Surname Xiang - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'X'
Xiang: What does the surname Xiang mean?
The last name Xiang (向) is an ancient Chinese hereditary surname shared by over twenty million people in China today. It was among the top three hundred surnames in the Chinese population census of 1990.
Xiang originates from the ancient state of Xian, which was located in the central part of China. Its literal meaning is “to advance” or “look towards.” This implies that the ancestors of the Xiang family were incredibly dynamic and had a strong longing for progress. The ancient character for Xiang is four wings representing ambition and progress.
The Xiang family is also believed to have been associated with political positions in ancient China, tracing back to the Shang Dynasty. It is speculated that the Xiang surname was initially awarded to those with political influence.
Later, members of the Xiang family engaged in war and military affairs during the Qin and Han Dynasties. During the Tang Dynasty, the Xiang surname was bestowed upon many respected scholars and officials.
Today, Xiang has become a well-known surname in China. Many Xiangs have achieved success in areas of government, business, and the arts. Famous people with the surname Xiang include the Chinese Olympic swimmer, Xu Xiang; the actor Alan Tam; and the cybersecurity expert and entrepreneur, Parham Eftekhari.
The Scandinavian counterpart of Xiang is Hagen, in the United States it is Fox, and in the United Kingdom it is Shaw. Overall, the Xiang surname conveys a sense of ambition, progress, and success.
Order DNA origin analysisXiang: Where does the name Xiang come from?
The last name Xiang is most common in China and South East Asia. In China, it is the 508th most common surname, with its distribution mainly concentrated in the coastal provinces (Shandong, Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangdong). In South East Asia, Xiang is well-represented in Indonesia, where it is the 412th most popular last name. It is also found in Vietnam (as Thương or Tường), and in Singapore, where it is amongst the top 500 most common surnames.
Xiang is also present in North America, where large numbers of people bearing this name trace their origins back to Chinese settlers who arrived in the 19th century. In the United States, it is the 370th most common surname. In Canada, the name is more uncommon, but still fairly well represented, appearing as the 1713th most common name in 2018.
Outside of Asia and North America, Xiang is not as commonly found. The name is present in some numbers in Australia, where it was the 2397th most common surname in 2016. It is also found in places where Chinese people have settled in relatively small numbers, such as Mexico, South Africa, and countries in Europe and South America.
Variations of the surname Xiang
The surname Xiang is found throughout China, and it is also found in many variants. The variants of Xiang include Xiáng, 向, 项, 象, 香, 湘, 翔, 祥, 翊, 郗, 相, and 橡.
The majority of these various spellings were developed through the nature of the various local Chinese dialects. The dialect of the Cantonese language, for example, produced both the spellings of Xiáng (項) and Hiang (香). It is believed that the most widely used spellings of Xiang rose to dominance through the migration of Xiang Chinese people throughout China.
Of the Xiang surnames, the most common of these spellings begain with 'x'. Xing (邢) is perhaps the most common spelling, and falls into the category of XIǍNG (项) spellings. Hu (胡) is another common spelling which suggests origins in the Yangzi River area.
The various Xiang spellings have been passed down from generation to generation, and have often been adapted to fit the various dialects of the local area over time.
One of the most prominent Xiang families is known as the ‘Fujian Xiang’ or the ‘Minnan Xiang’ (闽南向). This particular family has also adopted the following spellings which include: Xiuang (秀向 or 秀项), Heang (和向), Hu (胡向), Siou (萧向), and Siow (萧项).
In present day, some of the more popular spellings include Hu (胡), Xing (邢), Siou (萧), Hiang (香), and Xiang (项). Ultimately, the various spellings of the Xiang surname reflect the diversity of Chinese dialects while also tracing the migration of the Xiang family through the centuries.
Famous people with the name Xiang
- Fann Wong, Singaporean actress
- Jane Zhang, Chinese singer and songwriter
- Pang Yuhao, Chinese artistic gymnast
- Guo Xiang, Chinese philosopher and scholar
- Li Xiang, Chinese artist and painter
- Wu Xiang, Chinese scholar and calligrapher
- Chao Yixiang, Chinese diplomat
- Zhang Dezhi, Chinese martial arts master
- Liu Xiang, Olympic gold medalist in Chinese track and field
- Xiang Zuorong, Chinese poet