Chinese Clan Name Generator
Surname-led great families for wuxia and historical fiction
Generate Chinese clan and great-family names for wuxia, xianxia and historical fiction, from Murong Clan and Tang Clan of Shu to Hanshan Leng, House of Nangong and Sanhuai Hall Wang. All 500 are in pinyin, with seats, epithets and hall names in the traditional style.
About Chinese Clan names
A Chinese clan is named for its surname. Where a sect takes a poetic title, a clan is simply the Murong, the Tang or the Ouyang, and everything else is added around that one syllable or two. The classic way to tell great families apart was to put the home commandery in front of the surname, so medieval records speak of the Taiyuan Wang, the Boling Cui and the Zhaojun Li. Many families also kept a hall name for the ancestral hall, such as Sanhuai Hall for one branch of the Wang.
This list uses those real conventions. Around two in five names are drawn from history: aristocratic houses of the Han to Tang period such as Jingzhao Du, Yang Clan of Hongnong and Xie Clan of Chen Commandery, ruling houses such as Tuoba of Northern Wei, and legendary lineages such as Youxiong Shi. The rest pair real surnames, including rare compound surnames such as Nangong, Shangguan and Dugu, with invented seats and epithets for fiction: Bai Clan of Cold Spring Valley, Tang Clan of the Hidden Needles, Hanshan Leng.
Everything is written in pinyin without tone marks. The Chinese terms that appear are Shi (a lineage), Shijia (a hereditary great family), Jia Bao (a family fortress), Jia Zhuang (a family manor) and Dayuan (a walled family compound).
How to choose Chinese Clan names
- Match the form to the genre. "Wang Clan of Langya" reads as historical fiction, a bare "Hanshan Leng" or "Kunlun Xuanyuan" reads as xianxia, and "Nangong Shijia" is the classic wuxia label for one of the great martial families.
- Use compound surnames with care. Murong, Ouyang, Shangguan and Zhuge are real but far less common than single-syllable surnames, which is why fiction gives them to old and powerful houses. A single-syllable clan such as Bai, Leng or Shen feels more everyday.
- Remember that the surname comes first. A daughter of the Leng Clan is Leng followed by her given name, and a married-in character keeps a different surname, which is a handy way to show who belongs by blood.
- Keep one romanization. These names are in pinyin with no tone marks, keeping the two dots in Lü and Yelü. If your story uses Wade-Giles or Cantonese spellings, convert every name the same way.
- Give the clan a seat even if the name does not include one. A home city, mountain or manor tells readers what the family controls and makes rival clans easy to tell apart.
Frequently asked questions
How are Chinese clan names formed?
The core is always the family surname, followed or preceded by a word for the group: Clan, House, Family, Shi or Shijia. A place of origin is often attached, as in Cui Clan of Qinghe, or placed first in the shorter form, as in Boling Cui. Fiction adds a third layer of epithets, such as Leng Clan of the Frost Blade.
Are these real historical clans?
Some are. Taiyuan Wang, Boling Cui, Yang Clan of Hongnong and Pei Clan of Hedong were real aristocratic families, and Murong of Later Yan and Wanyan of Jin were real ruling houses. The larger part of the list combines real surnames with invented seats and epithets, for example Yun Clan of Misty Ford or Salt-Trading Cheng Clan, and makes no claim about any actual family.
What is the difference between a clan and a sect?
A clan is held together by blood and a shared surname, while a sect is held together by the bond between master and disciple and can take in anyone. In wuxia and xianxia stories the two often compete, and a great family such as Ouyang Shijia may send its heirs to train in a sect. For sect titles, use the sect name generator linked below.
Can I use these names for cultivation or xianxia stories?
Yes. The seat-first style (Kunlun Xuanyuan, Penglai Dongfang, Qingqiu Hu) and the beast lineages such as Azure Dragon Ao Bloodline and Nine-Tailed Hu Bloodline were written with cultivation settings in mind. The historical names suit court drama and wuxia set in a real dynasty.
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All 500 Chinese Clan names
A: 4 names
- Ailian Hall Zhou
- Anding Huangfu
- Anding Liang
- Azure Dragon Ao Bloodline
B: 23 names
- Bai Clan
- Bai Clan of Cold Spring Valley
- Bai Clan of Luoyang
- Bai Clan of the White Crane
- Bai Jia Bao
- Bai Shijia
- Baili Clan
- Baili Shijia
- Bairen Hall Zhang
- Baiyun Tao
- Bao Clan of Luzhou
- Baoshu Hall Xie
- Beast-Taming Yu Clan
- Beidi Fu
- Bell-Casting Zeng Clan
- Bingzhou Wen
- Black Tortoise Xuan Bloodline
- Bohai Feng
- Bohai Ouyang
- Boling Cui
- Boling Cui, Second Branch
- Border-Guarding Yang Clan
- Bridge-Building Li Clan
C: 16 names
- Cao Clan of Taigu
- Chang Clan of Yuci
- Changli Murong
- Changzhou Zhuang
- Chen Clan of Haining
- Chenjun Yin
- Chenjun Yuan
- Chenliu Ruan
- Chongde Hall Lin
- Chu Clan
- Chu Clan of Jingzhou
- Chu Shijia
- Chunyu Clan
- Cui Clan
- Cui Clan of Qinghe
- Cuiwei Gu
D: 22 names
- Dai Family
- Dengzhou Qi
- Dike-Keeping Li Clan
- Dongfang Clan
- Dongfang Shijia
- Dongguo Clan
- Donghai Ao
- Donghai Xu
- Donglai Taishi
- Dongping Lü
- Du Clan of the Wine Spring
- Duan Clan of Dali
- Duanmu Clan
- Duanmu Shijia
- Ducal House of Kong
- Dugu Clan
- Dugu Clan of Yunzhong
- Dugu Shi
- Dunben Hall Wu
- Dunhuang Suo
- Dunhuang Zhang
- Dunmu Hall Li
F: 14 names
- Fang Clan of Tongcheng
- Fangfeng Shi
- Fangzhang Tantai
- Fanyang Lu, Northern Ancestor
- Feixue Mu
- Feng Clan
- Feng Clan of Nine Bend River
- Feng Clan of the Four Winds
- Feng of Northern Yan
- Fenyang Guo
- Fu of Former Qin
- Fufeng Ban
- Fufeng Dou
- Fuxi Shi
G: 25 names
- Gao Clan of Bohai
- Gao of Jingnan
- Gao of Northern Qi
- Gaoping Xi
- Gaoxin Shi
- Gaoyang Shi
- Gaoyang Xu
- Gaoyou Wang
- Geng Clan of Fufeng
- Getian Shi
- Golden Crow Jin Bloodline
- Gonggong Shi
- Gongshu Clan of the Cloud Ladder
- Gongsun Clan
- Gongsun Clan of Liaodong
- Gongsun Clan of the Sword Dance
- Gongsun Shijia
- Gongyang Clan
- Gongye Clan
- Gu Clan
- Gu Clan of Heron Shoal
- Guan Clan of Hedong
- Guan Clan of the Green Dragon Blade
- Guangyu Hall Huang
- Guilin Qin
H: 49 names
- Hangzhou Ye
- Hanshan Leng
- Hao Family
- He Clan of the Lotus Pond
- Hedong Liu
- Hedong Wei
- Hedong Xue
- Hejian Nie
- Hejian Xing
- Helian Clan
- Helian Clan of Tongwan
- Helian of Xia
- Henan Yuan
- Henan Zhangsun
- Henei Shan
- Hengshan Mo
- Horse-Breeding Ma Clan
- House of Bian
- House of Ding
- House of Dong
- House of Helian
- House of Hou
- House of Ji
- House of Jing
H, continued
- House of Kang
- House of Ling
- House of Nangong
- House of Pan
- House of Rong
- House of Shao
- House of Xiang
- House of Xiao
- House of Ying
- House of Zong
- House of Zuo
- Hu Jia Zhuang
- Hua Clan
- Hua Clan of the Healing Hand
- Hua Shijia
- Huaide Hall Luo
- Huan Clan of Qiaoguo
- Huangfu Clan
- Huangfu Shijia
- Huizhou Wang
- Huo Clan
- Huo Clan of Pingyang
- Huo Clan of the Beacon Fires
- Huyan Clan
- Huyan Clan of the Northern Steppe
I: 3 names
- Imperial House of Liu
- Imperial House of Zhao
- Imperial House of Zhu
J: 13 names
- Jiangling Xiao
- Jiangxia Huang
- Jiangzhou Xue
- Jin Clan of the Golden Scales
- Jingzhao Du
- Jinling Shen
- Jintian Shi
- Jishan Hall Chen
- Jiujiang Lei
- Jiyang Cai
- Jiyang Jiang
- Junshan Yun
- Juqu of Northern Liang
K: 8 names
- Kiln-Firing Tao Clan
- Kong Clan of Qufu
- Kuaiji He
- Kuaiji Kong
- Kuaiji Wei
- Kunlun Xuanyuan
- Kunpeng Peng Bloodline
- Kunshan Gu
L: 45 names
- Lan Clan
- Lan Clan of Plum Ridge
- Lan Clan of the Orchid Valley
- Langya Yan
- Lantern-Painting Deng Clan
- Lanting Wang
- Le'an Sun
- Lei Clan of the Thunder Hall
- Lei Jia Bao
- Leng Clan
- Leng Clan of Changbai
- Leng Clan of the Frost Blade
- Leng Shijia
- Li Clan of Longxi
- Li Jia Zhuang
- Li of Cheng Han
- Li of Southern Tang
- Li of Western Liang
- Lian Clan of Shangdang
- Liangqiu Clan
- Liangzhou Helian
- Lin'an Jin
L, continued
- Linchuan Wang
- Linghu Clan
- Linghu Clan of Dunhuang
- Linghu Shijia
- Lingnan Xian
- Linqiong Zhuo
- Liu Clan of Pengcheng
- Liu Clan of the Willow Bank
- Liu Clan of Zhongshan
- Liu of Southern Han
- Liugui Hall Hong
- Liuyun Feng
- Liyang Sang
- Long Clan of the Dragon Gate
- Longxi Li, Guzang Branch
- Longxi Niu
- Lou Clan
- Lu Clan of Fanyang
- Lu Clan of the Tea Classic
- Lujiang He
- Luoxia Hua
- Luoyang Shangguan
- Lüqiu Clan
M: 21 names
- Ma Clan of Fufeng
- Ma Clan of the Thousand Horses
- Ma Clan of Xiliang
- Ma of Chu
- Marquis House of Xiahou
- Mei Clan of the Winter Plum
- Meiling Xue
- Meng Clan of Zou
- Meng of Later Shu
- Mi Clan of Donghai
- Miao Family
- Minzhong Lin
- Mo Clan
- Mo Clan of Lingnan
- Mo Clan of the Wooden Kite
- Mu Clan
- Mu Clan of Lijiang
- Murong Clan
- Murong Clan of Liaodong
- Murong of Later Yan
- Murong Shijia
N: 12 names
- Nalan Clan
- Nalan Shi
- Nangong Clan of Huainan
- Nangong Clan of the Southern Palace
- Nangong Shijia
- Nanyang Deng
- Nanyang Ye
- Nie Clan
- Nine-Tailed Hu Bloodline
- Ning Clan
- Ning Clan of Red Maple Hill
- Ningbo Fan
O: 4 names
- Ouyang Clan
- Ouyang Clan of Luling
- Ouyang Jia Bao
- Ouyang Shijia
P: 12 names
- Pang Clan of Xiangyang
- Pei Clan
- Pei Clan of Hedong
- Peiguo Liu
- Pengcheng Qian
- Penglai Dongfang
- Phoenix Feng Bloodline
- Pill-Refining Ge Clan
- Pingyang Jia
- Pingyuan Hua
- Princely House of Mu
- Puyang Clan
Q: 16 names
- Qian Clan of the Iron Abacus
- Qian Clan of Wuyue
- Qiao Clan of Qi County
- Qiao Jia Dayuan
- Qifu of Western Qin
- Qilin Lin Bloodline
- Qin Clan
- Qingfeng Mo
- Qinghe Cui, Greater Branch
- Qinghe Cui, Lesser Branch
- Qinghe Zhang
- Qingqiu Hu
- Qinzhou Ning
- Qiu Family
- Qu Clan of Chu
- Quanzhou Pu
R: 2 names
- Royal House of Duan
- Runan Zhou
S: 41 names
- Salt-Trading Cheng Clan
- Sanhuai Hall Wang
- Sanqian Hall Meng
- Sanxing Hall Zeng
- Shanggu Kou
- Shangguan Clan
- Shangguan Clan of Chang'an
- Shangguan Clan of the Brush and Seal
- Shangguan Shijia
- Shanyin Qi
- Shaoxing Zhou
- Shatuo Li of Later Tang
- Shen Clan of Jiangnan
- Shen Clan of Willow Manor
- Shen Clan of Wuxing
- Shen Jia Zhuang
- Shennong Shi
- Shentu Clan
- Shi Clan of Stone Drum Mountain
- Shi of Later Zhao
S, continued
- Shide Hall Qian
- Shili Hall Kong
- Ship-Building Zheng Clan
- Shude Hall Cai
- Shuzhong Tang
- Sikong Clan
- Silk-Weaving Shen Clan
- Sima Clan
- Sima Clan of Henei
- Sima Shijia
- Situ Clan
- Sizhi Hall Yang
- Song Clan of the Pine Ridge
- Songjiang Xu
- Songtao Nie
- Spirit-Calling Wu Clan
- Star-Reading Gan Clan
- Suiren Shi
- Sun Clan of Fuchun
- Sun Clan of the Medicine King
- Sword-Forging Ou Clan
T: 48 names
- Taicang Wang
- Taishan Yang
- Taishi Clan
- Taiyuan Guo
- Taiyuan Sun
- Taiyuan Wang
- Taiyuan Wen
- Talisman-Writing Zhang Clan
- Tan Family
- Tang Clan
- Tang Clan of Shu
- Tang Clan of the Hidden Needles
- Tang Jia Bao
- Tang Shijia
- Tangyin Yue
- Tantai Clan
- Tantai Shijia
- Taotang Shi
- Tea-Horse Road Mu Clan
- The Bai Family of the Capital
- The Cao Family of Qiao
- The Cen Family of Nanyang
- The Chai Family of Pingyang
- The Hu Family Generals
T, continued
- The Hua Family of the South
- The Ke Family of Jiyang
- The Leng Family of the North
- The Lu Family of Wu
- The Pei Family of Wenxi
- The Su Family of Meishan
- The Wan Family of Fufeng
- The Xue Family Generals
- The Yang Family Generals
- The Zhe Family Generals
- Tian Clan of Qi
- Tianshan Xue
- Tianshui Jiang
- Tianshui Shangguan
- Tianshui Zhao
- Tie Clan of the Iron Palm
- Tingyu Su
- Tong Family
- Tufa of Southern Liang
- Tuoba Clan
- Tuoba Clan of Pingcheng
- Tuoba of Northern Wei
- Tuoba Shi
- Tushan Shi
V: 1 name
- Vermilion Bird Zhu Bloodline
W: 22 names
- Wang and Xie of Wuyi Lane
- Wang Clan of Langya
- Wang Jia Dayuan
- Wang of Min
- Wangyue Ning
- Wanyan Clan
- Wanyan Clan of Huining
- Wanyan of Jin
- Wei Clan of Jingzhao
- Weiming of Western Xia
- Wen Clan
- Wen Clan of the Hundred Poisons
- Weng Clan of Changshu
- Wenren Clan
- Wenren Shijia
- White Tiger Bai Bloodline
- Wugui Hall Dou
- Wujun Gu
- Wujun Lu
- Wujun Zhang
- Wujun Zhu
- Wuwei Jia
X: 19 names
- Xiahou Clan
- Xiahou Clan of Qiao
- Xiangxi Long
- Xianyu Clan
- Xiao Clan of Lanling
- Xiao Clan of the Nine Flutes
- Xiao Shijia
- Xie Clan of Chen Commandery
- Xihe Lin
- Ximen Clan
- Ximen Clan of Bianliang
- Ximen Shijia
- Xingyang Zheng, Northern Ancestor
- Xuanyuan Clan
- Xuanyuan Shijia
- Xue Clan
- Xue Clan of the Snow Pass
- Xue Clan of Wild Goose Pass
- Xun Clan of Yingchuan
Y: 51 names
- Yan Clan of Lu
- Yan Clan of the Swallow Tower
- Yang Clan of Bozhou
- Yang Clan of Hongnong
- Yang Clan of Linzhou
- Yang Clan of the Pear-Blossom Spear
- Yang of Wu
- Yangzhou Bai
- Yanling Wu
- Yanmen Yan
- Yanyi Hall Liang
- Yao of Later Qin
- Ye Clan
- Ye Clan of Maple Bridge
- Ye Clan of the Falling Leaves
- Yelü Clan
- Yelü Clan of Linhuang
- Yelü of Liao
- Yin Clan of the Silver Hooks
- Yin Clan of Xinye
- Ying Clan of Qin
- Yingchuan Chen
- Yingchuan Han
- Yingchuan Yu
- Yingchuan Zhong
Y, continued
- Yingzhou Zhongli
- Yongsi Hall Xu
- Youchao Shi
- Yougu Lan
- Youqiong Shi
- Youxiong Shi
- Youyu Shi
- Youzhou Feng
- Yu Clan of Kuaiji
- Yu Clan of the Jade Seal
- Yuan Clan of Runan
- Yuchi Clan
- Yuchi Clan of Shuozhou
- Yue Clan of the Loyal Banner
- Yun Clan
- Yun Clan of Dongting
- Yun Clan of Misty Ford
- Yun Clan of the Drifting Clouds
- Yun Shijia
- Yuqing Hall Zheng
- Yutian Yuchi
- Yuwen Clan
- Yuwen Clan of Wuchuan
- Yuwen of Northern Zhou
- Yuwen Shi
- Yuzhang Luo