LI
Li is a surname of Chinese origin and is one of the most common surnames in China. It is derived from the character 李, which means “plum” and has been associated with qualities such as beauty, purity and resilience. The surname has a long history and is often associated with individuals who are intelligent, ambitious and have a strong sense of responsibility.
Although the character 李 is the most prevalent form of Li in China, the romanisation “Li” may also represent other Chinese characters such as 黎, meaning “black” or “dark”, and 理, meaning “reason” or “logic”. Each of these variants carries its own specific origins and meanings, yet all are united by the common practice of identifying lineage through a family name.
Historical records trace the surname back to the Zhou Dynasty, over three thousand years ago. It is said to have first been adopted as a surname by the descendants of Zhuanxu, one of China’s legendary emperors. Over the centuries the name spread across the country, and many noble families adopted it. Today the surname remains widespread, with roughly seven point nine million bearers, which accounts for about seven point nine per cent of China’s population, making it the second most common surname in the country.
Besides China, concentrations of people with the surname Li can be found in Taiwan, Singapore and other regions with significant Chinese diaspora communities. The name is also common among overseas Chinese populations in the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada, where it is often rendered as “Lee”. In addition, the surname appears in Korea (written 리 or 이) and Vietnam (written Lý or Lí), reflecting its spread beyond Chinese borders.
There are several Romanised variants of the surname, including Lee, Lei, Ly, Lai and La. The spelling “Lee” is an Anglicisation of the Chinese 李 and is the most common form found among Chinese immigrants in western countries. Other spellings such as Lei or Ly may also be used, but they are less common. Still, all these forms share a common ancestry and are recognisable as variations of the original Chinese surname.
Typical given names associated with the Li surname
Male
- Chi
- Chun
- Jing
- Kwok
- Man
- Michael
- Ming
- Simon
- Wai
- Wei
- Yan
- Yang
Female
- Jing
- Jun
- Kam
- Kim
- Lai
- Lin
- Linda
- Mei
- Susan
- Wing
- Yan
- Ying
- Yuk
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Li in...
Braille
⠇⠊
Morse
.-....
Semaphore
There are approximately 11,967 people named Li in the UK. That makes it the 763rd most common surname in Britain. Around 184 in a million people in Britain are named Li.
Region of origin: Asia
Famous people named Li
- Yishan Li - Writer, artist
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.