Zhou

周 — Circumference, all around; the Zhou Dynasty

26,800,000

Population

#10

Country Rank

2.12%

of Population

Chinese Names

Culture

Origin & History

The Zhou surname is closely linked to the Zhou Dynasty (1046–256 BC), the longest reigning dynasty in Chinese history. The name derives from Ji Dan, the Duke of Zhou, a revered statesman and Confucian ideal of governance. Members of the royal Ji clan took Zhou as their surname after the dynasty fell. The character 周 symbolises completeness and the full cycle of things.