Our answer
The ‘plum’ surname, No. 2 in China 李
Written with the character for ‘plum’; the most common surname among Chinese babies born in 2020
The short answer
Li (李, Lǐ) is a Chinese surname meaning ‘plum’ or ‘plum tree’, and it is the second most common surname in China after Wang, according to the Ministry of Public Security’s 2019 ranking. A 2007 count put it at about 92.07 million people. Outside the mainland it is usually spelled Lee.
| In Chinese | 李 (the same in simplified and traditional characters) |
|---|---|
| Pinyin | Lǐ (third tone, dipping then rising) |
| Rank in China (2019) | No. 2 of the 100 most common surnames |
| Other spellings | Lee (Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia), Lie (Indonesia), Lý (Vietnam), Yi, Rhee or Ri (Korea) |
| Meaning of the character | ‘Plum’ or ‘plum tree’ |
| Largest in | Hubei, Hunan, Chongqing, Sichuan and Yunnan (2019) |
| Population | About 92.07 million in mainland China, 7.19% of the population (2007) |
Origins of the Li surname
The character 李 means plum or plum tree. Tradition says the name was first written 理, a character with the same sound. According to legend, Gao Yao, a minister of the semi-mythical Xia era, held the post of Dali, ‘great judge’, and his descendants took 理 as their surname. A later story tells of Li Lizhen, the son of a minister executed by the last Shang ruler, who survived in hiding by eating plums and changed the family name to 李 in gratitude.
The first historically known bearer is Li Er (李耳), better known as Laozi, the traditional founder of Taoism, who is widely revered as the ancestor of the surname. Some Ba people of the south-west are also said to have adopted it because it sounded like their word for tiger.
The name spread hugely under the Tang dynasty (618–907), whose imperial family was named Li and claimed descent from Laozi. Tang emperors granted the surname to generals, officials and non-Han allies, which helps explain why there are so many Li today. See our guide to Chinese surnames for the wider picture.[2]
How Li is spelled around the world
Lee is by far the most familiar spelling outside the mainland, but the same character turns up in several other forms.[1][2]
| Spelling | Where | Language or dialect |
|---|---|---|
| Li | Mainland China, also Malaysia and Singapore | Mandarin (pinyin) |
| Lee | Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Korea | Cantonese, Hokkien and others; Korean |
| Lei | Macau | Cantonese |
| Lie | Indonesia | Indonesian spelling |
| Ly, Lý | Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia | Vietnamese and others |
| Yi, I, Rhee | South Korea | Korean (이) |
| Ri | North Korea | Korean (리) |
| Dy | The Philippines | Filipino Chinese spelling |
Where Li is most common
In the Ministry of Public Security’s 2019 report, Li was the largest surname in five provincial-level regions, all in central and south-western China: Hubei, Hunan, Chongqing, Sichuan and Yunnan. Wang was the largest in 16.
A 2013 study by the Fuxi Institution put Li at 7.00% of the population, about 93.4 million people, with Henan the province with the most bearers; Li makes up about 10.3% of Henan’s population. It is much rarer along the south-east coast, in Fujian, Zhejiang, Jiangxi and Hainan.
Li is also the name of the future. Among babies registered in 2020, Li was the most common surname of all, with 726,000 newborns, according to the ministry’s 2020 report.[1][2][3][4]
Famous people named Li
| Name | Chinese | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Laozi (Li Er) | 李耳 | Philosopher, by tradition the founder of Taoism |
| Li Bai | 李白 | Tang dynasty poet |
| Li Qingzhao | 李清照 | Song dynasty writer and poet |
| Li Shizhen | 李时珍 | Ming dynasty physician and pharmacologist |
| Bruce Lee | 李小龙 | Hong Kong American actor and martial artist |
| Jet Li | 李连杰 | Martial artist and actor |
| Ang Lee | 李安 | Taiwanese film director |
| Li Na | 李娜 | Tennis player and Olympian |
| Li Ning | 李宁 | Gymnast, founder of the Li-Ning sportswear company |
| Tsung-Dao Lee | 李政道 | Physicist, 1957 Nobel Prize in Physics |
Questions readers ask
What does the Li surname mean?
李 means ‘plum’ or ‘plum tree’. Legend says the family first wrote its name 理 and switched to 李, the plum, after an ancestor survived by eating plums.
Is Lee a Chinese last name?
Often, yes. Lee is the usual spelling of 李 (Li) in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia, and it is also the standard spelling of the same character in Korea. It is also an unrelated English surname.
How common is Li in China?
It is the second most common surname, after Wang. A 2007 count gave about 92.07 million people, 7.19% of the mainland population, and in 2020 it was the most common surname among newborns, with 726,000 babies.
How do you pronounce Li?
Like the English ‘lee’, said with the Mandarin third tone: the voice dips and then rises.
Is Li the most common surname in the world?
It is often described that way, with around 100 million bearers across Asia, but national counts in China place it just behind Wang.
Where in China is Li most common?
It is the top surname in Hubei, Hunan, Chongqing, Sichuan and Yunnan, and Henan has more people called Li than any other province.
Is Li the same as Lee and Ly?
Yes, when the Chinese character is 李. Lee is the common spelling in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Korea, and Lý or Ly in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.
Sources
- Wikipedia, List of common Chinese surnames · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- Wikipedia, Li (surname 李) · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- The Paper (澎湃新闻), Ministry of Public Security 2019 surname report · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- The Paper (澎湃新闻), Ministry of Public Security 2020 names report · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- Wikipedia, List of people with surname Li · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- Wikipedia (Chinese), 李姓 · accessed 1 Nov 2026
Update log. 1 November 2026 — reviewed. Next review due 1 February 2027. Suggest a correction