Surname Poh - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'P'
Poh: What does the surname Poh mean?
The last name Poh is a Chinese surname originating from the Chinese province of Jiangsu. It is a topographical surname derived from the Xiao Mountain located in the area. The surname Poh is a relatively uncommon one, with fewer than 4,000 people using the surname in the mainland of China today.
The character "宝" of the surname Poh is a homophone for the word "treasure". It thus suggests the surname was given to the first-ever Poh family as a metaphor for the dowry or valuable items received when a man took a bride. Over time, the surname became associated with a wish for abundance of wealth and prosperity. The character "仆" of the Poh surname is also used to represent honor, loyalty and help. This binds the two characters of Poh into a meaningful wish for all who bear the surname to prosper and stay loyal to their families and community.
The Poh surname is known to be linked to several renowned Confucian scholars, most notably Poh Hsiang Kai, Poh Hsiang Le, Poh Hsiang Sheng and Poh Hsiang Chien. Much of the Poh's legacy focuses on educational pursuits, with the surname being linked to many prominent philosophers, writers and intellectuals.
It is believed that in order to honour and protect their legacy, many generations of the Poh family have retained the surname. Consequently, the Poh surname is now strongly associated with academic pursuits, and with bringing honor to a family's name.
Order DNA origin analysisPoh: Where does the name Poh come from?
The last name Poh is most common in East and Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Brunei. In Malaysia, it's the 11th most common surname there.
In Singapore, Poh is the 4th most common last name and is especially associated with the Hokkien community there. It's one of the top ten surnames that have existed since the 14th century and it's estimated that nearly 10 percent of the population of Singapore has this surname.
In Indonesia, it's a rare surname with only a few hundred people last name Poh. It's especially found in cities like Jakarta, Bandung, and Surabaya.
In Brunei, the Poh surname is mainly associated with the Chinese community and is common in coastal areas like Miri, Tutong, and Brunei-Muara.
Overall, the last name Poh is most common in East and Southeast Asian countries and is especially associated with the Hokkien Chinese community. It's estimated that nearly 10 percent of the population in Singapore has this surname. In Indonesia and Brunei, the numbers are much more limited, with only a few hundred people having this last name in each nation.
Variations of the surname Poh
The surname Poh is a rare Asian surname originating from Southern China. It is also found among the Chinese diaspora communities in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, Indonesia, the Philippines, and other parts of the world.
Variants of the surname Poh include Moh, Poo, Pu, and Boh. In some parts of China and overseas Chinese communities, the surname Poh may also take various spellings such as Puoh, Pohh, Pew, Pouw, or Po.
In Southeast Asian countries, the name is sometimes spelled according to the local language. For example, in Vietnamese, the surname "Poh" is written as Phạm. In Malaysia, Poh may be spelled Po or Pohh, while in Singapore, it may be spelled Boh or poh. In Thailand, the surname is often written as "ภู."
The name may also appear in various other forms and combination, such as Poh-Ching, Poh-Wah, Poh-Leng, Poh-Yun, Poh-Khoon, Poh-Lim, Poh-Khuen, Poh-Seng or Poh-Siew.
The Poh surname is also known to have several related surnames, such as Oh, Ho, Hoh, and Aw, which share the same root origin or Chinese character and can trace their ancestry to the same clan. These surnames may be found in Chinese communities in other parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Famous people with the name Poh
- Ng Peh Oh, a Malaysian former sprinter who competed at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California.
- Wayne Poh, a Singaporean actor and martial artist who appeared in several martial arts hits of the 1980s, such as Mismatched Couples and The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter.
- Tanjin Poh, a Malaysian businessman and politician who served as Minister of Youth and Sports from 1977 to 1979 in the Cabinet of Malaysia.
- Matthew Poh, an Australian professional footballer who currently plays for the FC Kobenhavn football club.
- Melvyn Poh, a Singaporean author, speaker and radio personality.
- David Poh, a Malaysian hockey player who represented Malaysia at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.
- Yap Sin Yen Poh, a Malaysian author known for the popular Chinese fantasy novel series Absolutely Incredible Things.
- Richard Poh, a Singaporean professional boxer who fights in the cruiserweight division of The Ring.
- Wynnie Poh, a Hong Kong fashion designer and television presenter, best known for her work on the show Styled by Wynnie.
- Leslie Poh, a Singaporean actress best known for her role as Mai Ling in the hit Chinese comedy So I'm Not Handsome.