Liu (柳)

Liǔ
Language(s)	Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese
Origin
Language(s)	Old Chinese
Derivation	Emperor Yi of Chu
Other names
See also	Ryu Liu Yoo (Korean name)

Liu (Chinese: 柳; pinyin: Liǔ) is an East Asian surname of Chinese origin found in China, Korea, Vietnam and Japan.

During ancient times, the Liu family (Emperor Yi of Chu) emigrated to Korea and the citizens of Silla gave them the surname Liu. The Korean name Liu can be spelled in English as Ryu or Yoo.

In ancient times, Yao people by the name of Liu emigrated from Guangdong, Guangxi to Vietnam, and the spelling changed in English to Lieu.

The character 柳 is also used as a surname in Japan and pronounced Yanagi. In the modern age, some Japanese people have migrated throughout East Asia and adopted the surname Liu, Yoo or Lieu.

Origin

• The Posterity of Emperor Yi of Chu adopted the surname Liu, bearing the regional name of Liu Country in Changde, Hunan, China
• Zhan Huo give the posthumous name 柳下惠, thus believed his posterity would receive surname Liu
• The ancient Miao people used the surname Liu
• The ancient Yao people used the surname Liu
• During the Ming Dynasty, the Yang family used the name Liu

Notable people with this name

• Liu Gongquan, a poet and calligrapher
• Liu Zongyuan, a poet during the Tang Dynasty
• Liu Yizheng, a modern historian
• Liu Chuanzhi, Chinese businessman, founder of Lenovo

References