Yao Family History

Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 姚 meaning ‘far’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from the first element of the placename Yao Xu (姚墟) (said to be located in present-day Puyang in Henan province) said to be the birthplace of the legendary Emperor Shun (c. 23rd century BC). (ii) from Yao (姚) the name of an ancient state (probably located in present-day in Shandong province) during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC).

Chinese: Mandarin form of the surnames 么 and 幺: these surnames were documented in the Southern and Northern Dynasties (420–589 AD) but their origin was unexplained.

Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 要: from the first element of the personal name Yao Li (要离) an assassin in the state of Wu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC).

Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 藥 meaning 'medicine drug' in Chinese: traced back to the Tangut and some minority ethnic groups in southwestern China.

Chinese: alternative Cantonese Romanization of the surnames 游 and 尤 see You 1 and Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 饒 see Rao 7: West African (Ghana): Akan name a variant of Yaw.