| Ma | |
|---|---|
 Ma surname in regular script | |
| Pronunciation | Mǎ (Pinyin)
Má, Bé (Pe̍h-ōe-jī) |
| Language(s) | Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean |
| Origin | |
| Language(s) | Old Chinese |
| Derivation | Name of a district |
| Meaning | horse |
| Other names | |
| Variant(s) | Ma, Mah, Mar (Mandarin, Cantonese)
Beh (Teochew) Ma (Korean) Mã (Vietnamese) |
Ma (simplified: 马; traditional: 馬; pinyin: mǎ) is one of the most common Chinese family names. As of 2006, it ranks as the 14th most common Chinese surname in Mainland China and the most common surname within the Chinese Muslim community, specifically the Hui people, Dongxiang people, and Salars. [1] However, this surname should not be identified with the Korean surname 'Ma' which shares the same pronunciation with the Chinese 'Ma' but has its own distinct history.[1]
This surname literally means "horse". The offspring of Zhao She adopted "Ma" (馬), the first word of the district Ma Fu, as their surname. Variant spellings of "Ma" include "Mah", "Beh" and "Mar".
Chinese Muslims commonly adopted Ma as the translation for their surname Muhammad. for e.g. Ma Jian, Ma Benzhai, Ma clique.
During the Ming dynasty, the Emperor Zhengde had a Uyghur concubine with the surname Ma.[5][6]
Notable individuals with the surname Ma[edit][]
- Ma Chao, Chinese general during the Three Kingdoms Era (176 – 222)
- Ma Dai, (183 - 235) younger cousin of Ma Chao, nephew of Ma Teng
- Ma Teng, (156 - 211) father of Ma Chao, uncle of Ma Dai, son of Ma Ping
- Ma Chung-ying, Chinese Muslim warlord (fl. 1930s)
- Banharn Silpa-archa 21st Prime Minister of Thailand (born 1932)
- Ma Hualong, Hui Muslim religious and insurrection leader (died 1871)
- Ma Huateng, Chinese entrepreneur, the founder of Tencent (born 1971)
- Ma Jin, Chinese badminton player
- Ma Jun, Chinese mechanical engineer and government official
- Ma Jun, Chinese environmentalist, non-fiction writer and journalist
- Jack Ma, Chinese Internet entrepreneur (born 1964)
- Jeff Ma, Member of MIT Blackjack Team, Author
- Ma Laichi, founder of the Khufiyya, Chinese Sufi order (1681–1766)
- Ma Lik, Former Legislative Councillor and Chairman of the pro-Beijing Democratic Alliance for Betterment of Hong Kong (DAB) (1952–2007)
- Ma Long, (马龙) Chinese table tennis player, ranked number 1 as of March, 2013 in the International Table Tennis Federation (born 1988)
- Ma Mingxin, foundr of the Jahriyya, Chinese Sufi order (1719–1781)
- Qingyun Ma, Architect, founder of MADA s.p.a.m. firm and Dean of University of Southern California School of Architecture (born 1965)
- Ma Sanli, Hui Muslim comedian (1914–2003)
- Ma Sicong, Chinese composer of classical music (1912–1987)
- Tzi Ma, Chinese-American actor (born 1962)
- Ma Xiaochun, Chinese professional Go player (born 1964)
- Ma Xiaonian, Physician and sexologist (born 1945)
- Ma Ying-jeou, President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) (born 1950)
- Ma Yuan (Han Dynasty), Chinese general of Eastern Han Dynasty (14 BC – 49)
- Ma Yuan (painter), Chinese painter of Song Dynasty (1160–1165 to 1225)
- Yo-Yo Ma, French-born American cellist (born 1955)
- Ma Anliang (馬安良) Qing Dynasty General
- Ma Bufang (馬步芳), warlord in China during the Republic of China era, ruling the northwestern province of Qinghai
- Ma Buqing (馬步青), warlord in China during the Republic of China era, brother of Ma Bufang
- Ma Bukang (馬步康), warlord in China during the Republic of China era
- Ma Zhanshan (馬占山), guerilla warrior against the Japanese during the Second Sino-Japanese War
- Ma Chengxiang (馬呈祥), warlord in China during the Republic of China era, son of Ma Buqing
- Ma Ching-chiang, Republic of China Army Lt. General
- Yusuf Ma Dexin (馬德新), Qing-era Islamic scholar
- Ma Dunjing (1906-1972), (馬惇靖) Republic of China Lieutenant-General
- Ma Dunjing (1910-2003), (馬敦靜) Republic of China Lieutenant-General
- Ma Wanfu (馬萬福), Dongxiang anti Qing rebel and Yihewani founder
- Ma Dahan, Dongxiang anti Qing rebel
- Ma Fulu (馬福綠) Qing Dynasty Army Officer
- Ma Fushou (馬福壽) Qing Dynasty Army Officer
- Ma Fuxiang (馬福祥) Qing Dynasty General and a warlord in China during the Republic of China era
- Ma Fuxing (馬福興) Titai of Kashgar
- Ma Fuyuan (馬福元) Republic of China general
- Ma Guoliang Qing Dynasty Army Officer
- Ma Haiyan (馬海晏) Qing Dynasty General
- Ma Hongbin (馬鴻賓) Republic of China general
- Ma Hongkui (馬鴻逵) Republic of China general
- Ma Hushan (馬虎山) Republic of China general
- Ma Jiyuan (馬繼援) Republic of China general
- Ma Ju-lung Republic of China general
- Ma Julung, Qing Dynasty general
- Ma Zhancang (馬占倉) Republic of China general
- Ma Lin (warlord) (馬麟) Qing Dynasty and Republic of China general
- Ma Linyi Gansu Minister of Education
- Ma Qi (馬麒), Qing Dynasty and Republic of China general
- Ma Qinghua (馬青驊), Chinese racing driver (born 1987)
- Ma Qixi, founder of the Xidaotang
- Ma Qianling (馬千齡) Qing Dynasty General
- Ma Zhanao (馬占鰲) Qing Dynasty General
- Ma Zhanhai, Republic of China general
- Ma Hualong (马化龙), one of the leaders of the Muslim Rebellion of 1862–77
- Ma Shaowu (馬紹武), Daotai of Kashgar
- Ma Shenglin (馬聖鱗), Panthay Rebellion rebel and great uncle of Ma Shaowu
- Ma Sheng-kuei, a General of the 36th Division (National Revolutionary Army)
- Ma Yuanzhang, (馬元章) a Jahriyya Sufi leader, uncle of Ma Shaowu
- Ma Xiao, Republic of China general in Liu Wenhui's army
- Ma Xinyi, (馬新貽), official and a military general of the late Qing Dynasty in China
- Edward Ma, member of the electronica band Glitch Mob
- Ma Baoshan, Outstanding Post-doctoral Researcher in Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (Hometown: Nantong)