Chiu

Chiu is a Chinese surname with multiple possible origins, reflecting the rich and complex history of Chinese family names. One prominent origin traces back to the ancient state of Qi (齊) during the Zhou Dynasty. Descendants of Duke Tai of Qi, whose personal name was Lü Shang (呂尚), adopted the surname Qiu (邱) to honor their ancestor. Another origin is from the surname Qiu (丘), which means 'hill' or 'mound'. During the Qing Dynasty, to avoid the personal name of Confucius (Kong Qiu, 孔丘), many people with the surname Qiu (丘) changed it to Qiu (邱) by adding the radical '邑' (yì), meaning 'city' or 'district', to the original character. This change was a sign of respect, as it was taboo to use the same character as a revered figure. Over time, both characters have been romanized as 'Chiu' in various dialect groups, particularly Cantonese.