zhao is traditionally listed first in the classic Chinese text known as the Hundred Family Surnames (Baijiaxing).