See the whole storyOrigin of my surname

The surname Yang originates from the Ji clan, descendants of the Yellow Emperor and the royal family of the Western Zhou Dynasty. There are three theories, but all trace back to the Zhou Dynasty royal family: 1. Originating from the second son of Shu Yu, grandson of King Wu of Zhou, and younger brother of Duke Xie of Jin. During the reign of Duke Wu of Jin (the eleventh-generation descendant of Shu Yu), his second son was enfeoffed in Yang, becoming known as Marquis Yang, the progenitor of the Yang surname. 2. Originating from Changfu, son of King Xuan of Zhou. During the reign of King Xuan, Ji Jing, King Xuan of Zhou enfeoffed his son Changfu in the State of Yang (present-day Hongdong County, Shanxi Province), making him Marquis Yang. During the Spring and Autumn Period, the State of Yang was destroyed by Jin, and its descendants adopted Yang as their surname. 3. Originating from Bo Qiao, son of Duke Wu of Jin. Bo Qiao, the second son of Duke Wu of Jin, had a grandson named Tu, whose fief was in Yangshe, hence the name Yangshe Tu. Yangshe Tu had a grandson named Yangshe Xi, courtesy name Shuxiang, who was enfeoffed in Yang (present-day Hongdong County, Shanxi Province), and thus adopted the place name as his surname, Yang. In the twelfth year of Duke Qing of Jin (514 BC), the State of Jin destroyed the Yangshe clan. Yangshe Xi (Shuxiang) had a son named Shiwo, whose son Yang Dao fled to Mount Hua and settled in the Huayin County area of Hongnong Commandery. He adopted the name of his ancestor's fief as his surname, and his descendants developed various places, becoming the mainstream of the Yang clan's propagation and development. Historically, this is known as the orthodox lineage of the Yang clan and the progenitor of the Hongnong Yang clan.

Originating from the surname Yang, in ancient times the two characters "Yang" and "Yang" were interchangeable, belonging to the category of surnames derived from fiefdom names.

Originating from surname changes. The surname Yang was primarily adopted due to reasons such as shared ancestry, seeking refuge, avoiding enemies, adoption, being adopted by another family, bestowal of a surname, and surname changes by ethnic minorities. 1. Bestowed Surname: Yang Yichen of the Sui Dynasty originally belonged to the Yuchi clan, a Xianbei ethnic group, and was one of the "Eight Families of Meritorious Officials" (eight surnames formed by the descendants of meritorious officials in the early Northern Wei Dynasty). Yichen's father was Yuchi Chong, who fought valiantly against the Turks under the military commander Daxi Changru in the early Sui Dynasty and died in battle. Emperor Wen of Sui, in remembrance of Yuchi Chong's achievements, bestowed upon Yichen the imperial surname Yang. 1. **Following the Three Kingdoms Period:** After Zhuge Liang pacified the Ailao Yi (a branch of the Liao people in Hunan and Guizhou), he bestowed surnames upon the local ethnic minorities, including Zhao, Zhang, Yang, and Li. 2. **Adoption:** Yang Feilong, the leader of the Baiqing clan during the Western Jin Dynasty, adopted his nephew Linghu Maosou, changing his surname to Yang. Yang Fuguang, originally surnamed Qiao, was fostered by the eunuch Yang Xuanjia as a child, thus changing his surname to Yang. Yang Shouliang, originally surnamed Zi and named Liang, was adopted by Yang Fuguang when he quelled the Huang Chao Rebellion in Jiangxi, and Zi Liang changed his name to Yang Shouliang. 3. **Refuge:** The Yang surname in the Gaipu area of Zhuji City, Zhejiang Province, originated from the Ni surname. Ni Zhao, the eighth-generation descendant of Ni Ying, served as an official in the Song Dynasty, holding the title of Academician of the Longtu Pavilion. Because he opposed Wang Anshi's reforms, he was exiled to Xinzhou. At that time, Ni Zhao's youngest son, Ni Shun, was still an infant and was hidden at his maternal grandparents' home in Gaipu. When the authorities attempted to arrest him, his maternal grandmother, Meng, substituted him with his maternal uncle, who was the same age as him, thus saving his life. As Ni Shun grew up, he excelled in both physique and academics. Grateful for the nurturing kindness of his maternal grandparents' family, he changed his surname from his maternal grandparents' to Yang. 4. Surname Changes Among Ethnic Minorities: After Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty moved the capital to Luoyang, he implemented a policy of Sinicization, during which the Mohulu clan changed their surname to Yang. Yang has always been a major surname among the Bai people, and during the Tang Dynasty, it was the most common surname among the Bai.