Our answer
China’s 27th most common surname 邓
A surname traced to the ancient state of Deng, around today’s Dengzhou in Henan
The short answer
Deng (邓, traditional 鄧, Dèng) is a Chinese surname ranked 27th in China by the Ministry of Public Security in 2019. It refers to the ancient state of Deng, around today’s Dengzhou in Henan, whose people took its name as their surname. It is spelled Tang in Hong Kong, Teng in Taiwan and Đặng in Vietnam.
| In Chinese | 邓 (simplified), 鄧 (traditional) |
|---|---|
| Pinyin | Dèng (fourth, falling tone) |
| Rank in China (2019) | 27th, Ministry of Public Security list of the 100 most common surnames |
| Other spellings | Tang (Cantonese, Hong Kong and Macao), Teng (Wade–Giles, Taiwan), Ong or Ang (Taishanese), Đặng (Vietnamese) |
| Meaning of the character | The name of the ancient state of Deng, which existed under the Shang and Zhou dynasties |
| Largest in | Guangdong, the province with the most people named Deng (Fuxi Institution, 2013) |
| Population | About 8.21 million, 0.62% of China’s population (Fuxi Institution, 2013) |
Origins of the Deng surname
The surname comes from the state of Deng (邓国), a small state of the Shang and Zhou periods centred on what is now Dengzhou in southern Henan; some accounts place it in neighbouring Hubei. Tradition says its rulers originally bore the surname Man (曼) and were enfeoffed by the Shang king Wu Ding.
In the Spring and Autumn period Deng was conquered by the state of Chu, and its people took the name of their old state as their surname. The family’s traditional ancestral seat is Nanyang (南阳), the commandery that included Dengzhou, and Nanyang Hall (南阳堂) is the traditional name of the Deng ancestral hall.[3][4][5]
How Deng is spelled around the world
Deng is one of the surnames whose English spelling changes most from place to place.[1][3]
| Spelling | Where | Language or system |
|---|---|---|
| Deng | Mainland China | Mandarin, pinyin |
| Tang | Hong Kong and Macao | Cantonese |
| Teng | Taiwan; also Hokkien communities | Mandarin (Wade–Giles); Hokkien |
| Ong, Ang | Families of Taishanese origin | Taishanese |
| Then | Hakka communities | Hakka |
| Teng, Deang, Tengco, Tangco | Philippines | Hokkien-based local forms |
| Đặng | Vietnam, where it is one of the ten most common surnames | Vietnamese |
| Deung (등) | Korea, where it is very rare | Korean |
Where the Deng surname is most common
Deng was the 27th most common surname in the Ministry of Public Security’s 2019 list, the same position it held in the Fuxi Institution’s 2013 ranking. Fuxi estimated about 8.21 million people named Deng in 2013, or 0.62% of the population, with Guangdong the province with the most. The top 100 surnames together cover 85.9% of China’s registered population.
The surname is found mainly in Sichuan, Hunan and Guangdong, and in Hong Kong. In Taiwan it ranks 54th and is concentrated in the north of the island. In Vietnam, Đặng is one of the ten most common surnames.[1][2][3][4]
Famous people named Deng
Several of the best-known holders of the name are from Hong Kong and Taiwan, where it is spelled Tang or Teng.[3]
| Name | Chinese | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Deng Ai | 邓艾 | General of the state of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period |
| Deng Shiru | 邓石如 | Calligrapher and seal carver |
| Teresa Teng | 邓丽君 | Singer from Taiwan |
| Deng Yaping | 邓亚萍 | Table tennis player |
| Deng Chao | 邓超 | Actor |
| G.E.M. (Tang Tsz-kei, born 1991) | 邓紫棋 | Hong Kong singer |
| Sheren Tang | 邓萃雯 | Hong Kong television actress |
| Stephy Tang (born 1983) | 邓丽欣 | Hong Kong Cantopop singer and actress |
Questions readers ask
What does the Deng surname mean?
邓 refers to the ancient state of Deng, which existed under the Shang and Zhou dynasties around today’s Dengzhou in Henan. After the state was conquered by Chu, its people took its name as their surname.
Is Deng a Chinese last name?
Yes. Deng (邓) is the 27th most common surname in China in the Ministry of Public Security’s 2019 list. In Vietnam the same surname, Đặng, is one of the ten most common.
How common is the Deng surname in China?
The Fuxi Institution estimated about 8.21 million people named Deng in 2013, around 0.62% of the population. Guangdong has the most, and the name is also common in Sichuan and Hunan.
How do you pronounce Deng?
In pinyin it is Dèng, with a falling fourth tone. The pinyin e here is a short, neutral vowel, so the name sounds roughly like ‘dung’ said sharply, not like ‘deng’ rhyming with ‘length’.
Is Tang the same as Deng?
Sometimes. Tang is the Cantonese spelling of 邓 used in Hong Kong and Macao, as with the singer G.E.M. (邓紫棋, Tang Tsz-kei). But Tang is also the pinyin spelling of the separate surnames 唐 and 汤.
Is Teng the same as Deng?
Usually, yes. Teng is the Wade–Giles spelling of 邓 common in Taiwan, as with the singer Teresa Teng (邓丽君).
Where does the Deng family come from?
Tradition places its origin in the state of Deng in southern Henan, and its ancestral seat is Nanyang. Today it is most common in Guangdong, Sichuan and Hunan.
Sources
- Wikipedia, List of common Chinese surnames (2019 Ministry of Public Security ranking; 2013 Fuxi Institution figures; romanisation table) · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- The Paper (澎湃新闻), 2019年全国姓名报告 (Ministry of Public Security Household Registration Administration Research Center, January 2020) · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- Wikipedia, Deng (Chinese surname) · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- Wikipedia (Chinese), 邓姓 · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- Behind the Name, Deng (surname) · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- Wikipedia, Tang (surname) · accessed 1 Nov 2026
Update log. 1 November 2026 — reviewed. Next review due 1 February 2027. Suggest a correction