Wu Family History

Wu Surname Meaning

Chinese:: Mandarin form of the surname 吳 meaning ‘big large’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from Wu (吳) the name of a state (located in present-day Jiangsu province) which was granted to Tai Bo the first son of King Tai of Zhou (died c. 1146 BC). After it was annexed by the state of Yue in 473 BC, people from the state adopted 吳 (Wu) as their surname. (ii) from the placename Yu (虞) (located in present-day Shanxi province). Because Yu (虞) had a similar pronunciation to that of Wu (吳) in ancient Chinese, some people acquired Wu (吳) instead of Yu (虞) as their surname.

Mandarin form of the surname 伍 meaning ‘five’ in Chinese: (i) from the personal name of Wu Xu (伍胥), an official during the reign of the legendary Huang Di the ‘Yellow Emperor’ (c. 27th century BC). (ii) from the personal name of Wu Can (伍參), an official in the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC).

Mandarin form of the surname 武 meaning ‘military’ or ‘martial arts’ in Chinese: (i) from Wu Luo (武羅), which is said to be either the name of an official or that of an ancient state (in present-day Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region) during the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC). (ii) from the personal name of Wu Ding (武丁) (died 1192 BC), king of the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC). (iii) from the personal name of Ji Wu (姬武), son of King Ping of Zhou (died 720 BC). (iv) from Wu (武), the posthumous title of the Duke Wu of Song (ruler of the state of Song, reigned 765–748 BC).

Mandarin form of the surname 巫 meaning ‘wizard witch’ in Chinese: (i) from the personal name of Wu Peng (巫彭), a doctor during the reign of the legendary Huang Di the ‘Yellow Emperor’ (c. 27th century BC). (ii) from the personal name of Wu Xian (巫鹹) and Wu Xian (巫賢), officials during the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC). (iii) from the occupational term Wu (巫) denoting soothsayers, astrologists, doctors, or wizards in ancient China.

Mandarin or Cantonese form of the surname 鄔: (i) from the placename Wu (鄔), a fief (in present-day Henan province) which was given to Qiu Yan, the fourth son of Lu Zhong (said to be a descendant of the legendary Huang Di the ‘Yellow Emperor’ c. 27th century BC). (ii) from Wu (鄔), the name of a fief (located in present-day Shanxi province) which was granted to Wu Zang (鄔臧), an official in the state of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022

Similar surnames: Lu, Yu, Xu, Fu, Gu, Hu, Qu, Su, Du, Bu

53,000 record(s) for Wu

31K	Birth, Marriage, and Deaths
2K	Military Records
15K	Immigration Records
2K	Census and Voter Lists
1K	Member Trees

Where is the Wu family from?

You can see how Wu families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Wu family name was found in the USA, and the UK between 1880 and 1920. The most Wu families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 7 Wu families living in California. This was 100% of all the recorded Wu's in USA. California had the highest population of Wu families in 1880.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Wu surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Wu ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Cook was the top reported job for people in the USA named Wu.

We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

Cook

25%

Clerk

14%

Proprietor

14%

restaurateur

11%

What Wu family records will you find?

Census Record

There are 2K census records available for the last name Wu. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Wu census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Passenger List

There are 15K immigration records available for the last name Wu. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

Military Records

There are 2K military records available for the last name Wu. For the veterans among your Wu ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

What is the average Wu lifespan?

Between 1953 and 2004, in the United States, Wu life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 1965. The average life expectancy for Wu in 1953 was 37, and 77 in 2004.

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Wu ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.