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Why Do Vietnamese People Have Chinese Surnames?

NATION FACES

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Why do so many Vietnamese people have Chinese surnames?
Names such as Nguyễn, Trần, Lê, Phạm, Huỳnh, Võ, Phan, Đặng, Bùi, and Hồ are deeply connected to Vietnam’s long and fascinating history but does having a Chinese-origin surname mean that a Vietnamese person is ethnically Chinese?

In this video, we explore the history of Vietnamese surnames, how surnames developed in Vietnam, and the influence of Chinese culture, language, administration, migration, and historical contact on Vietnamese naming traditions.

We’ll look at why some Vietnamese surnames have parallels with Chinese surnames, how Chinese characters were historically used in Vietnam, the role of Vietnamese dynasties and imperial administration, and how surnames can spread and change over generations.

Most importantly, we’ll examine the difference between a surname, cultural influence, ancestry, and ethnic identity. A shared surname does not automatically mean two people have the same ethnic background.

From the ancient relationship between Vietnam and China to the development of Vietnamese society and identity, this story reveals how much history can be hidden inside a single family name.

Why do Vietnamese people have Chinese surnames?
How much Chinese influence shaped Vietnamese names?
Where did major Vietnamese surnames come from?
Does a Vietnamese surname reveal your ancestry?

Watch until the end to discover the fascinating history behind Vietnamese surnames and what they can and cannot tell us about Vietnamese identity.

20 Comments

@summerroll7832 2 weeks ago

Actually, these surnames sound very Chinese Especially, if you speak Fuijanese or Cantonese. If you only speak English or other European languages then they sound very different.

@ilovebanana177 8 days ago

i have chinese surname because my father’s ancestors are chinese immigrants from chaozhou

@deionle9355 3 weeks ago

GREAT VIDEO

@luongle-huy4339 1 day ago

There is a Vietnamese saying: “Phép vua thua lệ làng” (Royal rules capitulate before village people’s rites). That means two things: the Chinese influence only penetrate deeply the ruling classes of the Vietnamese society and the villages - làng - have protected their cultural identity throughout the century of Chinese dominance. In other words, each village has been a resistance fortress against the assimilation by Chinese culture.

@MustercookAngelaTiagoloumo 2 weeks ago

If you keep thinking about modern drawn border and countries boundaries then you are box in. People have been moving around the world for thousands of years. Passport and customs is a modern thing, people trade, move and settle down for various reasons.

@FIFAball1904 2 weeks ago

They were refugees, they fled to Vietnam because of many ruthless dynasties in China many thousands years ago !

@jerryliewkenyon9755 2 weeks ago

Doesn’t matter. Just acknowledge and respect each other cultures. Very comfortable to assimilate to each other lifestyle given similar history.

@donkeykong516 2 weeks ago

Vietnamese used Chinese characters until French colonization 150 years ago

@Rastamonk101 3 days ago

Vietnam was a tributary state of China, just like Korea.

@landolavie9466 3 weeks ago (edited)

Far back to the past, there wasn’t such a big China. Many smaller countries with different races and languages. So, where do Chinese surnames originate from? It can be seen that not only Vietnamese people carry these surnames, but Chinese in China have these surnames that are not their original surnames. This is a big proportion in Chinese population. Vietnamese have their surnames written in their language and with typical pronunciation. Yes, those are Vietnamese surnames as they are now. It’s like in the USA, people have surnames from different roots, but they’re Americans, so are people in China, Vietnam, likewise. By the way, the genes are mixed. Each person has a surname, but actually he/she carries so many genes from ancestors of different surnames. The further to the past, the more surnames of related ancestors - 2 parents, 4 grand parents, and so on. It’s a factor of 2 geometric sequence, exponential graph figure. In a broader meaning, all people are related to us and a love for humans kind is a real wisdom.

@miming9409 2 weeks ago

:Key Genetic Differences
Vietnamese: The most genetically homogeneous of the three, with strong ties to Southern Chinese (Baiyue) populations, making them closer to Chinese ,Koreans Japanese.
Cambodian: Show distinct differences from Vietnamese, with higher levels of ancient indigenous ancestry and South Asian (Indian) influence.
Thai: A complex mix resulting from migration from southern China (Yunnan) and extensive mixing with indigenous Mon-Khmer and Southern Indian/Negrito
populations.
Note: Genetic studies often show substantial regional variation (e.g., North vs. South Vietnam/Thailand
South Asian Influence: Due to historical
trade and cultural exchange, populations in Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Malaysia often exhibit 2% to 16% South Asian ancestry.
Regional Differences: Island Southeast Asia (e.g., Philippines, Indonesia) tends to have higher concentrations of Austronesian/Pacific Islander markers, while mainland populations
Research project shows people in Asia have inherited more of ancestors' genetic heritage than Europeans
Human skull found at Devil's Gate Cave
Research shows that modern Koreans inherited traits of the ancient people from the Russian Far East in the north and from places like Vietnam

@James-mc5hc 2 weeks ago

In fact the Chinese and Vietnamese have similar cultural practices and celebrations.

@johnng261 2 weeks ago

Both Korean and Vietnamese use Chinese names. A lot of Koreans can write their names in Chinese, but not Vietnamese. Korean names sound like Mandarin, while Vietnamese names sound like Cantonese.

@James-mc5hc 2 weeks ago

Go straight to the genetic haplo, maternal and paternal DNA. This is a long established fact.

@trungson6604 3 weeks ago

Before the English people migrated to North America, the Native Americans were Cherokee, Cheyenne, Sioux, Navajo, Sitting Bull, Eagles, etc and they were red skinned....But now, the North Americans are Smith, Jones, Spencer, Lewis, Meredith, Howard, etc....and they look like Europeans with white skin.

@BTS-zq2vy 13 days ago

It's the same reason/logic of why many Americans have British/German/French last names. Trump, Biden, Ellison. Schultz, etc., aren't they from Europe?

@LoC28C 2 weeks ago

One other reason also could be that there has been intermarriage between Chinese and local Vietnamese people for over a thousand years too.

@jgwizo 2 weeks ago

At times people are compromised to the extend that they fail to know the Asians are represented numerically to be a dominant society. At times one must imagine historical cycle where discrimination dominated and is gradually declining. We are likely to witness that humans are embracing equality.

@tonysia6474 13 days ago

Because Vietnamese were Chinese too.

@johnsonwng 2 weeks ago

Historically, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and other Indochina countries are influence by Chinese culture and heritage. They have the same historical background. Since these countries are landlocked from one another. Its but natural that the presence of ethnic Chinese will exist in these countries.