Surname · Chinese origin
Xu
Meaning
The surname Xu means To allow (許).
Origin
Chinese
Type
clan name
U.S. rank (2010)
#2,701
U.S. bearers (2010)
12,228
How common is it?
Xu ranks #2,701 among U.S. surnames (2010 U.S. Census), recorded for about 12,228 people.
The origin of the surname Xu
Xu is the character 許, “to allow, to promise.”
How Chinese surnames work
Chinese surnames — the “family name” — come first, before the given name, and a relatively small set of names is shared by enormous numbers of people (Wang, Li and Zhang are among the most common surnames on earth). Each is written with a single Chinese character carrying its own meaning, and many trace back thousands of years to ancient clans, states, noble titles or places. The character is the surname, so its meaning is fixed by the specific hanzi.
Variants & spellings
- Hsu
Frequently asked questions
What does the surname Xu mean?
The surname Xu means To allow (許). Xu is the character 許, “to allow, to promise.”
Where does the surname Xu come from?
Xu is a surname of Chinese origin.
What kind of surname is Xu?
Xu is a clan name surname.
How common is the surname Xu in the United States?
Xu ranks #2,701 among U.S. surnames (2010 U.S. Census), recorded for about 12,228 people.