Gao () is an

East Asia East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The modern states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. China, North Korea, South Korea and ...

n surname of Chinese origin that can be literally translated as "high" or "tall". There are approximately 16 million living people with this surname. Some places, such as

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...

, usually romanise this family name into "Kao". In

Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...

, it is romanized to "Ko". In

Macau Macau or Macao (; ; ; ), officially the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (MSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China in the western Pearl River Delta by the South China Sea. With a pop ...

, it is romanized to "Kou". In English, it is romanized to "Kauh". In 2019 it was the 19th most common surname in Mainland China. The

Korean surname A Korean name (Hangul: ; Hanja: ) consists of a family name followed by a given name, as used by the Korean people in both South Korea and North Korea. In the Korean language, ''ireum'' or ''seongmyeong'' usually refers to the family name (''seon ...

, " Ko" or "Koh", is derived from and written with the same Chinese character (高).

Romanisation and pronunciation

Origin

According to ''

Lüshi Chunqiu The ''Lüshi Chunqiu'', also known in English as ''Master Lü's Spring and Autumn Annals'', is an encyclopedic Chinese classic text compiled around 239 BC under the patronage of the Qin Dynasty Chancellor Lü Buwei. In the evaluation of Michae ...

'', the earliest figure with the Gao surname was Gao Yuan (高元) who created dwellings in antiquity.

Zhuanxu Zhuanxu (Chinese: trad. , simp. , pinyin ''Zhuānxū''), also known as Gaoyang ( t , s , p ''Gāoyáng''), was a mythological emperor of ancient China. In the traditional account recorded by Sima Qian, Zhu ...

, the grandson of the Yellow Emperor, was also known as Gao Yang (高陽). Another origin of Gao is the Jiang (姜) surname. According to the

Song dynasty The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the rest ...

encyclopedia '' Tongzhi'', an early ancestor was Gao Xi (高傒) who was granted the surname Gao in honour of his grandfather Prince Gao (公子高). Prince Gao was the son of Duke Wen of the

state of Qi Qi, or Ch'i in Wade–Giles romanization, was a state of the Zhou dynasty-era in ancient China, variously reckoned as a march, duchy, and independent kingdom. Its capital was Linzi, located in present-day Shandong. Qi was founded shortly ...

whose ancestral name was Jiang (姜). Many non-Han Chinese used the surname Gao: * The

Xianbei The Xianbei (; ) were a Proto-Mongolic ancient nomadic people that once resided in the eastern Eurasian steppes in what is today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Northeastern China. They originated from the Donghu people who splintered into the ...

clan of Lou (楼) of the

Northern Wei Wei (), known in historiography as the Northern Wei (), Tuoba Wei (), Yuan Wei () and Later Wei (), was founded by the Tuoba (Tabgach) clan of the Xianbei. The first of the Northern and Southern dynasties#Northern dynasties, Northern dynasties ...

period later changed their surname to Gao. The Yuan (元) family also adopted this surname in this period * Xú (徐) family of the

Northern Qi Qi, known as the Northern Qi (), Later Qi (後齊) or Gao Qi (高齊) in historiography, was a Chinese imperial dynasty and one of the Northern dynasties during the Northern and Southern dynasties era. It ruled the eastern part of northern China ...

period * Baipu (百濮) people of

Yunnan Yunnan , () is a landlocked Provinces of China, province in Southwest China, the southwest of the People's Republic of China. The province spans approximately and has a population of 48.3 million (as of 2018). The capital of the province is ...

(雲南) *According to ''

Samguk Sagi ''Samguk Sagi'' (, ''History of the Three Kingdoms'') is a historical record of the Three Kingdoms of Korea: Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla. The ''Samguk Sagi'' is written in Classical Chinese, the written language of the literati of ancient Korea, ...

'', the king of Goguryeo regarded himself as a descendant of Chinese heroes because he called his surname "Go" (

Hanja Hanja (Hangul: ; Hanja: , ), alternatively known as Hancha, are Chinese characters () used in the writing of Korean. Hanja was used as early as the Gojoseon period, the first ever Korean kingdom. (, ) refers to Sino-Korean vocabulary, wh ...

: 高) as he was the descendant of Gao Yang (

: 高陽) who was a grandchild of the

Yellow Emperor The Yellow Emperor, also known as the Yellow Thearch or by his Chinese name Huangdi (), is a deity ('' shen'') in Chinese religion, one of the legendary Chinese sovereigns and culture heroes included among the mytho-historical Three Soverei ...

and

Gaoxin Kù (, variant graph ), usually referred to as Dì Kù (), also known as Gaoxin or Gāoxīn Shì () or Qūn (), was a descendant of the Yellow Emperor. He went by the name Gaoxin until receiving imperial authority, when he took the name Ku and th ...

(

: 高辛) who was a great-grandchild of

. However, this is discredited as a mythology by

Kim Busik Kim Bu-sik, or Gim Busik (; 1075–1151) was a statesman, general, Confucian scholar and writer during Korea's Goryeo period. He was a scion of the Silla royalty and a member of the Gyeongju Kim clan. Later he was the supreme chancellor from 1136 ...

, who mentioned that the surname Ko in Korea is from

Buyeo Buyeo or Puyŏ (Korean: 부여; Korean pronunciation: u.jʌ or 扶餘 ''Fúyú''), also rendered as Fuyu, was an ancient kingdom that was centered in northern Manchuria in modern-day northeast China. It is sometimes considered a Korean ki ...

origin.

Notable people

Historical

* Gao Yang Founding Emperor of

* Gao Yin Second emperor of Northern Qi * Gao Yan Third emperor of Northern Qi * Gao Zhan Fourth emperor of Northern Qi *

Gao Wei Gao Wei (高緯) (29 May 556 – November 577According to volume 10 of ''History of the Northern Dynasties'', Gao Wei was killed in the 10th month of the 6th year of the ''Jiande'' era of Yuwen Yong's reign. This corresponds to 28 Oct to 25 Nov ...

Fifth emperor of Northern Qi *

Gao Heng Gao Heng (; 570–577), often known in history as the Youzhu of Northern Qi (, meaning 'child ruler'), was briefly an emperor of the Chinese Northern Qi dynasty. In 577, Northern Qi was under a major attack by rival Northern Zhou. Gao Heng's fa ...

Sixth emperor of Northern Qi *

Gao Yun (Northern Yan) Gao Yun (高雲) (died 409), at one time Murong Yun (慕容雲), courtesy name Ziyu (子雨), formally Emperor Huiyi of (Later)/(Northern) Yan ((後)/(北)燕惠懿帝), was an emperor who, depending on the historian's characterization, was either ...

, Founding emperor of the Northern Yan Dynasty *

Gao Cheng Gao Cheng (; 521–549), courtesy name Zihui (子惠), formally Prince Wenxiang of Bohai (勃海文襄王), later further posthumously honored by Northern Qi as Emperor Wenxiang (文襄皇帝) with the temple name Shizong (世宗), was the paramou ...

paramount official of the Chinese/Xianbei state Eastern Wei * Gao Anagong official of the Northern Qi *

Gao Huan Gao Huan () (496 – 13 February 547), Xianbei name Heliuhun (賀六渾), formally Prince Xianwu of Qi (齊獻武王), later further formally honored by Northern Qi initially as Emperor Xianwu (獻武皇帝), then as Emperor Shenwu (神武皇帝 ...

paramount general of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei and Northern Wei's branch successor state Eastern Wei. * Gao Shaoyi imperial prince of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi *

Gao Yanzong Gao Yanzong (高延宗) (died 577), often known by his princely title of Prince of Ande (安德王), was an imperial prince of the Chinese Northern Qi dynasty. who briefly claimed imperial title in 577 for three days as his cousin, the emperor Ga ...

imperial prince of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi *

Gao Shilian Gao Jian (576 – February 14, 647), courtesy name Shilian, better known as Gao Shilian, formally Duke Wenxian of Shen (申文獻公), was a Chinese politician of the Tang dynasty. He was the uncle of Empress Zhangsun, Emperor Taizong's wife, an ...

, chancellor during the

Tang Dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an Zhou dynasty (690–705), interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dyn ...

Gao Shun Gao Shun () (died 7 February 199) was a military officer serving the warlord Lü Bu during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. Although he only had 700 men under his command, his unit was nicknamed as the "camp crusher (or formation breaker ...

, Military General under Warlord

Lü Bu Lü Bu () (died 7 February 199), courtesy name Fengxian, was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of Imperial China. Originally a subordinate of a minor warlord Ding Yuan, he betray ...

during the late Han Dynasty *

Gao Jiong Gāo Jiǒng () (died August 27, 607), courtesy name Zhaoxuan (昭玄), alternative name Min (敏))) known during the Northern Zhou period by the Xianbei name Dugu Jiong (独孤颎/獨孤熲), was a Chinese military general and politician of the C ...

, official during the

Sui Dynasty The Sui dynasty (, ) was a short-lived imperial dynasty of China that lasted from 581 to 618. The Sui unified the Northern and Southern dynasties, thus ending the long period of division following the fall of the Western Jin dynasty, and layi ...

Gao Yun (Northern Wei) Gao Yun (; 390–487), courtesy name Bogong (伯恭), formally Duke Wen of Xianyang (咸陽文公), was an official during the reigns of five emperors of the Xianbei-led Northern Wei, Northern Wei dynasty of China. During Emperor Taiwu of Northern ...

, official during the Northern Wei Dynasty *

Gao Xianzhi Gao Xianzhi, or Go Seonji, (died January 24, 756) was a Tang dynasty general of Goguryeo descent. He was known as a great commander during his lifetime. He is most well known for taking part in multiple military expeditions to conquer the Western R ...

, general during the

of Korean descent *

Gao Qiong Gao Qiong (高琼, 935 - December 26, 1006), born in Bozhou Mengcheng (now Anhui Mengcheng County). Northern Song Dynasty general. Zhong-Wu military governor. Gao conducted many military exploits. Experience Gao Qiong's ancestry was living in Ya ...

, general during the

Northern Song Dynasty Northern may refer to the following: Geography * North, a point in direction * Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe * Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States * Northern Province, Sri Lanka * Northern Range, a ra ...

* Gao, guitarist

Modern

Alice Longyu Gao Alice Longyu Gao is a Chinese people, Chinese singer, songwriter, disc jockey, DJ, and Performance Artist, performance artist currently based in New York City and Los Angeles. Their music has been noted for its "bold hyperpop" production. Their mu ...

, Chinese musician *

Gao Chengyong Gao Chengyong (; 10 November 1964 – 3 January 2019) was a Chinese serial killer and rapist. He mutilated the corpses of his victims, leading to his nickname of the "Chinese Jack the Ripper" in Chinese media. He is thought to have killed ele ...

(1964–2019), Chinese serial killer * Gao Dena, Donald Knuth, American computer scientist *

Gao Gang Gao Gang (; 1905 – August 1954) was a Communist Party of China (CPC) leader during the Chinese Civil War and the early years of the People's Republic of China (PRC), before becoming the victim of the first major purge within the CPC since befo ...

, a Chinese Communist leader *

Gao Hanyu Gao Hanyu (; born 6 February 1989), also known as Kido, is a Chinese actor and singer. Career In 2007, Gao participated in Dragon TV's singing competition ''Wo Xing Wo Xiu'' and emerged top ten in the finals. In 2008, he participated in Zhejia ...

(also known as Kido, born 1989), Chinese actor and singer *

Gao Hong Gao Hong (born 1964 in Luoyang, Henan) is a composer and performer of the Chinese pipa (pear-shaped lute). Gao has lived in the United States since 1994. She performs traditional and modern Chinese music, with her groups Spirit of Nature and ...

, pipa player and composer *

Gao Jianli Gao Jianli (Chinese: 高漸離) was a musician of the Chinese state of Yan, during the Warring States period, who played a struck zither called '' zhu'' ( 筑) or ''ji zhu'' ( 击筑). Legend After his friend Jing Ke was killed during his assas ...

, a Zhu player and friend of

Jing Ke Jing Ke (died 227 BC) was a ''youxia'' during the late Warring States period of Ancient China. As a retainer of Crown Prince Dan of the Yan state, he was infamous for his failed assassination attempt on King Zheng of the Qin state, who later beca ...

Gao Jixing Gao Jixing (高季興) (858 – January 28, 929), né Gao Jichang (高季昌), known for some time as Zhu Jichang (朱季昌), courtesy name Yisun (貽孫), formally Prince Wuxin of Chu (楚武信王), was the founder of Jingnan, also known as Nan ...

, a king of

Jingnan Jingnan (), also known as Nanping (南平; alternatively written as Southern Ping) and Northern Chu () in historiography, was one of the Ten Kingdoms in south-central China created in 924, marking the beginning of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdo ...

Gao Jun Gao Jun (; born January 25, 1969) is a Chinese American table tennis player. Biography Gao Jun was born in Baoding, Hebei province of China. She now resides in Southern California. She is the owner of California Table Tennis club in Rosemead, ...

, Chinese-American table tennis player * Gao Lei (born 1992), Chinese Olympic individual trampoline gymnast *

Gao Lin Gao Lin (; born 14 February 1986) is a Chinese professional footballer who plays as a forward for Chinese Super League club Shenzhen. He is the all-time top goalscorer for Guangzhou Evergrande – his previous club – with 113 goals, and ha ...

, Chinese professional footballer *

Gao Ling Gao Ling (; born 14 March 1979) is a Chinese former badminton player. Career Noted for her consistency, anticipation, forecourt prowess, and sporting smile, Gao is one of the most successful doubles players in the history of women's badminton. ...

, Chinese badminton player * Gao Min (cyclist), Chinese cyclist * Gao Min (diver), Chinese diver *

Gao Qiu Gao Qiu (1076?–1126) was a government official who lived during the Song dynasty of China and served in the court of Emperor Huizong. In the classical novel ''Water Margin'', he is fictionalised as one of the primary antagonists and a nemesis ...

, character from Shui Hu Zhuan * Gao Shuying, Chinese pole vaulter * Gao Song, Chinese figure skater *

Gao Weiguang Gao Wei Guang (, born 16 January 1983) is a Chinese actor and supermodel. He is known for his lead roles in hit dramas Candle in the Tomb: The Wrath of Time, ''Candle In The Tomb: The Wrath Of Time'', Eternal Love of Dream, ''Eternal Love Of Dre ...

(born 1983), Chinese actor and model *

Gao Xie Gao Xie (; 1877–1958), was a Chinese scholar, calligraphist, traditional painter, publisher, poet, writer, and book collector. Biography Gao was born in Zhangyan ( 張堰), Jinshan, Jiangsu (now Jinshan District, Shanghai), to a weal ...

, calligraphist, painter, poet, writer, book collector *

Gao Xingjian Gao Xingjian (高行健 in Chinese - born January 4, 1940) is a Chinese émigré and later French naturalized novelist, playwright, critic, painter, photographer, film director, and translator who in 2000 was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature " ...

, 2000

Nobel Prize in Literature ) , image = Nobel Prize.png , caption = , awarded_for = Outstanding contributions in literature , presenter = Swedish Academy , holder = Annie Ernaux (2022) , location = Stockholm, Sweden , year = 1901 , ...

Gao Xiumin (actress) Gao Xiumin (; 28 January 1959 – 18 August 2005) was a Chinese comedy actress. She was a regular at the CCTV New Year's Galas, and was famous in partnership with Zhao Benshan and Fan Wei. She played Ding Xiang in Chinese TV Series Chinese tel ...

(1959–2005), Chinese comedy actress * Gao Xiumin (handballer) (born 1963), former female Chinese handball player * Gao Xu, poet, writer, publisher, revolutionary * Gao Yang (shot putter) (born 1993), Chinese shot putter *

Gao Yihan Gao Yihan (高一涵, P: ''Gāo Yīhán'', W: ''Kao I-han'', 1884–1968) was a Chinese intellectual and political scientist. In addition to holding both educational and governmental positions, he contributed often to the publications '' The Tiger' ...

, intellectual *

Gao Yisheng Gao Yisheng () (1866–1951) was the creator of the Gao style of the Chinese Internal Martial Art of Baguazhang. His life bridged the second generation and third generation of Bagua practitioners into the 20th century. He was one of the few third ...

, creator of the Gao style of the Chinese Internal Martial Art of Baguazhang *

Gao Youxin Gao , or Gawgaw/Kawkaw, is a city in Mali and the capital of the Gao Region. The city is located on the River Niger, east-southeast of Timbuktu on the left bank at the junction with the Tilemsi valley. For much of its history Gao was an impor ...

(1916-1948), ace-fighter pilot of the Chinese Air Force during the War of Resistance/World War II *

Gao Yuanyuan Gao Yuanyuan (, born 5 October 1979) is a Chinese actress and model. She ranked 64th on ''Forbes'' China Celebrity 100 list in 2013, 40th in 2014, 76th in 2015, and 86th in 2017. Career Gao Yuanyuan was born in Beijing and graduated from China In ...

(born 1979), Chinese actress and model *

Gao Zhihang Gao Zhihang (; 14 May 1907 – 21 November 1937) was a flying ace of the Republic of China in the Second Sino-Japanese War. On August 14, 1937, the 4th Air Force Group commanded by Gao shot down six Japanese planes over Jianqiao, while sufferi ...

(1906-1937), ace-fighter pilot of the Chinese Air Force during the War of Resistance/World War II *

Gao Zhisheng Gao Zhisheng (born 20 April 1964) is a Chinese human rights attorney and dissident known for defending activists and religious minorities and documenting human rights abuses in China. Because of his work, Zhisheng has been disbarred and det ...

, activist * Gao Zhunyi (born 1995), Chinese footballer of Korean descent * Gao Jianing, also known as J.G. Ex-member of South Korean boy group, Cross Gene, a contestant of

Produce Camp 2019 Produce Camp 2019 (), or alternatively known as CHUANG 2019, is a Chinese male group reality television show premiered on Tencent Video on April 6, 2019 as the second season of '' Produce 101 China''. Final members debuted as R1SE. The series i ...

* Judy Gao (born 1994), New Zealand fashion designer and chess player * Curley Gao, also known as Xilinnayi Gao. Singer-songwriter, center of

BonBon Girls 303 BonBon Girls 303 (Chinese: 硬糖少女303 Pinyin: Yìng táng shàonǚ Sān líng sān ) was a Chinese girl group, formed through the 2020 reality show ''Produce Camp 2020'' (Chuang 2020) on Tencent Video. The group consists of seven members: C ...

, a debuted girl group of

Produce Camp 2020 Produce Camp 2020 ( Chinese: 创造营2020; pinyin: ''Chuàngzàoyíng 2020''), officially known as CHUANG 2020, is a Chinese girl group reality competition show, which premiered on Tencent Video on May 2, 2020 as the third season of '' Produce 10 ...

Kao

Charles K. Kao Sir Charles Kao Kuen Charles K. Kao was elected in 1990
as a memb ...

(1933–2018), inventor of data transmission using optical fibre, was awarded half of the 2009

Nobel Prize in Physics ) , image = Nobel Prize.png , alt = A golden medallion with an embossed image of a bearded man facing left in profile. To the left of the man is the text "ALFR•" then "NOBEL", and on the right, the text (smaller) "NAT•" then " ...

Jack Kao Jack Kao (, born 23 April 1958) is a Taiwanese actor. Career He began his career in the late 1980s films of Hou Hsiao-hsien. Kao credits his success to the many real-life gangsters he knew when he was young. He appeared in '' City of Sadness'' ...

, Taiwanese actor * Kao Ming-huey, International Commissioner of the

Boy Scouts of China The Scouts of China or the General Association of the Scouts of China in full, is the national Scouting association of the Republic of China and represents the Scouting organization in Taiwan. It is a member of the World Organization of the S ...

Kao Yang-sheng Kao Yang-sheng (; born 11 July 1952) is a Taiwanese politician. Early life Kao obtained his bachelor's degree in philosophy from Fu Jen Catholic University. Political career Kao sat in the Legislative Yuan from 1996 to 2002, representing the ...

, former Political Deputy Minister of Council of Indigenous Peoples of the

Republic of China Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northeast ...

* Min Kao *

Nicholas Kao Se Tseien Nicholas Kao Se Tseien O.C.S.O. (; 15 January 1897 – 11 December 2007), was a Chinese Trappist priest living in Hong Kong who had been the oldest living Catholic priest and also the oldest person ever to have had a cataract operation accord ...

(1897–2007), Catholic priest, supercentenarian * Ping-Tse Kao (1888–1970), Taiwanese astronomer

Kō

Kō no Moronao was a Japanese samurai of the Nanboku-chō period who was the first to hold the position of ''Shitsuji'' (''Shōgun''s Deputy). He was appointed by Ashikaga Takauji, the first ''shōgun'' of the Ashikaga shogunate. As Deputy, he served not onl ...

Kō no Moroyasu Iwanami Nihonshi Jiten was one of the leading generals of Shōgun Ashikaga Takauji during the Nanboku-chō period, along with his brother Moronao and his cousin Morofuyu. Life In 1335 he was sent west from Kamakura, the capital, at the head ...

Kō no Morofuyu Kou may refer to *Kou, Burkina Faso, a village in Burkina Faso * Kou, Laiwu (口镇), town in Laicheng District, Laiwu, Shandong, China *Kou language * Kou (name) includes lists of people with the given name and surname *Kou (surname) (寇), Chin ...

Cao

Joseph Cao Ánh Quang "Joseph" Cao (, ; vi, Cao Quang Ánh; born March 13, 1967) is a Vietnamese–American politician who was the U.S. representative for from 2009 to 2011. A member of the Republican Party, he is the first Vietnamese American and first ...

References

External links

胶州高姓来源及分布
{{Authority control Chinese-language surnames Individual Chinese surnames