Genealogy
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Genealogy sites:
Genealogy
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Genealogy sites:
Chinese Names
Given birth name : a name of expectation
Chinese people usually have 3 character names - the first character is the family name, second character is the middle name, 3rd character is the given name. The 2nd & 3rd names usually combine to form a very auspicious name with regard to intelligence, wisdom, wealth etc - a name of "expectation" - generally given by the hopeful parents to a newborn child. Generally, the middle name is the same for that generation of siblings or first cousins of that generation - regardless of gender.
Genealogy name “hao” ( 號 ) given when Chinese males marry
Most Chinese family clans have a family/ clan poem, each character of the poem represents a generation. When Chinese males get married - they get a "genealogy name" a (hao). The first character - the family / clan name remains the same, the second character ( bon - pie ) is the character from the family poem that represents his generation and the given name - generally describes that person - as he turned out as an adult.
The designation of a hao is not generally practiced anymore and the method of assigning a given name can vary.
Excellent resources on Chinese names are: Chinese American Names: Tradition and Transition by Emma Woo Louie, 1998, McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, Box 611, Jefferson, North Carolina 28640, ISBN 0-7864-0418-3, 230 pages and also: In Search of Your Asian Roots: Genealogical Research on Chinese Surnames by Sheau-yueh J. Chao, 2000, Clearfield Company, Inc., Baltimore, Maryland, ISBN 0-8063-4946-8, 323 pages