Xie Family History

Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 謝 meaning ‘thank’ in Chinese: (i) from Xie (謝) the name of an ancient state (possibly located in Nanyang in Henan province) annexed around the Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC). Later this place was probably granted to Shen Bo (the Earl of Shen), uncle of King Xuan of Zhou (reigned 827–782 BC). After it was annexed during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC), the name of the state was adopted as a surname. (ii) adopted in place of the surname Zhi-Le (直勒) by Xie Xiaozheng (謝孝政), an official during the Northern Qi dynasty (550–577 AD).

Mandarin form of the surname 解 meaning ‘acrobat skills’ in ancient Chinese: (i) possibly from the placename Xie (解) (located in Luoyang in Henan province) to which descendants of Feizi (died 858 BC), the first king of the state of Qin, is said to have migrated. (ii) from the placename Xie (解), the name of a fief (located in Shanxi province) granted to Liang, a grandson of King Wu of Zhou (c. 1087–1043 BC). (iii) possibly a shortened form of the compound surname Xie Pi (解批) said to be traceable back to Can Lu, an official during the reign of the legendary Yan Di, the ‘Yan Emperor’, a shadowy figure who, according to the legend, lived and reigned some time well before 2000 BC.

Mandarin form of the surname 頡 meaning ‘flying upward’ (of bird): (i) said to be derived from Cang Jie (倉頡), the official historiographer during the reign of the legendary Huang Di, the ‘Yellow Emperor’ (c. 27th century BC). Cang Jie is said to have been the inventor of Chinese characters. (ii) from Yu Jie (羽頡), a royal official in charge of horses in the state of Zheng during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (iii) said to be adopted as a Chinese surname by descendants of Illig Qaghan or Xie Li Kehan in Chinese (頡利可汗) (died 634 AD), the last head of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate, who was captured and sent to Emperor Taizong of Tang (598–649 AD).