Chu

Chinese 朱: variant of Zhu 1.

Chinese 褚: from the name of an adminstrative position during the Spring and Autumn period (722–481 BC). At this time, many dukes of the Zhou dynasty, including the duke of the state of Song, established a high administrative position which may be roughly translated as ‘Chu master’. The descendants of a Song Chu master took this title as their surname. Additionally, there was an area named Chu during the Zhou dynasty (1122–221 BC) which lent its name to the people who lived there.

Chinese 祝: variant of Zhu 2.

Chinese 曲: variant of Qu 1.

Chinese 楚: from the name of the state of Chu, one of the most powerful states of the Warring States period (403–221 BC), adopted as a surname by its ruling class.

Chinese 鞠: variant of Ju.

Chinese 瞿: variant of Qu 2.

Chinese 屈: variant of Qu 3.

Chinese 诸: variant of Zhu 3.

Chinese 竺: variant of Zhu 4.

Korean: there are two Chinese characters for the Chu surname in use in Korea. One character has only one clan associated with it (the Shinan Chu clan), and while some records indicate that the other has as many as 25, only four can be documented; all of these descended from a common ancestor, Chu Hwang, who was naturalized in 907. The Shinan Chu clan is descended from a man named Chu Cham, a direct descendant of the Chinese philosopher Chu-tze. Chu Cham migrated from China to Korea some time in the early 13th century. Chu is a fairly common surname and is found throughout the peninsula.