Genealogical Research · Family Connections · Published on 2026-10-06

Clues to the Origins and Branches of the Liu Lineage: From the Legend of Liu Xia Hui to the Branches in Yunhe

Existing clues in Liu genealogical records link legends about the origin of the surname with residence in Hedong and migrations to southern Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangdong. However, the dates of some generations and the names of certain places still require cross-checking against original genealogies, local gazetteers, and epitaphs. These materials cannot be used to conclude that all people surnamed Liu descend from the same lineage.

Early accounts of the origins of the Liu lineage often trace it back to Zhan Huo of the State of Lu during the Spring and Autumn period, known in legend as Liu Xia Hui. Relevant genealogies state that his courtesy name was Ziqin and that he was posthumously titled Hui; because he received his fief at Liuxia, his descendants subsequently adopted Liu as their surname. This account holds an important place in traditional Liu genealogies. However, because the early generations lie far in the past and transmitted copies, additions, and variant editions coexist, specific branches should still be assessed cautiously in conjunction with surviving genealogical prefaces, official histories, local gazetteers, and excavated materials.

One genealogical line of evidence states that a descendant of Liu Xia Hui named An lived in Xie County, Hedong, at the end of the Qin dynasty, after which the succession of generations becomes difficult to trace continuously for several hundred years. During the Eastern Jin period, Liu Yanzong held office and served as governor of Linhai, and the family subsequently became connected with Dongyang. During the Yuanjia era of the Southern Song, Liu Su moved from the area around Longyou, Quzhou, to Songyang in Kuo Prefecture. His son, Yuan Ye, later moved to Fuyun Township, Xiyangli, Lishui, approximately in the area of present-day Yunhe, Zhejiang. According to this account, Yuan Ye is regarded as an important founding figure of the local Liu lineage. However, the relevant dates, official posts, and migration routes still need to be checked item by item against different versions of clan genealogies and local gazetteers; no definitive conclusion can be drawn from a single genealogical edition alone.

The genealogy also records that the Yunhe Liu lineage later divided and spread to many places. One branch moved to Yingchuan in the 13th du of Qingtian, now in the area of Jingning; other descendants migrated to Putian, Fujian, during the Yuan dynasty and subsequently spread to Chaoyang, Guangdong. Later, additional branches moved to Hui'an, Shouning, and other places. The Liu genealogies of Liuguan, Banghu, Hongcheng, and other places may provide clues for tracing these migration routes, but genealogies with the same title or similar records do not automatically prove that the lineages in these places are fully continuous with one another.

When tracing one’s roots, place names, ancestral hall names, generation names, and information about ancestral shrines and graves should be corroborated against ancestral villages, the names of founding migrants, the dates of genealogical prefaces, and records in local gazetteers. People with the same surname are not necessarily of the same lineage, and the same founding-ancestor legend may have been adopted by different branches. The ZongMai Surname Database is still supplementing information on the origins, commanderies of prominence, ancestral hall names, and generation names of some surnames. Online genealogies, family memoirs, and local gazetteer databases can be used to organize clues, but cannot replace the authentication of original documents. To confirm the relationship between a particular Liu branch and the places of Yunhe, Jingning, Putian, Chaoyang, Hui'an, or Shouning, verifiable genealogical pages, tombstones, ancestral hall inscriptions, and continuous records of successive generations are still required.

Record your family’s stories on ZongMai Genealogy →