Tong Family History

Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 童, also an alternative Cantonese Romanization, meaning ‘children’ in Chinese: (i) from the personal name of Lao Tong (老童), son of the legendary king Zhuanxu (traditional dates: 2514–2437 BC). (ii) from the personal name of Xu Tong (胥童), the name of an official in the state of Jin (located mainly in present-day Shanxi province) during the reign of the Duke Li of Jin (died 573 BC).

Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 佟, also an alternative Cantonese Romanization: (i) from Zhong Gu, an official during the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC), who submitted to the king of the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC). His descendants inherited his name as the surname and later changed to 佟. (ii) traced back to the Jurchen ethnic group, the ancestors of the Manchus, originating in present-day Liaoning province in far northeastern China.

Chinese: Mandarin or Cantonese form of the surname 仝: simplified form of another homophonous Chinese surname Tong (同) derived from an ancient state (located in Shaanxi province) during the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC) or an official post called Dian Tong (典同) in charge of royal musical instruments during the Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC).

Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 桐, meaning ‘phoenix tree’ in Chinese: (i) said to be traced back to Tong Jun (桐君), a legendary figure during the reign of the legendary emperor Huang Di, the ‘Yellow Emperor’ (c. 27th century BC), who was said to be an expert in Chinese medicine. (ii) from Tong (桐), the name of an ancient state (located in present-day Henan province) during the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC).

Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 同, meaning ‘the same’ in Chinese: (i) from Tong (同), the name of an ancient state (located in present-day Shaanxi province), which was a fief originally granted to the royal members during the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC). (ii) possibly from the second element of the post name Dian Tong (典同), the title of an official in charge of royal musical instruments during the Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC).