Wèi () is a Chinese surname. It means ‘defend, guard’ and is written Wai in Cantonese. The character 衞 is traditionally preferred although 衛 is now more prevalent, with 卫 being the simplified form in Mainland China. In 2013 it was found to be the 214th most common surname, shared by 480,000 people or 0.036% of the population, with the province with the most being

Shanxi Shanxi; Chinese postal romanization, formerly romanised as Shansi is a Provinces of China, province in North China. Its capital and largest city of the province is Taiyuan, while its next most populated prefecture-level cities are Changzhi a ...

Origins

* from Wei (衛), also known as "

Wey Wey or WEY may refer to: Places *Wey (state) (衞), or Wei, ancient Chinese state during the Zhou Dynasty *River Wey, river in Surrey, Hampshire and West Sussex, England *River Wey (Dorset), river of Dorset, south west England *Wey and Arun Canal, ...

" (to distinguish it from Wei 魏) the name of a state in modern-day Henan province granted to Wei Kang Shu (), the 9th son of

King Wen of Zhou King Wen of Zhou ( zh, c=周文王, p=Zhōu Wén Wáng; 1152–1050 BC, the Cultured King) was the posthumous title given to Ji Chang ( zh, c=姬昌), the patriarch of the Zhou state during the final years of Shang dynasty in ancient China. J ...

. After Wei was annexed by the Qin during the

Spring and Autumn period The Spring and Autumn period () was a period in History of China, Chinese history corresponding roughly to the first half of the Eastern Zhou (256 BCE), characterized by the gradual erosion of royal power as local lords nominally subject t ...

, Wei was adopted as the surname by the state's former subjects.The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland * associated with the Wei (衛) family from the

Xianbei The Xianbei (; ) were an ancient nomadic people that once resided in the eastern Eurasian steppes in what is today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Northeastern China. The Xianbei were likely not of a single ethnicity, but rather a multiling ...

ethnic group During the

Zhou dynasty The Zhou dynasty ( ) was a royal dynasty of China that existed for 789 years from until 256 BC, the longest span of any dynasty in Chinese history. During the Western Zhou period (771 BC), the royal house, surnamed Ji, had military ...

(衛) ruler Wei Yang (衛鞅)'s family name was

Gongsun Gongsun () is one of the few Chinese compound surnames. Famous people with this surname include: * Gongsun Xuanyuan, reputed name of the Yellow Emperor; other sources say his surname was Jī (surname), Ji * Gongsun Shu, emperor of Chengjia * Sha ...

(公孫), not Wéi family (衛). During the

Han dynasty The Han dynasty was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC9 AD, 25–220 AD) established by Liu Bang and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–206 BC ...

, Wei Man (衛滿) was baron of

Yan (state) Yan (; Old Chinese pronunciation: ''*'') was an ancient Chinese state during the Zhou dynasty. Its capital was Jicheng (Beijing), Ji (later known as Yanjing and now Beijing). During the Warring States period, the court was also moved to anothe ...

. During the

Northern Wei Wei (), known in historiography as the Northern Wei ( zh, c=北魏, p=Běi Wèi), Tuoba Wei ( zh, c=拓跋魏, p=Tuòbá Wèi), Yuan Wei ( zh, c=元魏, p=Yuán Wèi) and Later Wei ( zh, t=後魏, p=Hòu Wèi), was an Dynasties of China, impe ...

(北魏), Xiaowen family got the surname Wei with state name. It is 12th on the ''

Hundred Family Surnames The ''Hundred Family Surnames'' (), commonly known as ''Bai Jia Xing'', also translated as ''Hundreds of Chinese Surnames'', is a classic Chinese language , Chinese text composed of common Chinese surnames. An unknown author compiled the book ...

'' poem.

Notable people

Wei Zifu Wei Zifu (; died 9 September 91 BC), posthumous name, posthumously known as Empress Si of the filial piety, Filial Wu () or Wei Si Hou (衛思后, "Wei the Thoughtful Empress"), was an empress consort during ancient China's Han dynasty. She was ...

(simplified Chinese: 卫子夫; traditional Chinese: 衛子夫; pinyin: Weì Zǐfū; Wade–Giles: Wei Tzu-fu; died 91 BC), posthumously known as Empress Xiaowu *

Wei Qing Wei Qing (died Jun 106 BC?In Emperor Wu's biography in ''Book of Han'' and volume 21 of ''Zizhi Tongjian'', the record of Wei Qing's death appeared after the 4th month of the 5th year of the ''Yuan'feng'' era. Thus, it is likely (but not certai ...

(衛青), general of the Western Han dynasty, brother of Wei Zifu *

Wei Shuo Wei Shuo (, 272–349 CE), courtesy name Mouyi (茂猗), sobriquet He'nan (和南), commonly addressed just as Lady Wei (衛夫人), who lived during the Eastern Jin, was one of the most famous of all Chinese calligraphers in history. She was a ...

(衛鑠;272–349), courtesy name Mouyi (茂猗), sobriquet He'nan (和南), commonly addressed *

Wei Lihuang Wei Lihuang () (16 February 1897 – 17 January 1960) was a Chinese general who served the Nationalist government throughout the Chinese Civil War and Second Sino-Japanese War as one of China's most successful military commanders. First joining ...

(traditional Chinese: 衛立煌; simplified Chinese: 卫立煌; pinyin: Wèi Lìhuáng) (16 February 1897 – 17 January 1960) was a Chinese general who served *Zhang Wei (張衛), younger brother of the Eastern Han dynasty warlord Zhang Lu *

Wei Guan Wei Guan (220 – 25 July 291), courtesy name Boyu, was a Chinese military general and politician of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He served under the Jin dynasty after the end of the Three Kingdoms period. E ...

period. Wei Guan was from Anyi County (安邑縣), Hedong Commandery (河東郡), which is located west of present-day Xia County, Shanxi. His father Wei Ji (衛覬) was * Wei Pu (Chinese: 衛朴; Wade–Giles: Wei P'u) was a Chinese astronomer and politician of the Song dynasty (960–1279 AD). He was born a commoner, but eventually * Wei Rugui (Chinese: 衛汝貴; Wade–Giles: Wei Ju-kui; 1836 – 16 January 1895) was a Han Chinese general of the late Qing dynasty who fought in the First Sino-Japanese * Wei Chunhua (衛春華), a fictional character in ''The Book and the Sword'' *

Jill Vidal Jill Vidal () often referred to as Wei Si or simply as Jill, is a Hong Kong–based urban pop singer and actress. She is of Filipino, Korean, and Chinese ethnicity. Her twin sister, Janice Vidal, is also a singer in Hong Kong. Career Music ...

(Chinese: 衛詩) often referred to as Wei Si or simply as Jill, is a Hong Kong-based female urban pop singer. Vidal is of Korean and Filipino ethnicity *Wei Wang, Prince of Wei (衛王) from 621 to 628 and Prince of Wei (魏王) from 636 to 643 Wu Chengsi (died 698), Wu Zetian's nephew, known as Prince of Wei (魏王) after *

Wei Zhouzuo Wei Zhouzuo () (1612–1675), courtesy name Wenxi (), art name Wenshi (), was an official who served in the late Ming dynasty and early Qing dynasty. He was a native of Chengnei (城內). He took the imperial examination and obtained a ''jinshi'' ...

(simplified Chinese: 卫周祚; traditional Chinese: 衛周祚; pinyin: Wèi Zhōuzuò) (1612–1675), courtesy name Wenxi (simplified Chinese: 文锡; traditional *

King Wei of Qi King Wei of Qi (), personal name Tian Yinqi (田因齊), was a ruler of the Qi (state), Qi state, reigning from 356 BC to 320 BC, or according to another source from 378 BC to 343 BC. He was the first ruler of Qi to style himself "king". Life ...

, Duke Huan of Tian Qi from 374 to 357 BC Queens: Queen Wei (威後) Concubines: Wey Ji, of the Ji clan of Wey (衛姬姬姓), the mother of Prince Jiaoshi Yu Ji, of the *

Wei Yuanzhong Wei Yuanzhong (魏元忠) (630s - late 707?), né Wei Zhenzai (魏真宰), formally Duke Zhen of Qi (齊貞公), was an official of the Chinese Tang dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou dynasty, serving as chancellor during the reigns of Wu Zetian and h ...

to the throne, and he immediately recalled Wei Yuanzhong and made him the minister of military supplies (衛尉卿, Weiwei Qing) and chancellor with the Tong *

Wiman of Gojoseon Wi Man (in Korean) or Wei Man (in Chinese) was a Chinese military general and monarch. He was originally a military leader of the Chinese Kingdom of Yan. * :"The term was used again by a refugee from the Han dynasty named Wiman, who about 2 ...

Wi Man (in Korean) or Wei Man (in Chinese) was originally a Chinese military leader from the Han dynasty Kingdom of Yan. When king Lu Wan of Yan was defeated * Wei Xinghua (Chinese: 卫兴华; October 1925 – 6 December 2019) was a Chinese economist and educator. He specialized in the study of capital and contributed *

Wei Jin Wei Jin (born October 1959) is a general in the People's Liberation Army of China. He holds the rank of major general in the PLA. He began his political career in January 1977, and joined the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in September 1978. As ...

(born October 1959) is a general in the People's Liberation Army of China. He holds the rank of major general in the PLA. He began his political * François Noël (missionary) known by its anglicization as Francis Noel. He was known to the Chinese as Wei Fangji. François Noël was a Fleming born on 18 August 1651 in Hestrud, Hainault *

Ugeo of Gojoseon Ugeo (, died 108 BC) was the last king of Wiman Joseon, the last remnant of Gojoseon. He was a grandson of Wi Man. Ugeo was killed by an assassin sent by a faction advocating surrender. Even after the death of Ugeo, Gojoseon resisted the Ha ...

(Korean: 위우거; Hanja: 衛右渠, died 108 BC) was the last king of Wiman Joseon, the last remnant of Gojoseon. He was a grandson of Wi Man. Ugeo was killed *

(衛爍), calligrapher

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wei (surname Wey) Individual Chinese surnames