Wang () is the

pinyin Hanyu Pinyin, or simply pinyin, officially the Chinese Phonetic Alphabet, is the most common romanization system for Standard Chinese. ''Hanyu'' () literally means 'Han Chinese, Han language'—that is, the Chinese language—while ''pinyin' ...

romanization In linguistics, romanization is the conversion of text from a different writing system to the Latin script, Roman (Latin) script, or a system for doing so. Methods of romanization include transliteration, for representing written text, and tra ...

of the common

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, ...

(''Wáng''). It has a mixture of various origin with uncertain lineage of family history, however it is currently the most common surname in Mainland China, one of the most common surnames in Asia, with more than 107 million in Asia. It is the 8th name listed in the famous

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 ...

.
ublic Security Bureau Statistics: 'Wang' Found China's #1 'Big Family', Includes 92.88m People" 24 Apr 2007. Accessed 27 Mar 2012. A separate surname ('' Wāng'') is also romanized as Wang. Wang also has less common unrelated origins in the Scandinavian and

Germanic languages The Germanic languages are a branch of the Indo-European languages, Indo-European language family spoken natively by a population of about 515 million people mainly in Europe, North America, Oceania, and Southern Africa. The most widely spoke ...

Population and distribution

Wáng is one of the most common surnames in the world and was listed by the

People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

's National Citizen ID Information System as the 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 ...

in April 2007, with 92.88 million bearers and comprising 7.25% of the general population.Xinhua Net

A 2018 survey found that there were over 100 million bearrers in China, ranking first. Wang was also the most common surname in Mainland China in 2019. A 2013 study found the province with the most people sharing the name was

Henan Henan; alternatively Honan is a province in Central China. Henan is home to many heritage sites, including Yinxu, the ruins of the final capital of the Shang dynasty () and the Shaolin Temple. Four of the historical capitals of China, Lu ...

. Overall, the name is more prevalent in

Northern China Northern China () and Southern China () are two approximate regions that display certain differences in terms of their geography, demographics, economy, and culture. Extent The Qinling, Qinling–Daba Mountains serve as the transition zone ...

. In 2019, it was the most common surname in nearly every northern province or province-level division:

Xinjiang Xinjiang,; , SASM/GNC romanization, SASM/GNC: Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Sinkiang, officially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), is an Autonomous regions of China, autonomous region of the China, People' ...

Gansu Gansu is a provinces of China, province in Northwestern China. Its capital and largest city is Lanzhou, in the southeastern part of the province. The seventh-largest administrative district by area at , Gansu lies between the Tibetan Plateau, Ti ...

Inner Mongolia Inner Mongolia, officially the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, is an Autonomous regions of China, autonomous region of China. Its border includes two-thirds of the length of China's China–Mongolia border, border with the country of Mongolia. ...

Shaanxi Shaanxi is a Provinces of China, province in north Northwestern China. It borders the province-level divisions of Inner Mongolia to the north; Shanxi and Henan to the east; Hubei, Chongqing, and Sichuan to the south; and Gansu and Ningxia to t ...

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 ...

Hebei Hebei is a Provinces of China, province in North China. It is China's List of Chinese administrative divisions by population, sixth-most populous province, with a population of over 75 million people. Shijiazhuang is the capital city. It bor ...

Anhui Anhui is an inland Provinces of China, province located in East China. Its provincial capital and largest city is Hefei. The province is located across the basins of the Yangtze and Huai rivers, bordering Jiangsu and Zhejiang to the east, Jiang ...

Jiangsu Jiangsu is a coastal Provinces of the People's Republic of China, province in East China. It is one of the leading provinces in finance, education, technology, and tourism, with its capital in Nanjing. Jiangsu is the List of Chinese administra ...

Shandong Shandong is a coastal Provinces of China, province in East China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history since the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River. It has served as a pivotal cultural ...

Beijing Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...

Tianjin Tianjin is a direct-administered municipality in North China, northern China on the shore of the Bohai Sea. It is one of the National Central City, nine national central cities, with a total population of 13,866,009 inhabitants at the time of the ...

Liaoning ) , image_skyline = , image_alt = , image_caption = Clockwise: Mukden Palace in Shenyang, Xinghai Square in Dalian, Dalian coast, Yalu River at Dandong , image_map = Liaoning in China (+all claims hatched).svg , ...

Jilin ) , image_skyline = Changbaishan Tianchi from western rim.jpg , image_alt = , image_caption = View of Heaven Lake , image_map = Jilin in China (+all claims hatched).svg , mapsize = 275px , map_al ...

, and

Heilongjiang Heilongjiang is a province in northeast China. It is the northernmost and easternmost province of the country and contains China's northernmost point (in Mohe City along the Amur) and easternmost point (at the confluence of the Amur and Us ...

, as well as the southern province of

Hainan Hainan is an island provinces of China, province and the southernmost province of China. It consists of the eponymous Hainan Island and various smaller islands in the South China Sea under the province's administration. The name literally mean ...

. It was the 6th most common surname in

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

in 2018, comprising 4.10% of the general population. Ong is the 5th-most-common surname among

Chinese Singaporeans Chinese Singaporeans, Singaporean Chinese or Sino-Singaporeans () are Singaporeans of Han Chinese ancestry. Chinese Singaporeans constitute 75.9% of the Singaporean resident population according to the official census, making them the large ...

and Wang the 6th, although Wong can also include the surname 黃 ( Huang in Mandarin). Singaporean Wangs are 78,000 and 1.5% of Singapore's population and 2.5% of Singapore's Chinese population. There are 143,000 recorded Wangs in the United States as of 2014. This is a double increase from 2000, when 63,800 Wangs ranked 10th most common amongst Asian Americans and 440th amongst all Americans, respectively. There are 51,000 Wangs in California, 17,000 in New York, 10,400 in Texas, 5,900 in New Jersey, and 5,700 in Illinois. Californian Wangs rank 55th in the state, the highest rank for Wang for any state. Wang and Wong are sometimes interchangeable, as well as other Wang-based surnames so the number could vary. Wang () is a fairly rare surname in

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...

. The year 2000 South Korean Census listed only 23,447 Wangs.

Origins of Wang

Wang is the Chinese word for "king". William Baxter and Laurent Sagart reconstructed the

Old Chinese Old Chinese, also called Archaic Chinese in older works, is the oldest attested stage of Chinese language, Chinese, and the ancestor of all modern varieties of Chinese. The earliest examples of Chinese are divinatory inscriptions on oracle bones ...

form of Wáng as ' and the

Middle Chinese Middle Chinese (formerly known as Ancient Chinese) or the Qieyun system (QYS) is the historical variety of Chinese language, Chinese recorded in the ''Qieyun'', a rime dictionary first published in 601 and followed by several revised and expande ...

as ''hjwang''.Baxter, Wm. H. & Sagart, Laurent. '' '', p. 48. 2011. Accessed 11 October 2011. The modern bearers of the name Wang come from many different backgrounds, but there are four principal origins of the modern surname: Zi, Ji, Gui, and the adoption of the name from ethnic groups outside the

Han Chinese The Han Chinese, alternatively the Han people, are an East Asian people, East Asian ethnic group native to Greater China. With a global population of over 1.4 billion, the Han Chinese are the list of contemporary ethnic groups, world's la ...

House of Zi

The most ancient family name of Wang was originated from the surname Zi (子). The Chinese legend mentions that near the end of

Shang dynasty The Shang dynasty (), also known as the Yin dynasty (), was a Chinese royal dynasty that ruled in the Yellow River valley during the second millennium BC, traditionally succeeding the Xia dynasty and followed by the Western Zhou d ...

King Zhou of Shang King Zhou (; ) was the pejorative posthumous name given to Di Xin of Shang () or Shou, King of Shang (), the last king of the Shang dynasty of ancient China. He is also called Zhou Xin (). In Chinese, his name Zhòu ( 紂) also refers to a horse ...

's uncle Bi Gan, Ji Zi, and Wei Zi were called "The Three Kindhearted Men of Shang". King Zhou was violent in his rule, and Bi Gan repeatedly remonstrated to the king regarding his behavior. The king shunned his comments and killed Bi Gan instead. Bi's descendants used Wang as their surname as they are descendants of a prince and were known as "The Bi clan of the Wang family". The Zi clan has existed for about 3100 years through

Qin dynasty The Qin dynasty ( ) was the first Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China. It is named for its progenitor state of Qin, a fief of the confederal Zhou dynasty (256 BC). Beginning in 230 BC, the Qin under King Ying Zheng enga ...

Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, c=唐朝), or the Tang Empire, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907, with an Wu Zhou, interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed ...

and exists today. The Zi clan of Wang lived predominantly in modern-day

during these times and developed into the famous Wang family of Ji prefecture.

House of Ji

Other bearers of the surname Wang originated from the royal family of

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 ...

. The original surname of the royal family of Zhou dynasty was Ji (姬). However, many of them have separated out of the family due to the loss of power and land. Because they once belonged to the royal family, they used Wang as their surname. This family of Wang traced its ancestry to Wang Ziqiao. According to the classical records, after

King Wu of Zhou King Wu of Zhou (; died ), personal name Ji Fa, was the founding king of the Chinese Zhou dynasty. The chronology of his reign is disputed but is generally thought to have begun around 1046 BCE and ended with his death three years later. Ki ...

defeated the

, he established the

Western Zhou dynasty The Western Zhou ( zh, c=西周, p=Xīzhōu; 771 BC) was a period of Chinese history corresponding roughly to the first half of the Zhou dynasty. It began when King Wu of Zhou overthrew the Shang dynasty at the Battle of Muye and ended in 7 ...

. During the reign of the 21st king, King Ling of Zhou (571 - 545 BCE), the capital was in Chengzhou, present day

Luoyang Luoyang ( zh, s=洛阳, t=洛陽, p=Luòyáng) is a city located in the confluence area of the Luo River and the Yellow River in the west of Henan province, China. Governed as a prefecture-level city, it borders the provincial capital of Zheng ...

. A son of King Ling, Wangzi Qiao or Prince Qiao, was reduced to civilian status due to his remonstration to the king. His son Zong Jin remained as a Situ in the palace, and because of the people at the time recognized him as the descendant of the royal family, they called his family the "Wang family". Another origin of the surname is from Crown Prince Jin, son of King Ling of Zhou of the Eastern Zhou dynasty. Jin criticized plans to divert the Gu and Luo rivers and was disowned by his father. His descendants adopted the surname Wang in commemoration of his former royal status. In other cases, the name can also be traced back to Tian He, who usurped the throne of the Qi in 391 BC. After the annihilation of Qi by Qin in 221 BC, some descendants of nobles of Qi adopted the surname Wang in commemoration of royal ancestry. Wang was also used as a surname by descendants of royal families in certain other states, like Wei, during the Warring States period. The surname has also been adopted by some families of minorities like the Ke Yi (可颐) families of 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 ...

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 ...

dynasty. In some families, this surname is traced back to ancestors who either were endowed with it by an emperor or changed their original surname, claiming royal status. During the Tang dynasty the Li clan of Zhaojun , the Cui clan of Boling , the Cui clan of Qinghe , the Lu clan of Fanyang , the Zheng clan of Xingyang , the Wang clan of Taiyuan , and the Li clan of Longxi were the seven noble families between whom marriage was banned by law. Moriya Mitsuo wrote a history of the Later Han-Tang period of the Taiyuan Wang. Among the strongest families was the Taiyuan Wang. The prohibition on marriage between the clans issued in 659 by the Gaozong Emperor was flouted by the seven families, since a woman of the Boling Cui married a member of the Taiyuan Wang, giving birth to the poet Wang Wei. He was the son of Wang Chulian who in turn was the son of Wang Zhou. The marriages between the families were performed clandestinely after the prohibition was implemented on the seven families by Gaozong. The Zhou dynasty King Ling's son Prince Jin is assumed by most to be the ancestor of the Taiyuan Wang. The Longmen Wang were a cadet line of the Zhou dynasty descended Taiyuan Wang, and Wang Yan and his grandson Wang Tong hailed from his cadet line. Both Buddhist monks and scholars hailed from the Wang family of Taiyuan such as the monk Tanqian. The Wang family of Taiyuan included Wang Huan. Their status as "Seven Great surnames" became known during Gaozong's rule. The Taiyuan Wang family produced Wang Jun who served under Emperor Huai of Jin. A Fuzhou-based section of the Taiyuan Wang produced the Buddhist monk Baizhang.

Other countries

East Asia

Korea

The surname Wang has a

Goguryeo Goguryeo (37 BC – 668 AD) (; ; Old Korean: Guryeo) also later known as Goryeo (; ; Middle Korean: 고ᇢ롕〮, ''kwòwlyéy''), was a Korean kingdom which was located on the northern and central parts of the Korea, Korean Peninsula an ...

origin and was the royal surname of

Goryeo Goryeo (; ) was a Korean state founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korea, Korean Peninsula until the establishment of Joseon in 1392. Goryeo achieved what has b ...

dynasty which was founded by Wang Geon. It is said that when

fell, many changed their surname to Jeon (全) / Jeon (田) / Ok (玉) to avoid severe persecution from the succeeding

Joseon dynasty Joseon ( ; ; also romanized as ''Chosun''), officially Great Joseon (), was a dynastic kingdom of Korea that existed for 505 years. It was founded by Taejo of Joseon in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom w ...

. The

Kaesong Kaesong (, ; ) is a special city in the southern part of North Korea (formerly in North Hwanghae Province), and the capital of Korea during the Taebong kingdom and subsequent Goryeo dynasty. The city is near the Kaesong Industrial Region cl ...

Wang lineage traces its ancestry to the

rulers.

Japan

Ō () is a rare

Japanese name in modern times consist of a family name (surname) followed by a given name. Japanese names are usually written in kanji, where the pronunciation follows a special set of rules. Because parents when naming children, and foreigners when adoptin ...

, mostly held by those of Chinese descent, such as the baseball player Sadaharu Oh (王貞治), also known as Wang Chen-chih, as well as Go player, Ō Rissei (王立誠). .

Southeast Asia

Indonesia

In Indonesia, the surname is often romanized as "Heng", "Bong" or "Ong" for people of Hokkien descent, and more commonly as Ong by Chinese

Peranakan The Peranakan Chinese () are an ethnic group defined by their genealogical descent from the first waves of Southern Chinese settlers to maritime Southeast Asia, known as Nanyang (region), Nanyang (), namely the British Empire, British, Portugu ...

. In some cases, the meaning of the names were translated into a name that sounds more like the area where these immigrant families settled in such as the surname Suraja, where in this case raja means king in Indonesian and Javanese and Su- is a common prefix within Javanese surnames.

Vietnam

In Vietnam, the name is rendered Vương (王), meaning King.

Europe

Scandinavia

Wang is also an unrelated surname in

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...

and

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...

. It is a variant spelling of the name Vang which is derived from the Old Norse word ''vangr'', meaning field or meadow.

Germany and Netherlands

Wang is also a surname in the German and Dutch languages. The name is derived from Middle German ''wang''/ Middle Dutch ''waenge'' (). However, in southern Germany, its meaning of "grassy slope" or "field of grass" is more similar to the Scandinavian surname.

Notable people surnamed Wang

Historical figures

* Wang Anshi (), Song Dynasty politician * Wang Bao (), Han Dynasty poet and author *

Wang Bi Wang Bi ( zh, 王弼; 226–249), courtesy name Fusi ( zh, 輔嗣), was a Chinese philosopher and politician. During his brief career, he produced commentaries on the ''Tao Te Ching'' and ''I Ching'' which were highly influential in Chinese ph ...

(), Three Kingdoms Taoist philosopher * Wang Bo (), a Tang dynasty Chinese poet * Wong Chat Bong (), founder of Wong Lo Kat () a Chinese herbal tea * Wang Chong (), Chinese philosopher during Han Dynasty * Wang Chongyang (), a Song Dynasty Taoist and founder of Quanzhen School * Wang Chuzhi (), a regional military governor for Dingzhou during the 5 Dynasties and 10 Kingdoms era * Wang Cong'er (), a female leader of the White Lotus Rebellion * Wang Dao (), Jin Dynasty pre-eminent statesman, premier and advisor * Wang Dun (), Jin Dynasty (266–420), a rebellious Jin general and later warlord * Empress Wang (), an empress of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. * Wang Fangqing (), real name Wang Lin, served during the Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty as a chancellor * Wang Fu (), a philosopher from Gansu in the Eastern Han Dynasty * Wang Fu (), a Shu Han general serving under Liu Bei * Wang Fu (), an influential eunuch in Han Dynasty * Wang Fu (), a painter from Ming Dynasty * Wang Fuzhi (), Chinese philosopher and historian * Wang Gui () Chancellor of the Tang Dynasty *

Wang Guowei Wang Guowei (; 2 December 18772 June 1927) or Wang Kuo-wei, courtesy name Jing'an () or Boyu (), was a Chinese historian and poet. A versatile scholar, he made important contributions to the studies of ancient history, epigraphy, philology, vern ...

(), late Qing Dynasty and early Republican Chinese scholar * Wang Huizu (), Chinese jurist. * Wang Jian (), a greatest general from Qin Dynasty * Wang Jian (), Liu Song and Southern Qi official * Wang Jian (), founding emperor of Former Shu, posthumously known as Gaozu * Wang Jian (), a painter from Ming Dynasty * Wang Jinghong (), Chinese Muslim admiral * Wang Jishan (), served during the Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty as a chancellor * Wang Jun (), Jin dynasty general * Wang Jun (), a chancellor during Tang Dynasty *

Wang Lang Wang Lang may refer to: * Wang Lang (Xin dynasty) (died 24), warlord during the Xin-Eastern Han transition * Wang Lang (Cao Wei) (died 228), minor warlord during the late Han period who became an official of Cao Wei * Wang Lang Market, in Bangkok N ...

(), a Wei politician during the end of the Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms *

Wang Mang Wang Mang (45 BCE6 October 23 CE), courtesy name Jujun, officially known as the Shijianguo Emperor (), was the founder and the only emperor of the short-lived Chinese Xin dynasty. He was originally an official and consort kin of the ...

(), founder of the Xin Dynasty * Wang Meng (), known as Marquess Wu of Qinghe is a prime minister for Former Qin * Wang Nangxian (), another female leader of the White Lotus Rebellion * Wang Rong (), known as the 3rd East General, he served during the Jin Dynasty *

Wang Shenzhi Wang Shenzhi (; 862 – December 30, 925), courtesy name Xintong () or Xiangqing (), posthumous name Prince Zhongyi of Min () and also known by his temple name as the Emperor Taizu of Min (), was the founding Chinese sovereign, monarch of Min (T ...

(), founder of the Min Kingdom in Fujian *

Wang Shichong Wang Shichong (; 567– August 621), courtesy name Xingman (行滿), was a Chinese military general, monarch, and politician during the Sui dynasty who deposed Sui's last emperor Yang Tong and briefly ruled as the emperor of a succeeding state ...

(), a general serving under the Sui Dynasty * Wang Su (), son of Wang Lang, adviser to Sima Shi * Wang Wei (), Tang Dynasty poet * Wang Xianzhi (), Tang Dynasty agrarian rebel * Wang Xianzhi (), calligrapher * Wang Xiaojie (), a general served during Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty * Wang Xizhi (), calligrapher known as the Sage Calligrapher lived in Jin Dynasty * Wang Xuan (), an official of Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, briefly serving as chancellor *

Wang Xuance Wang Xuance (, fl. 7th century) was a Chinese diplomat, military general, and travel writer. In 643 CE he went on a pilgrimage to India, together with Li Yibiao. Due to Tibet's aggressive stance, which threatened both Chinese and Indian states, ...

(), a diplomat to India and guard that served during the Tang Dynasty * Wang Yanhan (), son of Wang Shenzhi, second king of the Min Kingdom ruled from 925 to 926 * Wang Yanjun (), son of Wang Yanhan, third king of the Min Kingdom ruled from 926 to 935 *

Wang Yangming Wang Shouren (, 26 October 1472 – 9 January 1529), courtesy name Bo'an (), art name Yangmingzi (), usually referred to as Wang Yangming (), was a Chinese statesman, general, and Neo-Confucian philosopher during the Ming dynasty. After Zhu ...

(), Ming Dynasty Neo-Confucian * Wang Yi (), official of

Cao Wei Wei () was one of the major Dynasties in Chinese history, dynastic states in China during the Three Kingdoms period. The state was established in 220 by Cao Pi based upon the foundations laid by his father Cao Cao during the end of the Han dy ...

* Wang Yuanji (), Wife of Sima Zhao and Empress Dowager of Jin Dynasty * Wang Zhaojun (), one of the Four Beauties of ancient China * Wang Zhen (), an official and an inventor for Yuan Dynasty known for the first wooden movable type printing * Wang Zhen (), powerful eunuch during the Ming Dynasty * Wang Zhen (Wang Yiting) (), well-known painter of the "Shanghai school" in the Qing Dynasty * Wang Zhi (), a pirate leader in Ming Dynasty * Wang Zhihuan (), a Chinese poet of Tang Dynasty * Wang Ziping (), Chinese Muslim martial artist * Wang Zongyan (), son of Wang Jian, second ruler of the Qian Kingdom (Former Shu) * Wang Zhihui (), retired Chinese long jumper

Mainland China

* Wang Bingbing (), Chinese ski mountaineer * Charles Wang (), Chinese-American CEO of Computer Associates * Charles Wang (physician) (), Chinese physician and lawyer * Wang Changyuan (), Chinese guzheng performer and composer * Wang Chunchen (), Chinese art historian, curator, and critic * Wang Churan (), Chinese actress * Wang Daiyu (), Chinese Hanafi-Maturidi scholar * Wang Dan (), Chinese activist, leader of the Chinese democracy movement * Wang Daohan (), Chinese politician * Wang Dongxing (), Chinese military commander and politician * Dylan Wang (), Chinese actor * Wang Fang (), Chinese singer * Wang Fanxi (), Chinese Trotskyist revolutionary * Wang Feifei (), Chinese singer and actress *

Wang Fengchao Wang Fengchao (; born December 1965) is a Chinese politician serving as mayor of Chengdu since 2020. From 2019 to 2020, he served as vice-governor of Sichuan Sichuan is a province in Southwestern China, occupying the Sichuan Basin and T ...

(), Chinese politician * Wang Guangmei (), Chinese politician * Wang Guangya (), Chinese diplomat *

(), Chinese historian and poet * Wang Han (), Chinese TV show host * Wang Hanlun (), Chinese actress * Wang Hao (), Chinese chess grandmaster * Wang Hao (), Chinese table tennis player * Wang Hao (), Chinese-American logician, philosopher and mathematician *

Wang Hongwen Wang Hongwen (December 1935 – 3 August 1992) was a Chinese labour activist and politician who was the youngest member of the Gang of Four. He rose to prominence during the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976), after organizing the Shanghai Peo ...

(), Chinese labour activist and politician * Wang Huning (), Chinese politician * Wang Jiexi (), Chinese actor * Wang Jiujiang (), Sichuanese painter * Wang Jun (), Chinese businessman * Wang Jun (), Chinese politician * Wang Junkai (), Chinese singer and actor * Wang Lin (), Chinese badminton player * Wang Ling (), Chinese historian and sinologist * Wang Liqiang (), Chinese defector and self-declared former spy * Wang Liqin (), Chinese table tennis player * Wang Ming (), Chinese activist, senior leader of the early

Chinese Communist Party The Communist Party of China (CPC), also translated into English as Chinese Communist Party (CCP), is the founding and One-party state, sole ruling party of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Founded in 1921, the CCP emerged victorious in the ...

* Wang Ming-chen (), Chinese physicist and science educator * Wang Nan (), Chinese table tennis player * Wang Qiang (), Chinese tennis player * Wang Qing (), Chinese actor and singer * Wang Qishan (), Chinese retired politician * Wang Renzhi (), Chinese politician * Wang Rong (), Chinese politician * Roy Wang (), Chinese singer and actor * Wang Shiwei (), Chinese journalist and literary writer * Wang Shizhen (), Chinese general and politician * Wang Shun (), Chinese competitive swimmer * Taddeo Wang Yuesheng, Chinese Catholic bishop * Wang Tao (), Chinese translator, reformer, political columnist, newspaper publisher and fiction writer * Wang Xiaobo (), Chinese novelist and essayist * Wang Xuan (), Chinese computer scientist * Wang Yan (), Chinese Olympic gymnast * Yang Wang, Chinese high jumper * Wang Yanbo (), Chinese professional wrestler * Wang Yaowu (), Chinese high-ranking KMT general *

Wang Yeping Wang Yeping (, born 12 February 1928) is a Chinese politician who is the widow of Jiang Zemin, former General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (''de facto'' leader) and President of the People's Republic of China, and is a native of Yang ...

(), Chinese politician * Wang Yi (), Chinese diplomat and politician * Wang Yihan (), Chinese retired badminton player * Wang Yibo (), Chinese actor and singer * Wang Yinglu (), Chinese actress * Wang Yiren (), Chinese singer, member of girl group Everglow * Yuja Wang (), Chinese classical pianist * Wang Yunshan (aka Jizi, ), Chinese painter * Wang Yuwen (), Chinese actress * Wang Zhaoguo (), Chinese politician * Wang Zhen (), Chinese political figure and one of the Eight Elders of the Chinese Communist Party * Wang Zhen, Chinese acrobatic gymnast * Wang Zhengjun (), Han Dynasty empress * Wang Zhengwei (), Chinese retired politician and economist * Wang Zhijian (), Chinese perpetrator of the Yishun triple murders *

Wang Zhizhi Wang Zhizhi ( zh, t=王治郅, s=王治郅, p=Wáng Zhìzhì, pronounced ; born 8 July 1977) is a Chinese former professional basketball player who was the head coach of the Bayi Rockets, the team with which he spent his domestic career in the ...

(), Chinese former professional basketball player * Wang Zhongshu (), Chinese archaeologist * Wang Zisai (), Chinese trampoline gymnast

Taiwan

* Andrew H. J. Wang (), Taiwanese biochemist * Cyndi Wang (), Mandopop singer * Joanna Wang (), Taiwanese-American singer-songwriter *

Leehom Wang Wang Leehom ( zh, c=王力宏, poj=Ông Le̍k-hông; born May 17, 1976), sometimes credited as Leehom Wang, is an American singer-songwriter, actor, producer, and film director. His music is known for fusing hip-hop and R&B, with Guoyue, tradi ...

(), Taiwanese-American singer-songwriter, actor and commercial model * Ong Iok-tek (Wang Yude) (), scholar and early leader of the Taiwan independence movement * Wang Cheng-teng (), Deputy Minister of the Council of Agriculture of the Republic of China * Wang Chien-fa (), Magistrate of Penghu County (2005–2014) * Chien-Ming Wang (), former professional baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees and Washington Nationals * Wang Chien-shien (), Republic of China politician * Wang Chung-yi (), Minister of Coast Guard Administration of the Republic of China (2014–2016) * Darren Wang (), Taiwanese actor famous in the Mainland *

Wang Ginn-wang Wang Ginn-wang or Wang Jinn-wang (; born 14 October 1947) is a Taiwanese politician. He was the Minister of the Coast Guard Administration from 2006 to 2014. Education After graduating from National Pungtung Teachers College (now National P ...

(), Minister of the Coast Guard Administration of the Republic of China (2006–2014) * Jimmy Wang Yu (王羽), Mainland-born Taiwanese actor, film director, producer, and screenwriter who started his career in Hong Kong as a

Shaw Brothers Studio Shaw Brothers (HK) Limited () was the largest film production company in Hong Kong, operating from 1925 to 2011. In 1925, three Shaw brothers— Runje, Runme, and Runde—founded Tianyi Film Company (also called "Unique") in Shang ...

actor. * Wang Ju-hsuan (), Minister of Council of Labor Affairs of the Republic of China (2008–2012) * Hsien Chung Wang (), Chinese-American mathematician * Wang Kwo-tsai (), Political Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications * Wang Li-ling (), Chairperson of Financial Supervisory Commission of the Republic of China (2016) * Wang Mei-hua (), former Vice Minister of Economic Affairs of the Republic of China * Wang Yu-chi (), former Minister of Mainland Affairs Council of the Republic of China (2012–2015) * Wang Yu-yun (), former mayor of Kaohsiung City (1973–1981)

Hong Kong

* Jackson Wang (), Hong Kong rapper and singer, member of boy band GOT7

Korea

* Wang Bit-na (, ), South Korean actress and model * Wang Geon (, ), founder of the royal family, the House of Wang of the Goryeo dynasty *

Wang Jeung-hun Wang Jeung-hun or Wang Jung-hoon (; born 7 September 1995) is a South Korean professional golfer. He plays on the European and Asian Tours. He is from Seoul, South Korea. In 2016, he won the European Tour's Trophée Hassan II on a sponsor exe ...

(), South Korean professional golfer * Wang Ji-hye (, ), South Korean actress * Jun Ji-hyun (born Wang Ji-hyun; , ), South Korean actress and model * Wang Ji-won (, ), South Korean actress and ballet dancer * Wang Ki-Chun (, ), South Korean former judoka * Wang Seok-hyeon (, ), South Korean actor * Wang Yoo-sun (, ), South Korean actress * Jeon Ji-hyeon (전지현 (왕지현)), South Korean actress

Indonesia

* Ong Eng Die (), Indonesian politician and economist * Ong Hok Ham (), Indonesian historian and academic * Kimun Ongkosandjojo (Ong Kiem Oen; ), Indonesian businessman and inventor * Susi Susanti (Ong Lien Hiang; ), retired badminton player, the first Indonesian Olympic gold medalist

Malaysia

* Wang Shujin ( Ong Seok Kim) (), Malaysian educationist, social worker and philanthropist * Wang Wenhua (

Chin Peng Chin Peng (21 October 1924 – 16 September 2013), born Ong Boon Hua, was a British Malaya, Malayan Communism, communist politician, Guerrilla warfare, guerrilla leader, and revolutionary, who was the leader and commander of the Malayan Commun ...

)/(Ong Boon Hua)(), Leader of the Malayan Communist Party * Michael Wong (), Malaysian singer and songwriter

Singapore

Ong Teng Cheong Ong Teng Cheong (22 January 1936 – 8 February 2002) was a Singaporean statesman, architect and union leader who served as the fifth president of Singapore between 1993 and 1999. Born when Singapore was a part of the Singapore in the Straits ...

(), Former President of the Republic of Singapore *

Heng Swee Keat Heng Swee Keat (; born 15 April 1961) is a Singaporean former politician and former police officer who served as the Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore from 2019 until 2025. He was the Parliament of Singapore, Member of Parliament (MP) who rep ...

(王瑞杰), Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore * Ong Ye Kung (), Singaporean politician * Daniel Ong (), Singaporean businessman, radio DJ and television host * David Ong (), Former Singaporean member of parliament * Peter Ong (), Government official in Singapore; Head of Civil Service * Thomas Ong (), Singaporean actor, television host and businessman * Xavier Ong (), Singaporean actor * Wang Yuqing (), Singaporean actor * Ong Eng Guan (), Singaporean politician * Ong Keng Sen (), Singaporean director of the theatre group TheatreWorks * Ong Keng Yong (), Singaporean diplomat * Ong Kim Seng (), Singaporean artist * Anthea Ong (), former Singaporean Nominated Member of Parliament *

Ong Pang Boon Ong Pang Boon ( zh, c=王邦文, poj=Ông Pang-bûn, p=Wáng Bāngwén, first=poj; born 28 March 1929) is a Singaporean retired politician who served as Minister for Home Affairs between 1959 and 1963 and again for a short period of time in ...

(), former Singaporean politician * Remy Ong (), Singaporean bowler * Ong Soh Khim (), former Singaporean Nominated Member of Parliament * Ong Teck Chin (), Singaporean educator * Melvyn Ong (), Singapore army general and the current Chief of Defence Force of the Singapore Armed Forces * Glenn Ong (), Singaporean radio DJ * Olivia Ong (), Singaporean singer and actress * Wang Sa (), Singaporean comedian * Wang Weiliang (), Singaporean actor and singer * Ong Yeow Tian , Singaporean convicted killer * Wang Xiuyun (), Singaporean actress

In non-Asian countries

Australia

* Beverley Wang, radio broadcaster and producer * Wang Gungwu, historian, sinologist, and writer

Austria

* Cilli Wang, dancer and performer

Canada

* Jeremy Wang (born 1991), better known by his pseudonym

Disguised Toast Jeremy Wang (born 25 November 1991), better known as Disguised Toast, is a Taiwanese-Canadian streamer, YouTuber, and Internet personality. He got his start on YouTube, creating videos about the digital card game ''Hearthstone''. Wang later be ...

, streamer and Internet personality * Miranda Wang (born 1994), tech entrepreneur * Richard Wang, chess player * Suning Wang, Chinese-born chemist * Vincent Wang, competitive video game player

Norway

* Sølvi Wang, singer, actress and comedian

United States

* Amy Wang, table tennis player * An-Ming Wang, Chinese-American composer * Angela Wang, figure skater * Alexander Wang (), fashion designer * An Wang (), Chinese-American computer scientist who founded Wang Laboratories * Chloe Bennet Wong (), actress * Daniel I.C. Wang (), Chinese American professor * Ed Wang, American football player * Garrett Wang (), Chinese American actor * Ignatius C. Wang, Auxiliary Bishop of San Francisco in 2002-2009 * Iris Wang, badminton player * Izaac Wang, American actor * Joanna Wang (), Taiwanese-American singer-songwriter * Wang Ju-Rong (), Chinese Muslim martial artist * Kris Wang, former mayor of

Cupertino, California Cupertino ( ) is a city in Santa Clara County, California, United States, directly west of San Jose, California, San Jose on the western edge of the Santa Clara Valley with portions extending into the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The ...

(), Taiwanese-American singer-songwriter, actor and commercial model * Linda Wang (), actress * Lulu Wang (), filmmaker * Qingde Wang (), professor * Shuping Wang (), Chinese-American medical researcher and public health whistleblower * Taylor Wang (王赣骏/王贛駿), Chinese-American astronaut * Vera Wang (), fashion designer *

Wayne Wang Wayne Wang (; born January 12, 1949) is a Hong Kong-American film director, producer, and screenwriter. Considered a pioneer of Asian-American cinema, he was one of the first Chinese-American filmmakers to gain a major foothold in Hollyw ...

(), film director * Xiaofeng Wang (), computer scientist * Yuan Wang (), Chinese-American mathematician specializing in control theory

United Kingdom

* Phil Wang, comedian

Fictional people

* Evelyn Quan Wang, character from '' Everything Everywhere All At Once'' (2022) * Joy Wang, character from ''Everything Everywhere All At Once'' (2022) * Lo Wang, character from video game '' Shadow Warrior'' * Nina Wáng, character from anime '' My-Otome'' * Paul Wang, character from '' Space: Above and Beyond'' (1995) * Socqueline Wang, character from '' Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir'' * Waymond Wang, character from ''Everything Everywhere All At Once'' (2022) * Wang Ai Ling, character from '' Lilo & Stitch'' (2002) * Wang Chiang, character from '' Moorim School'' (2016) * Wang Jinrei, character from video game ''

Tekken is a Japanese media franchise centered on a series of fighting games developed and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment (formerly Namco). The franchise also includes film and print adaptations. The main games in the series follow the events ...

'' * Wang Liu Mei, character from anime ''

Mobile Suit Gundam 00 is a Japanese anime television series, the eleventh installment in Sunrise studio's long-running ''Gundam'' franchise comprising two seasons. The series is set on a futuristic Earth and is centered on the exploits of the fictional paramilit ...

'' * Wang Lung, character from the novel '' The Good Earth'' * Wang Shizhen, character from manga '' Hikaru no Go'' * Yao Wang, character from anime '' Hetalia'' (2009)

Notes

References

Sources

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Wang (Surname) Chinese-language surnames Korean-language surnames Individual Chinese surnames

Population and distribution

Origins of Wang

House of Zi

House of Ji

Other countries

East Asia

Korea

Japan

Southeast Asia

Indonesia

Vietnam

Europe

Scandinavia

Germany and Netherlands

Notable people surnamed Wang

Historical figures

Mainland China

Taiwan

Hong Kong

Korea

Indonesia

Malaysia

Singapore

In non-Asian countries

Australia

Austria

Canada

Norway

United States

United Kingdom

Fictional people

See also

Notes

References

Sources