Pei (surname)

Pei is an East Asian surname originating in north China. In 2008, it was the 156th most common surname in mainland China, with at least 830,000 Chinese sharing this name.

There are also people with this surname based on the same Chinese letter in Vietnam (as Bùi), where it is in relative terms much more common (the 9th most common surname), and Korea (as Bae; 배).

The surname Lei was accidentally created from Pei as a result of a transcription error.

By coincidence, "Pei" is also an Italian surname (of two syllables), whose meaning may derive from the pear or pear tree, or alternatively, represent an abbreviation of "Pietro" or "Pompeo."

Historical Figures

 * Pei clan of Hedong
 * Pei Xiu (224–271), minister, geographer, and cartographer during the Three Kingdoms and Jin Dynasty
 * Pei Songzhi (372–451), Liu Song dynasty historian
 * Pei Ji (Sui and Tang) Official and Chancellor of the Tang Dynasty
 * Pei Ju Official of the Sui Dynasty and Chancellor of the Tang Dynasty
 * Pei Yan (died 684), Tang dynasty official

Modern Figures

 * Carl Pei (born Péi Yǔ; 1989–), Chinese-born Swedish entrepreneur
 * Pei Wenzhong (1904–1982), anthropologist

Italians

 * Mario Pei (1901–1978), linguist