Chinese: Mandarin and Cantonese form of the surname 盧 meaning both ‘black’in ancient Chinese: (i) from the placename Lu (盧) the name of a fief (located in Changqing in Shandong province) granted to Xi a great-grandson of Jiang Tai Gong or Jiang Ziya (c. 11th century BC). (ii) shortened form of the compound Chinese surname Lu-Pu (盧蒲 also written as 蘆蒲) borne by descendants of the Duke Huan of Qi (ruler of the state of Qi died 643 BC). (iii) from the placename of Lu (廬) the name of an ancient state (unknown location) prior to the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC). When it was adopted as a surname the Chinese character 廬 was simplified to 盧. (iv) from the Mo Lu (莫蘆) family from the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China who changed their original surnames to 蘆 during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD) and later some descendants simplified the Chinese character 蘆 to 盧. (v) from the Tu Fu Lu (吐伏盧) family from the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China who changed their original surnames to 盧 during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD).
Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 蘆 meaning ‘reed’ in Chinese: (i) shortened form of the compound Chinese surname Lu Pu (盧蒲 also written as 蘆蒲) which was borne by descendants of the Duke Huan of Qi (ruler of the state of Qi died 643 BC). (ii) from the Mo Lu (莫蘆) family from the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China who changed their original surnames to 蘆 during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD).
Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 魯 meaning ‘slow clumsy’ in Chinese: from Lu (魯) the name of a state (located mainly in present-day Shandong province) originally granted to Bo Qin a prince in the Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC). After the state was annexed by the state of Chu in 256 BC Lu (魯) was adopted as a surname.
Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 路 meaning ‘roads’ in Chinese: (i) from Lu (路) the name of an ancient state (unknown location) during the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC) said to be originally granted to Xuan Yuan by the legendary Emperor Yao (c. 24th century BC). (ii) from Lu Zi (潞子) the name of a state (located in Changzhi in Shanxi province) during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). After it was annexed by the state of Jin the Chinese character 潞 was simplified to 路 and adopted as a surname.
Chinese: variant Mandarin Romanization of the surname 呂 (supposed to be romanized as Lü but the umlaut is often missing in English) meaning ‘pitchpipe’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from Lü (呂) the name of a state (located in Nanyang in Henan province) granted to Lü Hou (呂侯 Marquis of Lü) by Xia Yu the first king of the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC) because of his contributions to controlling floods. After the state was annexed by the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC) the name of the state was adopted as a surname.
