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CaO

Cao is a Chinese surname written 曹. It is one of the more common Chinese surnames and is borne by people across China and in overseas Chinese communities. The surname has multiple origins, with the most widely cited tracing to the feudal state of Cao (曹国) during the Zhou dynasty; descendants of the ruling family adopted the place name as their surname. Over time, the Cao lineage spread through migration and intermarriage, becoming established in many regions.

In terms of distribution, Cao is found throughout China and among global Chinese communities, including Southeast

Notable individuals with the surname include Cao Cao (155–220), a prominent warlord and Chancellor during the

Beyond the surname, the syllable cao occurs in many Chinese words, such as 草 (grass), and appears

Asia,
North
America,
and
Europe.
The
surname
has
several
romanizations
depending
on
dialect
and
historical
transcription,
including
Cao
(Mandarin
pinyin)
and
Tsao
or
Tsau
in
older
or
non-Mardarin
contexts.
late
Eastern
Han
who
laid
the
foundations
for
the
state
of
Cao
Wei;
his
son
Cao
Pi
(187–226),
who
established
Wei
as
its
first
emperor;
Cao
Zhi
(192–232),
a
celebrated
poet
and
brother
of
Pi;
and
Cao
Xueqin
(1715–1763),
the
author
of
Dream
of
the
Red
Chamber,
regarded
as
one
of
China's
greatest
novels.
in
various
names
and
place
names.
The
name
Cao
thus
functions
as
an
enduring
element
in
Chinese
genealogies
and
identity,
carried
by
many
generations
and
communities.