Sunday, October 5, 2008

Manchu family name

Like the Mongols, the Manchus were simply called by given name but they had their own clan names . ''Hala'' consisted of several ''mukūn'', the unit of exogamy. Unlike ''hala'', ''mukūn'' did not have corresponding names.

''The Comprehensive Book of the Eight Manchurian s' Surname-Clans'' , compiled in the middle 18th century, records many Manchu clan names. Among more than a thousand names, about 600 names are the Manchus'.

Gioro, one of major names, is the only name that has various suffix such as Ayan, Ilgen and Sirin, possibly to distinguish from the imperial family name Aisin-Gioro.

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