Chinese中文
李
Lǐ
Native name formChinese · east Asia
Li
The character for “plum”
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The story behind Li
In Mandarin, Li can represent several different surnames. The character 李 means plum; 黎 and other characters may also be romanized as Li. The original writing matters when exploring a name’s history.
Published historical accounts associate 李 with several origins, including the Tang dynasty. A spelling is a research clue, not proof of one shared family line.
Related names in East Asia
Only sourced connections in East Asian naming traditions appear here. Each form explains its relationship to this name; a shared character or reading does not establish a shared family line.
3 East Asian languages documented.
Japanese日本語
李
Ri · on-reading
Character reading · not a surname equivalentKorean한국어
이 / 리
I / Ri · commonly Lee
Shared character traditionSmall details. Longer histories.
Fun facts
One character, several readings
The character 李 is listed with Mandarin Lǐ, Vietnamese Lý, Korean 리/이 and Japanese Ri. A shared character or reading connects writing traditions, without proving a shared family line.
Artifacts & historical records
Objects and records can illuminate a particular person or community. They do not establish the ancestry of everyone with the same surname.
National Palace Museum, Taipei · Western Han · 206 BCE–8 CE
Bronze seal inscribed “Li Jia”
A Western Han bronze seal whose face is inscribed 李甲 (Li Jia), preserved in the National Palace Museum collection.
The inscription records a particular name; it does not establish a lineage for other people named Li.
Places & sources
Estimated bearers of the spelling “Li”, 2014. Worldwide estimate: 104,892,114. Third-party incidence estimates for a romanized surname; selected countries, not a census or a migration record.
| Place | Estimated bearers |
|---|---|
| China | 102,565,454 |
| Taiwan | 1,153,301 |
| Hong Kong | 224,580 |
| North Korea | 213,149 |
| Cambodia | 126,331 |
| United States | 105,265 |
| Thailand | 81,944 |
| Singapore | 71,182 |
- Dictionary of American Family Names via FamilySearchreference · checked 2026-10-03
- Forebears surname distribution estimates (2014)dataset · checked 2026-10-03
- Chữ Nôm Project · Unicode/Unihan character readingsreference · checked 2026-10-03
- National Palace Museum, Taipei · Bronze seal inscribed “Li Jia”archive · checked 2026-10-03
Finding your roots
Start with
what you know.
You don’t need a complete family tree to begin. A few good questions can turn a familiar name into a new connection.
Explore FamilySearch’s surname research guide- 01
Keep the original spelling.
Write down the name in its original script, if known. Keep alternative spellings, tone marks, and the way your family says it.
- 02
Ask about the places.
A village, region, or migration route can offer more context than a surname on its own. Begin with the stories your relatives remember.
- 03
Let records tell the next part.
Compare family documents, photographs, and historical records. Keep a note of each source and the questions still unanswered.
Our purpose
Closer to our roots.
More connected to each other.
East Origins is a place to approach Asian names and heritage with curiosity and care. We begin with the words we inherit, while making room for the many languages, communities, and personal stories behind them.
A name is an invitation to learn. Your story is yours to tell.