Hé

Hú (胡) is a Chinese surname written with the character 胡. In Mandarin Chinese, it is pronounced Hú, with the second tone. The character 胡 also historically means “barbarian” or “foreign,” but as a surname it is simply a family name.

Origins and distribution: 胡 is one of the most common Chinese surnames, with roots that scholars trace to multiple ancient sources, including toponymic origins from places named Hu and other early clan names. Today the surname is widespread in Mainland China, Taiwan, and among overseas Chinese communities worldwide.

Romanization and variants: In pinyin, the surname is written Hu. In other Chinese varieties, pronunciations and spellings vary; Cantonese often renders the surname as Wu in romanization, and Vietnamese contexts may spell it Ho or Hồ.

Notable people: Notable individuals with the surname include Hu Jintao (胡锦涛; born 1942), who served as General Secretary of the Communist Party and President of China; Hu Yaobang (胡耀邦; 1915–1989), a reformist CPC leader; and Hu Shih (胡适; 1891–1962), a prominent philosopher and diplomat linked to the May Fourth Movement.