Meng Family History

Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 孟 meaning ‘eldest among brothers and sisters born of a concubine’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from the title Meng Sun (孟孙) traced back to Qin Fu (died 660 BC) the eldest son of the Duke Huan of Lu (the 15th ruler of the state of Lu died 694 BC) in the state of Lu (located mainly in present-day Shandong province). Though Qin Fu was the eldest son of the king he only earned a title called ‘Zhong Sun’ (meaning ‘the second eldest among brothers and sisters’) because he was born of a concubine. He later murdered two kings in the state of Lu and eventually committed suicide.

Because of the notoriety for his vice his descendants changed his original title ‘Zhong Sun’ to a relatively inferior title ‘Meng Sun’ and later shortened it to Meng (孟). (ii) from Meng Tu (孟塗) the name of an ancient state (located in Mengzhou and Mengjin in Henan province) during the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC). (iii) from the personal name of Meng Zhi (孟絷) style name of the elder brother of the Duke Ling of Wey (the 28th ruler of the state of Wey 540–493 BC).

Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 蒙 meaning ‘to suffer’ in Chinese: (i) from the placename Meng Shuang (蒙雙) the name of a fief (located in Shangqiu in Henan province). (ii) shortened form of the compound surname Meng Shan (蒙山) the name of a hill (located in present-day Shandong province) where an annual sacrifice was held by an official with the title Dong Meng Zhu.

(iii) from the placename Meng (蒙) the name of a fief (located in Hubei province) granted to an official in the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). Chinese: alternative Cantonese form of the surname 明 see Ming.

Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 閔 see Min. German: from a form of the personal name Magnus. German: variant of Menger. Germanized form of Sorbian Měńk ‘burbot’ (see Menk). Danish: habitational name from a place so named. Danish: variant of Mang.