The Han dynasty work Feng Su Tung Yi (Penetrating Popular Ways) divides the 100 surnames of that era into nine categories, according to origin: ancestral surnames, posthumous titles, style names, aristocratic names, official posts, names of feudal lands, places of residence, special activities or skills, and profession.
根據漢朝應劭所作的《風俗通義》，他把當時中國一百多個姓氏區分為九類，分別起源於祖先的號、謚、字、爵名、分封的國名、居住的地名、官名或是職業。