Yao (), also romanized as Yiu in

Cantonese Cantonese is the traditional prestige variety of Yue Chinese, a Sinitic language belonging to the Sino-Tibetan language family. It originated in the city of Guangzhou (formerly known as Canton) and its surrounding Pearl River Delta. While th ...

, is one of the most ancient

Chinese surname Chinese surnames are used by Han Chinese and Sinicization, Sinicized ethnic groups in Greater China, Korea, Vietnam and among overseas Chinese communities around the world such as Singapore and Malaysia. Written Chinese names begin with surnames, ...

s, the " Eight Great Xings of High Antiquity". It is also unique that, along with Jiang 姜 it is still in common use in the modern day. It is listed 101st in 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 ...

, and as the 51st most common surname in

Mainland China "Mainland China", also referred to as "the Chinese mainland", is a Geopolitics, geopolitical term defined as the territory under direct administration of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the aftermath of the Chinese Civil War. In addit ...

Alternate spellings

Mandarin Mandarin or The Mandarin may refer to: Language * Mandarin Chinese, branch of Chinese originally spoken in northern parts of the country ** Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Mandarin, the official language of China ** Taiwanese Mandarin, Stand ...

: Yao *

: Iu, Yiu *

Min Nan Southern Min (), Minnan ( Mandarin pronunciation: ) or Banlam (), is a group of linguistically similar and historically related Chinese languages that form a branch of Min Chinese spoken in Fujian (especially the Minnan region), most of Taiwan ...

(

Hokkien Hokkien ( , ) is a Varieties of Chinese, variety of the Southern Min group of Chinese language, Chinese languages. Native to and originating from the Minnan region in the southeastern part of Fujian in southeastern China, it is also referred ...

(

Fujian Fujian is a provinces of China, province in East China, southeastern China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, Guangdong to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the east. Its capital is Fuzhou and its largest prefe ...

)/ Teochew): Lao, Lau, Yeow *

Vietnamese Vietnamese may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Vietnam, a country in Southeast Asia * Vietnamese people, or Kinh people, a Southeast Asian ethnic group native to Vietnam ** Overseas Vietnamese, Vietnamese people living outside Vietna ...

: Diêu, Dao *

Korean Korean may refer to: People and culture * Koreans, people from the Korean peninsula or of Korean descent * Korean culture * Korean language **Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Korean **Korean dialects **See also: North–South differences in t ...

: Yo *

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

: Yō *

Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...

: Yow, Yeo, Iau *

Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...

: Yeow

Prominent people

Yao

* Yao Chonghua, the name of Emperor Shun of pre-dynastic China, one of the

Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors According to Chinese mythology and traditional Chinese historiography, the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors () were a series of sage Chinese emperors, and the first Emperors of China. Today, they are considered culture heroes, but they wer ...

Yao Chang Yao Chang (; 331–394), courtesy name Jingmao (景茂), also known by his posthumous name as the Emperor Wuzhao of Later Qin (後秦武昭帝), was the founding emperor of the Qiang-led Chinese Later Qin dynasty. His father Yao Yizhong had bee ...

, founding emperor of the

Later Qin Dynasty Qin, known in historiography as the Later Qin ( zh, s=后秦, t=後秦, p=Hòuqín; 384–417) or Yao Qin (), was a dynastic state of China ruled by the Yao clan of Qiang ethnicity during the Sixteen Kingdoms period in northern China. As the onl ...

Yao Ming Yao Ming ( zh, c=姚明; born September 12, 1980) is a Chinese basketball executive and former professional player. He played for the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) and the Houston Rockets of the National Baske ...

, Chinese professional basketball player and humanitarian *

Andrew Yao Andrew Chi-Chih Yao ( zh , c = 姚期智 , p = Yáo Qīzhì; born December 24, 1946) is a Chinese computer scientist, physicist, and computational theorist. He is currently a professor and the dean of Institute for Interdisciplinary Informati ...

, Chinese computer scientist and A.M. Turing Award laureate * Jianping Yao, Canadian engineer * Yao Defen, former world's tallest woman *

Yao Wenyuan Yao Wenyuan (January 12, 1931 – December 23, 2005) was a Chinese literary critic, politician, and member of the Gang of Four during China's Cultural Revolution. Biography Yao Wenyuan was born in Zhuji, Zhejiang, to an intellectual famil ...

, member of the

Gang of Four The Gang of Four () was a Maoist political faction composed of four Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials. They came to prominence during the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976) and were later charged with a series of treasonous crimes due to th ...

MC HotDog MCHotDog (; born April 10, 1978) is a Taiwanese rapping, rap artist and best known as “The Father of Taiwanese Hip Hop Music”. He is also known for his use of Parental Advisory, explicit lyrics in his songs. In 2001, his four mini-CDs sold o ...

(born name as Yao Chung-jen), Taiwanese rapper * Yao Beina, Chinese singer *

Yao Chen Yao Chen ( zh, c=姚晨, poj=Iâu Sîn, p=Yáo chén, born 5 October 1979) is a Chinese actress and philanthropist. She achieved early success with her role in the sitcom '' My Own Swordsman'' (2006) and went on to star in the television series ...

, Chinese actress *

Yao Jen-to Yao Jen-to (; born 12 December 1969) is a Taiwanese sociologist and politician who previously served as the vice chairperson and secretary-general of Straits Exchange Foundation from 21 June 2018 to 19 May 2020. He is currently a professor of ...

, Vice Chairperson and Secretary-General of Straits Exchange Foundation of the Republic of China * Yao Leeh-ter, Political Deputy Minister of Education of the Republic of China (2017–2019) *

Yao Mingming Yao or YAO may refer to: People * Yao (surname), the transliteration of Chinese family names 姚, 銚, and 么 * Emperor Yao, a mythical Chinese ruler and emperor * Yao Ming (born 1980), Chinese basketball all-star who played for the Houston Roc ...

, Former member of K-pop group BLK and C-pop Group UNINE *

Yao Wenlong Yao Wenlong (born 14 November 1970) is a Malaysian actor and businessman who lives in Johor Bahru and works in Singapore and Malaysia. Career Yao entered the local television scene after winning the Star Search 1993 (Male category) organised ...

, Malaysia born Singapore actor *

Matthias Yao Matthias Yao Chih ( zh, s=姚智, p=Yáo Zhì, born 12 January 1956) is a Singaporean former politician. A former member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he was a Member of Parliament (MP) representing Marine Parade GRC between 199 ...

, Singaporean politician

Yiu

* Claire Yiu, Hong Kong actress *

Edward Yiu Edward Yiu Chung-yim (; born 19 July 1964) is a Hong Kong academic, scholar and former politician who is currently an associate professor of property at the University of Auckland Business School. He is a former member of the Legislative Council ...

, Hong Kong scholar and politician *

Raymond Yiu Raymond Yiu (), born 1973; is a composer, conductor, jazz pianist and music writer. Biography Born in Hong Kong, he started piano lessons at the age of four. He went to England in 1990 and now lives in London. He began writing music as a teenag ...

, Hong Kong composer *

Yiu Cheuk Yin Yiu Cheuk Yin (or transliterated as Yiu Chuk Yin; 3 July 1928 – 1 February 2008) was a former Hong Kong footballer who represented Republic of China (Taiwan) in the Asian Games, AFC Asian Cup and in the Olympics, but spent his entire career i ...

, Hong Kong footballer *

Yiu Ho Ming Yiu Ho Ming (; born 1 May 1995) is a Hong Kong professional footballer who currently plays as a left back for Hong Kong Premier League club Eastern. Club career In 2008, Yiu joined Eastern. On 24 March 2013, Yiu scored a goal for Eastern agains ...

, Hong Kong footballer * Yiu Si-wing, Hong Kong lawmaker * Chantel Yiu, Hong Kong singer and actress

Yeow

Yeow Chai Thiam Yeow Chai Thiam (; 19 April 1953 – 7 January 2016) was a Malaysian people, Malaysian politician and medical doctor. He was a Malaysian Federal Dewan Negara, Senator for one term, gaining an appointment in 2009. He was a member of the Conser ...

, Malaysian politician.

Yew

Yew Teong Look Datuk Seri Yew Teong Look is a Malaysian politician who had served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Wangsa Maju from March 2004 to March 2008 and Parliamentary Secretary from 2004 to 2008. Prior to that, he had served as a Senator from 2001 to ...

, Malaysian politician.

References

{{surname, Yao Chinese-language surnames Individual Chinese surnames Eight Great Surnames of Chinese Antiquity