Our answer
China’s 16th most common surname 郭
The character means the outer wall of a city; spelled Kwok in Cantonese and Kuo in Taiwan
The short answer
Guo (郭, Guō) is a Chinese surname, ranked 16th in China in the Ministry of Public Security’s 2019 list. The character means the outer wall of a city, and tradition links the name to the ancient Zhou states of Guo. It is spelled Kwok in Hong Kong, Kuo in Taiwan and Quek or Kwek in Singapore.
| In Chinese | 郭 (the same in simplified and traditional characters) |
|---|---|
| Pinyin | Guō (first, high level tone) |
| Rank in China (2019) | 16th, Ministry of Public Security list |
| Other spellings | Kwok / Kuok (Cantonese), Kuo (Wade–Giles, Taiwan), Kueh / Kwek / Quek / Keh / Koay (Min Nan), Kok (Hakka), Quách (Vietnamese), Gwak (Korean) |
| Meaning of the character | The outer wall of a city, or the outer city |
| Most numerous in | Henan province (2013 Fuxi Institution figures) |
| Population | About 15.0 million, 1.13% of mainland China (2013 Fuxi Institution figures) |
Origins of the Guo surname
The character 郭 means the outer wall of a city. One old explanation, recorded in the classic book Fengsu Tongyi (风俗通义), is that some families simply took the name from where they lived, just outside the city wall.
The origin most often given is the ancient states of Guo (虢), ruled by relatives of the Zhou royal house. The characters 虢 and 郭 were used interchangeably, and when the Guo states were conquered, their descendants are said to have adopted 郭 as their surname. An older legend names Guo Zhi (郭支), a charioteer of Yu the Great, as the first person to bear it.
Over the centuries other families also took the name, and the English-language Wikipedia counts eight traditional origins in all. The classic family seat (郡望) of the Guo clan is Taiyuan, and a common ancestral hall name is Fenyang Hall (汾阳堂).[2][3][4]
How Guo is spelled around the world
The character is always 郭; the spelling depends on the dialect the family speaks and the country it settled in.[1][2]
| Spelling | Where | Language / system |
|---|---|---|
| Guo | Mainland China | Mandarin, pinyin |
| Kuo | Taiwan; older books on China | Mandarin, Wade–Giles |
| Kwok, Kuok | Hong Kong, Macau, Cantonese families abroad | Cantonese |
| Quek, Kwek, Kueh, Keh, Koay | Singapore, Malaysia | Min Nan (Hokkien, Teochew) |
| Kwik, Kwee | Indonesia | Min Nan |
| Que, Cue, Ker, Kho | Philippines | Min Nan, Filipino spellings |
| Quách | Vietnam | Vietnamese |
| Gwak, Kwak (곽) | Korea | Korean |
Where the Guo surname is most common
Guo was the 16th most common surname in mainland China in the Ministry of Public Security’s 2019 ranking. The Fuxi Institution’s 2013 figures put it 17th, with about 15.0 million people, or 1.13% of the population, and found more of them in Henan than in any other province.
In Taiwan, Guo (spelled Kuo) was the 15th most common surname in a 2016 survey.[1][3]
Famous people named Guo
| Name | Chinese | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Guo Ziyi (697–781) | 郭子仪 | Tang dynasty general who ended the An Lushan Rebellion; later worshipped as a god of wealth and happiness |
| Guo Shoujing (1231–1316) | 郭守敬 | Yuan dynasty astronomer who created the Shoushi calendar, used for 363 years |
| Guo Lanying | 郭兰英 | Soprano singer |
| Aaron Kwok | 郭富城 | Hong Kong singer, dancer and actor, one of the ‘Four Heavenly Kings’ of Cantopop |
| Guo Degang | 郭德纲 | Crosstalk (xiangsheng) comedian |
| Guo Jingjing | 郭晶晶 | Diver, four-time Olympic champion (2004 and 2008) |
| Guo Fan | 郭帆 | Film director |
Questions readers ask
What does the surname Guo mean?
The character 郭 means the outer wall of a city, or the outer city. As a surname it is usually traced to the ancient Zhou states of Guo (虢), whose name was written interchangeably with 郭.
Is Guo a Chinese last name?
Yes. Guo (郭) is a common Chinese surname, 16th in mainland China in 2019. The same character is used in Korea (Gwak) and Vietnam (Quách).
How common is the Guo surname in China?
It ranked 16th in the Ministry of Public Security’s 2019 list. In 2013 the Fuxi Institution counted about 15 million people named Guo, 1.13% of the population, with the most in Henan.
How do you pronounce Guo?
Roughly ‘gwaw’, said in one syllable on a high, level tone (Guō). The u is a short glide, so it is not ‘goo-oh’.
Is Kwok the same as Guo?
Yes. Kwok is the Cantonese spelling of 郭, used in Hong Kong and by Cantonese families abroad, as in the singer and actor Aaron Kwok (郭富城).
Is Kuo the same as Guo?
Yes. Kuo is the older Wade–Giles spelling of 郭, still the usual spelling in Taiwan.
Is Quek a Chinese surname?
Yes. Quek, Kwek, Kueh and Keh are Hokkien and Teochew spellings of 郭 (Guo), common in Singapore and Malaysia.
Sources
- Wikipedia, List of common Chinese surnames (2019 Ministry of Public Security ranking; 2013 Fuxi Institution figures; Taiwan 2016 survey; romanisations) · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- Wikipedia, Guo (surname) · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- Wikipedia (Chinese), 郭姓 · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- Behind the Name, Guo (surname) · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- Wikipedia, Guo Ziyi · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- Wikipedia, Guo Shoujing · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- Wikipedia, Aaron Kwok · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- Wikipedia, Guo Jingjing · accessed 1 Nov 2026
Update log. 1 November 2026 — reviewed. Next review due 1 February 2027. Suggest a correction