Cao

曹 — Subordinate officials; a group, a company

7,400,000

Population

#30

Country Rank

0.54%

of Population

Chinese Names

Culture

Origin & History

The Cao surname originates from the state of Cao, a Zhou Dynasty principality in present-day Shandong province, given to Zhenduo, a brother of the Duke of Zhou. The state was absorbed by Song in 487 BC. A second lineage traces the name to Cao Shen, the second Chancellor of the Han Dynasty. The surname became widely famous through Cao Cao, the warlord of the Three Kingdoms period.