Xu surname meaning
A Chinese surname (徐, Xú) traditionally linked to the ancient state of Xu; the character glosses as “slowly,” with many regional romanizations such as Hsu and Tsui.
Confidence: Likely. The main story is well supported; some details of the deeper root are less certain.
The short story
Xu is most often the Pinyin spelling of the Chinese surname 徐 (Xú). Traditional histories connect it with the ancient state of Xu, whose royal descendants are said to have taken the country’s name after the state fell. The character itself is glossed “slowly” or “gradually,” but that dictionary sense is not the same as a European nickname story. Hsu, Tsui, Choi, and Korean Seo can represent the same or related characters in other romanization systems, and Mandarin Xu can also write unrelated surnames such as 許. The catalog uses place with likely confidence for the state-name tradition while noting the competing characters.
Also seen as: Xu, Hsu, Tsui, Seo
- Ancestry surname meaning for Xu (Chinese 徐 and related characters)
- Wikipedia 'Xu (surname 徐)' (state of Xu origin; romanizations)
- Names2020_LastNames_RaceHispanic_Top1000.xlsx (2020 Census)