chán yú 单于

Migration and Distribution (Not available) The surname Chanyu is not listed among the top 100 surnames in the mainland of China and Taiwan. The Chanyu clan emerged during the Later Zhou period and has a history of more than 1,000 years since the surname was established. In the Han Dynasty, the Xiongnu tribes frequently engaged in economic, cultural, and diplomatic exchanges with the Han Dynasty. As a result, the surname Chanyu was introduced into the Central Plains. Also during the Han Dynasty, when the Left Xianwang surrendered to the Han Dynasty, he still adopted Han surnames. Later, most of the Chanyu clan simplified their surname to Dan. Meanwhile, the pronunciation of this surname also changed from Chányú (pronounced like "chán yú") to Shàn (pronounced like "shàn"). According to research, the Chanyu clan has not become extinct. Currently, they are mainly distributed in places like Licheng and Yidu in Shandong Province, Hubei Province, etc. There have been many families with the surname Chanyu since ancient times, which might be the reason why the surname Chanyu appears in the Song edition of "Hundred Family Surnames". The prestigious Chanyu family originated from Qiancheng Commandery (around the northern part of present-day Gaoyuan County, Shandong Province).