Xi Family History

Chinese:: Mandarin form of the surname 奚 meaning ‘slave’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from the first element of Xi Zhong (奚仲) style name of an official on whom the title Che Zheng (車正) ‘carriage officer’ was bestowed by Xia Yu the first king of the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC) because of his contribution to making carriages. (ii) adopted as a surname by the Tuo Ba (拓跋) Bo Xi (薄奚) and Da Xi (達奚) families from the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD). Mandarin form of the surname 席 meaning ‘mat’ in Chinese: (i) said to be from the name of a person who lived during the reign of the legendary Emperor Yao (c. 24th century BC). (ii) adopted in place of the Chinese surname Ji (籍) because it happened to coincide with the personal name of Xiang Yu (232 BC–202 BC) also known as “Hegemon King of Western Chu”. It was taboo in ancient China to bear a surname that coincided with the name of a member of a royal family. Mandarin form of the surname 習 meaning ‘habit’ in Chinese: (i) from Xi (習) the name of an ancient state (unknown location and time). (i) from the second element of the placename Shao Xi (少習) (located in present-day Shaanxi province). Mandarin form of the surnames 郤 and 郄: from Xi (郤) or (郄) the name of a fief (located in present-day Henan province) granted to an official in the state of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). Mandarin form of the surname 郗: (i) from Xi (郗 pronounced as Chi in the ancient times) the name of a fief (located in present-day Henan province) in the state of Su granted to a son of Su Fensheng an official during the early Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC). (ii) probably a mistakenly written form of another Chinese surname Xi (郄). Mandarin form of the surname 西 meaning ‘west’ in Chinese: (i) from Xi (西) the name of an ancient state prior to the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC). (ii) adopted as the shortened form of the compound surname Xi-Men (西門 literally meaning ‘west gate’) by descendants of Xi-Men Bao (西门豹) an official in the state of Wei during Warring States Period (475–221 BC).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022