Yang
The origin of the surname Yang
Yang is the character 楊, the poplar or willow tree.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What does the surname Yang mean?
The surname Yang means Poplar tree (楊). Yang is the character 楊, the poplar or willow tree.
Where does the surname Yang come from?
Yang is a surname of Chinese origin.
What kind of surname is Yang?
Yang is a clan name surname.
How common is the surname Yang in the United States?
Yang is the 397th most common surname in the United States (2010 U.S. Census), recorded for about 72,627 people.