Tjong

Tjong is a surname of Chinese origin, found notably among Southeast Asian Chinese communities. The spelling is a diaspora romanization used by speakers of Southern Chinese dialects such as Hokkien and Teochew, especially in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore.

The name is associated with the Chinese family name 張 (Zhang in Mandarin). In various dialects, 張 is rendered as Tjong, Tiong, Chang, or Chong; the exact spelling reflects local immigration records and language background. The form "Tjong" likely represents a Hokkien or Teochew pronunciation that persisted in colonial-era records.

History and notable individuals: In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, people with this surname rose as merchants and community leaders in port cities across the Dutch East Indies; one well-known figure is Tjong A Fie (1860–1921), a Chinese-Indonesian businessman and philanthropist based in Medan who built the Tjong A Fie Mansion.

Today, bearers of the surname Tjong continue to be found in Indonesia and across the Southeast Asian Chinese diaspora, alongside variants such as Chong, Chiong, and Teong in different communities. The name remains associated with historical trade networks as well as contemporary business and cultural activity within these communities.