Li (李) Surname Meaning & Origin

Li (李) is a well-known Chinese surname. The character 李 has its own dictionary meaning, but as a family name it mainly functions as an identifier rather than a literal description of the family.

Chinese surnames (姓, xìng) have been used for centuries as a way to identify family lines and trace ancestry. For the surname Li (李), it’s helpful to understand how Chinese surnames generally formed and why the same surname can show up with different spellings.

Many surnames began as the names of ancient states, fiefs, places of origin, or titles held by ancestors. Others developed from clan names, occupations, or honorifics. Over time, migration, administrative records, and local dialects shaped how a surname was written and pronounced.

Across different periods, families moved for work, study, military service, and trade. These migrations spread surnames widely and also created regional pronunciation differences. Because romanization converts sound into Latin letters, the same surname can appear with multiple spellings in English.

For most people, the most useful takeaway is how the surname is written, how it’s pronounced in Mandarin, and which English spellings you may encounter.

Mandarin pinyin spelling: Li. With tone marks: Lǐ.

Below are example full names combining the surname 李 with common given-name characters (one-character given names shown for simplicity):
– 李明 (Li Míng) – bright; clear.
– 李浩 (Li Hào) – vast.
– 李杰 (Li Jié) – outstanding.
– 李然 (Li Rán) – so; thus.
– 李伟 (Li Wěi) – great.
– 李丽 (Li Lì) – beautiful.

Different dialects and romanization systems can produce different spellings for the same surname. Keep the Chinese character (李) handy to avoid confusion.