Chiang

Chiang is a surname used in East Asia, most commonly as the English spelling of Chinese surnames 蔣 and 江. In Mandarin, 蔣 and 江 are pronounced Jiǎng and Jiāng, respectively. The character 江 means “river,” while 蔣 is a traditional surname with no simple modern meaning. The romanization Chiang comes from the Wade-Giles system and is widely seen in historical English-language writing and in Taiwan.

Notable people with the surname include Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石; Jiǎng Jièshí), the leader of the Republic of China, and his son Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國; Jiǎng Jīngguó), who served as President of the Republic of China. Another figure is Chiang Wei-kuo (蔣緯國; Jiǎng Wèiguó), an adopted son of Chiang Kai-shek. These individuals helped popularize the Chiang spelling in the 20th century.

The surname is common among Chinese-speaking communities worldwide. In the People’s Republic of China, Jiang is more commonly used in pinyin, while in Taiwan the Wade-Giles spelling Chiang remains widespread due to historical usage. The name is primarily associated with Chinese heritage, and its various spellings reflect historical and regional transliteration practices.