Tsao

Tsao is a surname of Chinese origin. It is most commonly an Anglicized rendering of the Chinese character 曹. The spelling arises from Wade-Giles romanization, in which the character is written tsao or Tsao, and from diaspora usage. In modern Mandarin pinyin the same surname is Cao, pronounced Cáo.

The Tsao spelling is found among people of Chinese descent in Taiwan, Hong Kong, mainland China, and in global communities, including North America and Southeast Asia. The surname 曹 has ancient roots and appears in historical texts; bearers have contributed to politics, scholarship, business, and the arts across many centuries.

Pronunciation and variants: In Mandarin, the pronunciation is Cáo with a rising second tone. Other common spellings reflecting dialectal and historical transliterations include Cao, Tso, Chao, and Chow. The Tsao form is often encountered in older English-language sources and in family names that preserve a legacy of the Wade-Giles system.

Notable people: Individuals with the Tsao surname, and with its variants, appear across many fields, including academia, public life, science, and culture, particularly within the Chinese diaspora.

See also: Cao (surname); Tso; Chao.