Explanation of the He Clan Totem

Meaning

The original meaning of He (何) is carrying a load on a shoulder pole—that is, bearing weight or burden.

In oracle‑bone script, the character depicts a person carrying a halberd on their shoulder, emphasizing the idea of lifting or bearing.

Origin

The He surname traces back to the Ji (姬) lineage of the Western Zhou Dynasty.

• Ji Wanyu, the 11th‑generation descendant of Ji Shuyu, founding ruler of the State of Jin, held the fief of Han (modern Hejin, Shanxi).

• Three generations later came Han Jue, who adopted the fief name as his surname, becoming the ancestor of the Han clan.

• In the early Warring States period, Han Jue’s 7th‑generation descendant Han Qian (also known as Marquis Jing of Han) joined the Zhao and Wei clans in partitioning the State of Jin, establishing the State of Han.

The State of Han was later conquered by the State of Qin.

After the fall of their state, many Han survivors fled south to the region between the Huai River and the Yangtze River (modern Xinyang, Henan, and northern Hubei).

Because of the local dialect, the pronunciation of Han (韩) shifted toward He (何).

Over time, the written form changed to match the spoken form, giving rise to the He surname.

This is why people say:

“Since ancient times, Han and He have been one family.”

Ancestral Founder of the Surname

Han Jue

Ancestral Homeland

Xinyang, Henan

Prominent Clans / Halls

• Lujiang, Donghai, Chen Commandery

• Shuibutang Hall

Modern Ranking / Population

• 18th most common surname in China

• Approximately 14 million people

Ranking in the Song Dynasty’s Hundred Family Surnames

• 21st

Existing Genealogies

• 613 volumes preserved today