Cheung

Cheung is a surname that appears frequently in Cantonese-speaking communities. It is the common English transliteration of the Chinese character 張, which in Mandarin is written Zhang. Other romanizations of the same character include Chang and Cheong, reflecting different dialects and historical spelling conventions. The surname is especially common in Hong Kong, Macau, Guangdong province, and in overseas communities with Cantonese heritage.

Origins and distribution: The character 張 is one of the oldest and most widespread Chinese surnames, with many lineages across China. The Cantonese pronunciation yields the spelling Cheung, while Mandarin pinyin uses Zhang. In diaspora communities, spelling can reflect local romanization practices, resulting in forms such as Cheung, Chang, or Zhang depending on region and era.

Usage and references: As a surname, Cheung is widely found in business, politics, arts, and education within Cantonese-speaking societies. It also appears in place names, genealogies, and historical records. For researchers, Cheung may correspond to Zhang/張 in Chinese documents, and cross-referencing with related spellings can illuminate ancestral origins across dialect groups.