何HeSurname
Hé
He (何) originally meant 'carry' or 'what' but evolved to symbolize harmony and peace. It represents balance, inquiry, and adaptability, often associated with philosophical and diplomatic qualities.
Hé
Mainland China · Taiwan
Ho
Guangdong · Hong Kong
Ho
Fujian · Taiwan · SE Asia
Ho
Meizhou · Taiwan · SE Asia
Population Ranking
#18
Estimated Over 3 million people
Position among top 100 Chinese surnames
Geographic Distribution
Sichuan, Hebei, Jiangsu
Five Element Analysis
Water
wisdom, flexibility, and adaptability
Origin & Evolution
From Chu State royalty to global diaspora — a 3,000-year journey
Zhou Dynasty
周朝·c. 1046 – 256 BC
Traced to the Jiang and Ji surname lineages; one branch served as hereditary diviners (the original meaning of 何, 'what/how'). The Lujiang commandery in Anhui later became the surname's ancestral seat.
Han Dynasty
汉朝·206 BC – 220 CE
After Han Xin (韩信) was executed, descendants reportedly altered the surname to 何 to escape persecution. The Han-era He Miao (何苗) clan rose at court, consolidating the surname's identity.
Tang & Song
唐宋·618 – 1279
Sogdian merchants from Kusha (何国) settling in China took He (何) as their sinicized surname, and the He clan spread through Sichuan, Guangdong, and Hunan during southward migrations.
Ming & Qing
明清·1368 – 1912
He became one of the leading surnames in Sichuan and Guangdong, with prominent branches in the imperial exam system, regional commerce, and overseas migration to Southeast Asia.
Modern Era
现代·1912 – Today
He ranks around #17 in China with over 15 million people, concentrated in Sichuan, Guangdong, and Hunan, and is a common surname among the Hui Muslim minority and overseas Chinese.
Commandery
Lujiang Commandery (庐江郡) — Modern-day Lujiang area, Anhui Province
Hall Title
庐江堂 (Lujiang Hall)
The principal hall name 'Lujiang Hall' (庐江堂) refers to the ancient Lujiang commandery in modern Anhui, the He clan's recognized ancestral seat.
Ancestral Hall

He Clan Ancestral Hall in Lujiang, Anhui — The traditional ancestral seat, preserving over 1,000 years of clan history and genealogical records.
Clan Motto & Family Tradition
庐江世泽,学海家声 — The Lujiang heritage; the ocean-of-learning family reputation.
Tone Compatibility
He (Hé) is a 2nd tone (rising) surname. In Chinese naming, balanced tonal patterns create harmonious-sounding names.
Recommended Patterns
peaceful and secure
vast and auspicious
ambition that soars
Patterns to Avoid
Each digit is a tone (1=level, 2=rising, 3=dipping, 4=falling). The first is the surname tone; the next two are the given name's tones.
Example Names with He
Your He Family Legend
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