Zhang surname meaning

Zhang is a Chinese surname written 张 in simplified Chinese and 張 in traditional form. The character can mean “to stretch” or “to draw a bow,” and one traditional origin story connects the surname with a descendant of Hui, associated with archery. Other historical lineages and romanizations also exist, so a single English gloss would overpromise. In American records Zhang may appear alongside Chang, Cheung, or Chong, depending on dialect and transcription. This catalog uses nickname as the closest broad type for the character-based descriptive tradition, but marks the meaning disputed: the surname covers multiple origins rather than one proven family story.