Niu () is a

Chinese family name Chinese surnames are used by Han Chinese and 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, unlike the W ...

. It was listed 310th on the

Song dynasty The Song dynasty ( ) was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 960 to 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song, who usurped the throne of the Later Zhou dynasty and went on to conquer the rest of the Fiv ...

list of 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 ...

.'' It means "ox". According to a 2013 study it was the 103rd most common surname at the time, shared by 2.20 million people, or 0.150% of the total population, with the province with the most being Henan.

Prominent people with family name 牛

* Consort Niu (牛昭容), a concubine said to be a power behind the throne after Tang emperor Shunzong suffered a stroke. *

Niu Ben Zhang Xuejing (张学景; born 1935), stagename Niu Ben (牛犇) is a Chinese film actor. Biography He lost both of his parents at the age of six, then lived with his oldest brother, who worked as a driver at the third film factory in Beijing. ...

(牛犇), stage name of Chinese actor Zhang Xuejing. *

Niu Fu Niu Fu () (died June 192) was a Chinese military general and politician serving under the warlord Dong Zhuo during the late Eastern Han dynasty. Life Niu Fu served under the warlord Dong Zhuo when Dong was still serving as a military general in ...

(牛辅), general during the late Han dynasty and Three Kingdoms period. *

Niu Guannan Niu Guannan (; born 10 May 1992) is a Chinese water polo player. She was part of the Chinese team at the Water polo at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships – Women's tournament, 2015 World Aquatics Championships. See also * China women's Ol ...

(牛冠男), Chinese water polo player. * Niu Huijun (牛惠君), international football referee. * Niu Jianfeng (牛剑锋), Chinese bronze medallist in table tennis at the 2004 Athens Olympics. * Niu Junfeng (牛骏峰), Chinese actor. * Niu Jin (牛金), general during the late Han dynasty and Three Kingdoms period. * Niu Lijie (牛丽杰), former Chinese women's national football team member. * Rong Niu or Red Panda (born 1970/1971), Chinese American acrobat *

Niu Sengru Niu Sengru (; 780 – January 27, 849Li Jue (Tang dynasty), Li Jue, ''Commemorative Text for the Spirit Tablet for the Deceased Chancellor, ''Taizi Shaoshi'', Posthumously-Honored ''Taiwei'', Lord Niu'', collected in ''All Tang Texts'' (全唐文)v ...

(牛僧孺), chancellor for Tang emperors Muzong, Jingzong and Wenzong. * Niu Weiyu (牛畏予), Chinese photojournalist and head of the Xinhua News Agency. *

Niu Xianke Niu Xianke () (675 – September 2, 742), formally Duke Zhenjian of Bin (), was a general and official of the Chinese Tang dynasty. He served as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang. He took an unconventional path to the positi ...

(牛仙客), chancellor for Tang emperor Xuanzong. * Niu Yingzhen, poet * Niu Zhiyuan (牛志远), Chinese sport shooter who competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics. *

Niu Zhizhong Niu Zhizhong (; born March 1955) a former officer in the People's Armed Police of China. At the height of his career, he served as deputy commander of the People's Armed Police. He was an alternate of the 18th Central Committee of the Chinese C ...

(牛志忠), member of China's 18th Central Committee from 2012, expelled from the Party in 2016. * Niu Zhuang (牛壮), Chinese former professional snooker player. * Thomas Niu Huiqing (牛会卿), Chinese Catholic bishop. * Yuh-Line Niou (牛毓琳), New York State Assembly member * Zhisheng Niu (牛志升), electrical engineering professor. * Niu Chiao * Niu Lizhi