Gu (surname)
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Gu (also spelled "Ku" and "Koo") can refer to several different Chinese family names.
The most common, Gù (顾, meaning to care for), is ranked #88 on the list of top Chinese family names, according to the 2006 Chinese census (not including Taiwan).
According to Chinese records, this family traces its ancestral roots to the ancient Kingdom of Gu, which existed as a tributary kingdom during the Xia Dynasty (around 2200 B.C), in current-day Henan province. This Kingdom of Gu was destroyed when the Shang Dynasty overthrew the Xia Dynasty. The survivors of this kingdom adopted the name, and became the northern lineage of the family Gu.
A second, southern lineage of the family Gu came about around the Warring States period. They adopted this name from a city also named Gu around that time. Their original family name is unknown.
A third, most recent lineage of the family Gu came about around the end of the Northern Song Dynasty. Emperor of Northern Song and most of his family were captured by the Jin invaders, only his son the crowned prince managed to escape to the South and formed the Southern Song Dynasty court. The invaders enslaved the Royal Family, but many decades later released them in Northern China. The surviving members changed their names and concealed their royal bloodline to hide their shame. 1 of the adopted names was Gu.
This family name can be found mostly in eastern and southern Chinese provinces, especially in Jiangsu, Northern Zhejiang, and around the city of Shanghai. This surname can also be found in Korea.
Prominent bearer of this surname include:
the diplomat Wellington Koo, who represented China in the League of Nations.
the modern Chinese historian Gu Jiegang, who advocated a modern view of China as a diverse culture, rather than the traditional homogeneous culture.
The family name Gŭ (谷, meaning valley), came about when a noble family of the Zhou Dynasty was rewarded a fief in a valley area. The descendants of the family adopted the name to link their lineage to that history.
The family name Gŭ (古, meaning ancient), is extremely rare in China.
The family name Gŭ (骨, meaning bone), is even more rare.
The family name Gū (辜, meaning crime), is just as rare. Prominent bearer of this surname include Koo Chen-fu, Taiwanese diplomat, businessman and former head and heir to the Koos Group. gu(顾)is known for the family of doctors and lawyers
