Interpretation of the Lu (芦) Surname Totem

【Meaning】

Lu (芦) originally refers to two distinct types of plants:

1. Radish (specifically the Lufu or giant radish).

2. Reed (Luwei), a tall aquatic plant often found in wetlands.

【Origins】

1. From the Jiang (姜) Surname: Descendants of Duke Huan of Qi. A branch of Duke Huan’s lineage adopted the compound surname Lupu (芦蒲), which was later simplified to the single-character surname Lu (芦).

2. From the Xianbei Ethnic Group: During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the Molu (莫芦) clan of the Daibei Xianbei people migrated south with Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei. In the year 496 AD, as part of the Emperor's sinicization reforms, they changed their surname to Lu.

3. From the Doumolou People: The Molu clan is also known as the Doumolou clan, originating from the ancient Doumolou Kingdom of the Eastern Yi. This kingdom was located south of the Songliao Plain, north of the former Buyeo Kingdom (modern-day Northeast China).

Historical & Demographic Profile

Category

Details

Founding Ancestor

Duke Huan of Qi

Ancestral Homeland

Luoyang, Henan Province

Prefectural Mansion (Junwang)

Henan County

Hall Name (Tanghao)

Henan Hall

Modern Ranking / Population

Ranked 199th / Approx. 670,000 people

Song Dynasty Ranking

Unlisted/Unknown

Extant Genealogies

4 volumes currently preserved