Liu Surname (刘): Meaning, Origins and Lau or Liew Forms

Publicado por Anthony
el noviembre 9, 2026

Understand the Liu surname 刘/劉, its classical meanings, multiple origin accounts, Han imperial connection, Lau and Liew spellings, and family-record checks.

Quick Answer: What Is the Liu Surname?

The Liu surname（刘／劉，liú）is a Chinese family name pronounced with a second tone in Mandarin. Its traditional character is 劉; 刘 is the simplified form.^[1][2]

Meaning: Classical senses include an axe-like weapon and the verb “to kill”; these are word meanings, not descriptions of today’s families.^[1]
Origins: Old texts preserve several formation traditions and surname changes.^[4][5]
Recorded forms: Liu, Lau and Liew appear with identified bearers of this surname.^[6][7][8]

Sharing the name does not establish descent from an imperial household.

The Liu surname with distinct characters historical accounts and recorded forms

A Roman-letter spelling can conceal important distinctions. Understanding this surname requires keeping the Chinese character, older word senses, traditional origin accounts and a person’s own recorded name separate.

Liu Characters and Meaning: 刘, 劉 and 柳

刘 and 劉 are simplified and traditional forms of the same surname. The Mandarin reading liú has a rising second tone. Classical dictionaries record both a weapon resembling an axe or battle-axe and a verb meaning to kill or slaughter.^[1][2]

The willow surname（柳，liǔ）is different: its Mandarin reading has a third tone, and the character also names the willow tree. Without tone marks, both may appear as Liu. Thus “Liu means willow” is accurate for 柳, not a definition of 刘／劉.^[3]

2019 mainland rank: 4th.^[9]

Several Routes into the Liu Surname

One traditional account places Liu Lei（刘累／劉累，liú lěi）among descendants of the ancient ruler Yao（尧／堯，yáo）, within the Qi lineage（祁，qí）. The associated narrative credits him with tending dragons. The dragon episode belongs to legend; its preservation in an old text does not demonstrate a living family’s descent.^[4]

Another account concerns the Ji lineage（姬，jī）and a grant at a Liu settlement（刘邑／劉邑，liú yì）. The old geographical discussion associates this route with Goushi（缑氏／緱氏，gōushì）. Here, the explanation is a place-name becoming an inherited family name.^[4]

Surname adoption supplies a further route. The Book of Wei records the compound name Dugu（独孤／獨孤，dúgū）changing to Liu in its Northern Wei（北魏，běi wèi）surname list. These are different historical explanations for entering the same surname, rather than one universal founding story.^[5]

The Han Imperial Connection

Liu Bang（刘邦／劉邦，liú bāng）founded the Han dynasty（汉朝／漢朝，hàn cháo）. This makes the surname’s imperial association specific and historically meaningful: Liu was his family name, while Han named the dynasty he established.^[6]

Royal descent requires a documented family connection. Old texts also describe other households entering the surname through the formation and adoption routes discussed here.^[4][5]

Liu, Lau and Liew in Personal Records

Recorded personal names supply concrete examples. Mandarin readings here explain the characters; they do not replace a person’s established spelling.

Forma	Named example	Evidence context
Liu	Liu Bang	The Mandarin dictionary gives liú bāng for 劉邦.^[6]
Lau	Andy Lau（刘德华／劉德華，liú déhuá）	The actor’s company provides Chinese and English versions of his profile.^[7]
Liew	Liew Daren（刘国伦／劉國倫，liú guólún）	A Malaysian interview identifies him with this Roman-letter name and 刘国伦.^[8]

How to Compare Liu Family Records

Copy the Chinese surname exactly, distinguishing 刘／劉 from 柳.
Retain each document’s personal spelling; record other search forms separately.
Compare full names, relatives, hometowns and dates before combining entries.
Follow connected generations before attaching your household to an imperial or legendary lineage.

FAQs About the Liu Surname

Are Liu and Lau the Same Surname?

They can represent 刘／劉. A real person’s full Chinese name and recorded spelling provide a better match than the Roman letters alone.^[6][7]

Is Liu the Chinese Word for Willow?

柳, read liǔ with a third tone, means willow and is also a surname. 刘／劉, read liú with a second tone, is a different character and family name.^[1][3]

Are All Liu Families Descended from Han Emperors?

The surname alone cannot establish that. Liu Bang’s historical identity and the genealogy of a modern household require different evidence; old texts also preserve other surname-formation routes.^[4][5][6]