赵氏图腾释义

【释义】赵，疾行、超腾之义。

【起源】赵姓最早的一支是夏桀（都斟寻，在今河南巩义西南）臣赵梁的后代。东夷部落首领伯益，被舜赐姓嬴氏。他的9世孙造父，在桃林（今河南灵宝）一带得到8匹骏马，调驯好以后献给周穆王。周穆王一次西行，远至昆仑丘。在这时，听到徐国（在今江苏泗洪县南）徐偃王造反。关键时刻，造父驾车日驰千里，使周穆王迅速返回镐京，及时发兵打败徐偃王。由于造父立了大功，周穆王便将赵城（今山西洪洞县北）赐给他，此后，造父族称为赵氏。

得姓始祖：造父
始 祖 地：山西洪洞、河南巩义
郡望堂号：天水、颍川；天水堂、半部堂
当今排序／人口：第9位／约2670万
宋版百家姓排序：第1位
现存家谱：590部

Explanation of the Zhao Clan Totem

Meaning

Zhao (赵) carries the meaning of swift movement or leaping forward.

Origin

The earliest branch of the Zhao surname traces back to Zhao Liang, a minister of Xia Jie (whose capital was Zhenxun, located southwest of present‑day Gongyi, Henan).

Among the Dongyi tribes, the leader Bo Yi was granted the surname Ying (嬴) by Emperor Shun. His ninth‑generation descendant Zaofu (造父) obtained eight fine horses in the Taolin region (modern Lingbao, Henan). After training them well, he presented them to King Mu of Zhou.

King Mu once traveled west as far as Kunlun Hill. During this time, news arrived that King Yan of Xu (in today’s Sihong County, Jiangsu) had rebelled. At this critical moment, Zaofu drove the king’s chariot at extraordinary speed—said to cover a thousand li in a single day—allowing King Mu to return swiftly to Haojing and launch a timely campaign that defeated the rebellion.

Because of Zaofu’s great merit, King Mu rewarded him with Zhao City (north of present‑day Hongtong County, Shanxi). From then on, Zaofu’s descendants adopted Zhao as their clan name.

Ancestral Founder of the Surname

Zaofu (造父)

Ancestral Homelands

• Hongtong, Shanxi

• Gongyi, Henan

Prominent Clans / Halls

• Tianshui, Yingchuan

• Tianshui Hall, Banbu Hall

Modern Ranking / Population

• 9th most common surname in China

• Approximately 26.7 million people

Ranking in the Song Dynasty’s Hundred Family Surnames

• 1st

Existing Genealogies

• 590 volumes preserved today