Wong (surname)
Origin | |
---|---|
Word/name | China |
Region of origin | China, Bianjing, Hainan and Hong Kong |
Other names | |
Related names | Vong, Huang, Wang. Heng |
Wong' is the Jyutping (Cantonese) and Hong Kong romanization of the mainland Chinese surnames Wang (Chinese: 王).
Huang and Vong (simplified Chinese: 黄; traditional Chinese: 黃), two ubiquitous Chinese surnames; Wang (Chinese: 汪), another common Chinese surname; and a host of other rare Chinese surnames, including Heng (simplified Chinese: 横; traditional Chinese: 橫), Hong (Chinese: 弘), Hong (simplified Chinese: 闳; traditional Chinese: 閎), and Hong (Chinese: 宏)
Note that, while 汪 could be distinguished by its tone, 黃 (Wong/Huang) and 王 (Wong/Wang) are homophones in Cantonese. To differentiate the two in conversation, 黃 (Wong/Huang) is customarily referred to by native Cantonese speakers as 黃河的黃 (Yellow River Wong), 黃金的黃 (Yellow Gold Wong) "big belly Wong" (as the character resembles a person with a big belly) or by native Mandarin speakers as "grass-head Wong" (due to its first radical), whereas the 王 (Wong/Wang) is referred as the "three-stroke Wong" (due to its prominent 3 horizontal strokes Or the 'King' Wong
Distribution
Within China, Taiwan names are written using Chinese characters and are officially romanized using the Hanyu Pinyin. In Hong Kong and Macau and among the Chinese diaspora abroad, though, many choose to romanize their name according to their dialectical pronunciation.
Thus, while there is no official tally of "Wong's" inside China or Taiwan, Wong is the 6th most common Chinese name in Singapore, the 3rd most common Chinese name in America, and the most common Chinese name in Ontario, Canada.
Although recent immigration from central and northern China has caused the pinyin romanizations "Wang" and "Huang" to become more common, "Wong" is still by far the most common version in all three locations, just as "Lee" remains more common than "Li".
Origins
The history of the romanization "Wong" begins Bianjing (汴京) during the Song dynasty (a noticeable empress Empress Wang (Taizu). Some historical information showed that the name can be traced back to 206 BC–220 AD Han dynasty.
The romanisation "Wong" is also linked with mainland Chinese "Wang (surname)" which has a historical name from Zi in Shang dynasty .
The name is now widely used in Hong Kong and some of the commonwealth countries. Many migrants moved to plan countries, south-east Asia, Europe, Canada,Australia and the United States.
List of persons with the surname
- Alan Wong, co-founder of Hawaii Regional Cuisine
- Alfonso Wong (born 1924), Hong Kong manhua artist
- Alice Wong (Alice Siu-Ping Wong, born 1948), Canadian politician
- Alison Wong (born 1960), New Zealand poet
- Amy Wong, fictional Futurama character
- Amy Wong, Hong Kong film producer
- Andrea Wong, American Chief Executive Officer and President of Lifetime Networks
- Andrew Wing Chung Wong, Founding President, The Institution of Fire Engineers Canada Branch, Executive Officer Vaughan Fire & Rescue Service (Ret'd)
- Andrew Wong (Andrew Wong Wang Fat, born 1943), the last president of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong during British rule
- Andy Asook Wong, New Zealand actor
- Angel Wong Chui Ling, a Hong Kong-born expat in Malaysia-based TV and radio personality, host and columnist.
- Anna May Wong (1905–1961), Chinese-American film actor
- Anthony Wong (Anthony Brandon Wong, born 1965), Australian actor
- Arthur Wong (Arthur Wong Ngok-Tai), Hong Kong cinematographer, actor, and director
- Baim Wong (born 1981), Indonesian actor
- Barbara Jean Wong (1924–1999), American actress
- Barry Wong (Barry Wong Ping-Yiu, 1946–1991), Hong Kong screenwriter, film producer and actor
- B.D. Wong (Bradley Darryl Wong, born 1960), actor in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
- Benedict Wong (born 1970), English actor and comedian
- Bennet Wong (Bennet Randall Wong, born 1930), Canadian psychiatrist, author and lecturer
- Bob Wong (Robert Charles Wong, born 1941), Canadian cabinet minister
- Bosco Wong (Bosco Wong Chung-Chak, born 1980), Hong Kong actor and singer
- Brandon Wong, Malaysian actor
- Byron Wong (Byron Kent Wong), Canadian music producer and musician
- Casanova Wong (Yong-ho Kim, born 1945), Korean martial arts expert and actor
- Charlene Wong (born 1966), Canadian figure skater
- Chris Wong Won or Fresh Kid Ice, rap singer
- Christopher Wong, film score composer
- Claire Wong, Singaporean actress and writer
- Cyril Wong (born 1977), Singaporean poet and writer
- Dave Wong (Wong Kit, born 1962), Chinese pop star
- David Wong, American author
- David Wong, American professor of philosophy
- David Shou-Yeh Wong, Hong Kong billionaire, finance tycoon and philanthropist
- Dayo Wong (Dayo Wong Tze-Wah, born 1960), Hong Kong actor, comedian, singer and screenwriter
- Debbie Wong, Hong Kong born actress and model
- Delbert E. Wong (1920–2006), Chinese American judge
- Denise Wong (21st century), Canadian actor
- Dick Yin Wong (1920–1978), American lawyer and judge
- Eddie Wong, American stuntman and voice actor
- Edward Wong, New York Times reporter
- Eleanor Wong, Singaporean writer and playwright
- Eleanor Wong (Eleanor Wong Yee-lun), Hong Kong pianist
- Elizabeth Wong (born 1972), Malaysian politician
- Elizabeth Wong (Elizabeth Wong Chien Chi-lien), Hong Kong-born writer and politician
- Ellen Wong Canadian actress
- Emily Wong (born 1990), Hong Kong actress and singer
- Emme Wong (Emme Wong Yee-Man, born 1981), Hong Kong actress and singer
- Erasmo Wong, Peruvian-Chinese businessman, founder of the Wong supermarket chain
- Esther Wong (1917–2005), Chinese American music promoter
- Faye Wong (born 1969), Chinese singer, songwriter, actress and model
- Felix Wong (Felix Wong Yat-Wah, born 1961), Hong Kong actor
- Ferlyn Wong (born February 1, 1992), Singaporean singer and former member of South Korean girl group, Skarf.
- Francis Wong, American jazz saxophonist, and flutist
- Freddie Wong (born 1985), American electronic sports player and film maker
- Gwen Wong (Gwen Lipscomb), Filipino-American model and actress
- Harry Wong, American educator and author
- Howard Wong, American dancer
- Ivana Wong (Wong Oi Chi, born 1979), Hong Kong singer
- Jacky Wong (Jacky Wong Shu Hei, born 1998), Hong Kong child actor
- Jade Snow Wong (1922–2006), American ceramic artist and writer
- Jadin Wong (1913–2010), American dancer, actress, comedian
- James Wong (James Wong Chye Fook, born 1952), Malaysian footballer
- James Wong (born 1959), American television producer, writer and film director
- James Wong, British ethnobotanist and television presenter
- Jan Wong (born 1953), Canadian journalist of Chinese ancestry
- Jo Y. Wong, Canadian professor of mechanical engineering
- Joe Wong (Joseph Hauoli L. Wong, born 1976), American football offensive lineman
- Joe Wong, Chinese American comedian
- Joey Wong (born 1967), Taiwanese actress
- Joseph Wong (Joseph Wong Wing Ping, born 1948), Hong Kong government official
- Joseph Yu Kai Wong, Canadian medical doctor, founder of The Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care
- Julia Wong, film editor
- Kailee Wong (born 1976), American football linebacker
- Kevin Wong (Kevin Kahn Wong, born 1972), American professional beach volleyball player
- Kirk Wong (Kirk Wong Chi Keung, born 1949), Hong Kong film director and actor
- Kolten Wong (Kolten Kaha Wong, born 1990), American Major League Baseball player, currently second baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals
- Kristina Wong (Kristina Sheryl Wong), American artist, writer and actor
- Lee Anne Wong, American chef
- Leonard Wong, U.S. Army research professor, and author on leadership strategy
- Linda Wong (1951–1987), American adult film actress
- Lyen Wong (Milagros Lyen Wong Aseguinolaza, born 1974), German-Cuban fitness athlete
- Manfred Wong (Manfred Wong Man-Chun, born 1957), Hong Kong film producer, screenwriter, director and actor
- Martha Wong, American politician
- Martin Wong (1946–1999), American painter
- Mary W. S. Wong, American professor of law
- Matt Wong (Matthew Wong, born 1973), bassist of ska punk band Reel Big Fish
- Michael Wong (Michael Fitzgerald Wong, born 1965), Chinese-American actor, director, and singer
- Michael Wong (born 1970), Malaysian singer
- Mike Wong (Michael Anthony Wong, born 1925), American ice hockey forward
- Natalie Wong (Natalie Kei Ying Wong, born 1976), Hong Kong actress
- Nellie Wong (born 1934), American poet and feminist
- Nicole Wong, American deputy general counsel at Google
- Norman Wong, American writer
- Pansy Wong (Pansy Yu Fong Wong, born 1955), the Minister for Ethnic Affairs, Minister of Women's Affairs, Associate Minister for ACC
- Patrick Wong, Canadian politician
- Patty Wong, Peruvian-Chinese model and entertainer
- Paul Wong (born 1954), Canadian multimedia artist
- Paul Wong (Paul Wong Koon-Chung, born 1964), Hong Kong singer-songwriter and guitarist
- Penny Wong (Penelope Ying-yen Wong, born 1968), Australian Senator, Minister for Finance and Deregulation
- Peter Wong (1932–1998), Canadian politician
- Peter Wong (born 1942), Australian politician
- Peter Wong (Peter Wong Tung-shun, born 1951), Hong Kong General Manager of HSBC Group
- Peter Wong (Peter Hing-kwei Wong), Hong Kong sports commentator
- Philip Wong (Philip Wong Yu-hong, born 1938), Hong Kong politician
- Pio Wong (Pio Iowane Wong), Fijian politician
- Race Wong (Race Wong Yuen-Ling, born 1982), Hong Kong actress and singer
- Raymond Wong Ho-yin (born 1975), Hong Kong actor
- Raymond Wong (Raymong Wong Hung-chiu, born 1958), Hong Kong Permanent Secretary for Education
- Raymond Wong (Raymond Wong Pak-Ming, born 1948), Hong Kong actor, film director, producer and scriptwriter
- Raymond Wong (Raymond Wong Ying-Wah), Hong Kong film score composer
- Raymond K. Wong (Raymond Kin Wong, born 1966), Chinese-American novelist, author of The Pacific Between
- Ricardo Wong (Ricardo Wong Kuoman), Peruvian politician
- Ricky Wong (Ricky Wong Shee Kai, born 1981), Malaysian entrepreneur and philanthropist
- Ricky Wong (Ricky Wong Wai Kay, born 1962), Hong Kong entrepreneur
- Rita Wong (born 1968), Canadian poet
- Roberto Wong (born 1979), Costa Rican footballer
- Rosanna Wong (Rosanna Wong Yick-ming, born 1952), Hong Kong social work administrator and politician
- Rosanne Wong (Wong Yuen-Guan, born 1979), Hong Kong actress and singer
- Roy Bin Wong, Chinese-American economics historian
- Russel Wong (born 1961), Asian photographer
- Russell Wong (born 1963), American actor and photographer
- Samuel Wong (born 1962), Hong Kong-born Canadian conductor and ophthalmologist
- Shawn Wong (born 1949), American professor of English
- Sherine Wong (Sherine Wong Sook Ling, born 1979), Miss Malaysia Universe 1998
- Stanford Wong (John Ferguson, born 1943), gambling author
- Susan Wong, Hong Kong singer
- Ted Wong, American martial arts practitioner
- Ted Wong, US Army General
- Teresa Wong, Hong Kong Chinese Erhu player
- Terry Wong, Canadian pilot and astronaut
- Tien Wong, Australian medical researcher
- Timothy C. Wong (born 1941), Chinese-American sinologist and translator
- Tobi Wong (born 1974), Canadian artist and designer
- Tony Wong (Tony C. Wong, 1948–2009), parliamentarian from Ontario, Canada
- Tyrus Wong (born 1910), Chinese-American painter, and muralist
- Victor Wong (1927–2001), American actor
- Victor Wong (1906–1972), American actor
- Victor Wong (born 1972), Malaysian singer
- Vincent Wong (born 1983), Hong Kong actor and singer
- Wayne Wong (born 1981), tennis player from Hong Kong
- Willie "Woo Woo" Wong, Chinese-American basketball player
- Winston Wong (born 1951), Taiwanese businessman and chair of the Formosa Plastics Group (FPG)
- Y. C. Wong (Yau-chun Wong, 1921–2000), Chinese-American architect
- Wong Ah Kiu (1918–2006), Malaysian woman involved in a freedom of religion case
- Wong Chan Tong, Macau civil servant
- Wong Chin-chu (born 1947), Taiwanese politician
- Wong Chin Foo, Chinese-American journalist
- Wong Chin Huat, Malaysian political scientist
- Wong Chin Hung (born 1982), Hong Kong professional footballer
- Wong Cho-lam (born 1980), Hong Kong singer and actor
- Wong Choong Hann (born 1977), professional Malaysian badminton player
- Wong Chun-chun, Hong Kong actress, and film director
- Wong Chun Yue (born 1978), Hong Kong professional footballer
- Wong Chung-Yoh (circa 17th century), Chinese martial arts expert
- Wong Doc-Fai (born 1948), Chinese martial arts expert
- Wang Feifei (王霏霏), Fei is a Chinese singer member part of South Korean girl group Miss A.
- Wong Fei-hung (1847–1924), martial artist, practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine, revolutionary and Chinese folk-hero
- Wong Fei-lung, Hong Kong actor and action director
- Wong He (born 1967), Hong Kong actor
- Wong How Man (born 1949), Chinese explorer
- Wong Jack Man (born c.1940), Chinese martial artist and martial arts teacher
- Wong Jeh Shyan (born 1964), CEO of CommerceNet Singapore, environmentalist and high risk Venture Capitalist
- Wong Jim (James Wong Jim, 1940–2004), Cantopop lyricist and writer
- Wong Jing, Hong Kong film director, producer, actor, presenter, and screenwriter
- Wong JingLun (born 1983), Singaporean singer and actor
- Wong Ka Keung (born 1964), Hong Kong musician, composer and songwriter
- Wong Ka Kui (1962–1993), Hong Kong composer, songwriter, musician and singer, founder of the Hong Kong rock band Beyond
- Wong Kam Kau (born 1978), Hong Kong fencer
- Wong Kam-po (born 1973), Hong Kong racing cyclist
- Wong Kan Seng (born 1946), Singaporean politician
- Wong Kar-wai (born 1958), Hong Kong film director
- Wong Kei-ying (1815–1886), Chinese martial artist and physician
- Wong Kew-Lit (born 1971), Malaysian film director and producer
- Wong Kiew Kit (born 1944), Chinese martial arts expert and writer
- Wong Kwok-hing (born 1949), Hong Kong trade unionist
- Wong Kwok-kin (born 1952), Hong Kong politician
- Wong Kwok-pun (born 1946), Hong Kong poet and translator
- Wong Li-Lin (born 1972), Singaporean actress
- Wong Meng Kong (born 1963), Singaporean chess grandmaster
- Wong Mew Choo (born 1983), Malaysian badminton player
- Wong Pei Tty (born 1981), Malaysian badminton player
- Wong Peng Soon (1918–1996), Singaporean badminton player
- Wong Sai Hou, Malaysian politician
- Wong Sai Kong (born 1978), Malaysian footballer
- Wong Shik Ling (1908–1959), Hong Kong Cantonese linguist
- Wong Shun Leung (1935–1997), Hong Kong martial arts expert
- Wong Sing Chi (born 1957), Hong Kong politician
- Wong Tin-lam (born 1928), Hong Kong screenwriter, director, and actor
- Wong Ting-kwong (born 1949), Hong Kong politician
- Wong Tsu (1893–1965), Chinese-American aircraft designer and aviator
- Wong Yan Lung (born 1963), Hong Kong barrister and judge
- Wong Yiu Fu (born 1981), Hong Kong footballer
- Wong Yuk-long (born 1950), Hong Kong Manhua artist
- Wong Yuk-man (born 1951), Hong Kong politician and author
- Wong Yung-kan (born 1951), Hong Kong politician
See also
- Huang (surname) and Wang (surname) for more information and other romanizations
- Ah Wong, a surname