Uncommon
Names

There are a total of four different forms of ancient and modern surnames. They are one-character, two-character, multi character and combined surnames. More than 80 percent of the Chinese surnames are one-character surnames, which is the principle form of surnames.
For example: Li, Chen, Some rare ones are Yong, Yun, Shi.

There are lesser two-character surnames than one-character surnames, as many of them are the surnames of ethnic minorities.
For example: Di-Wu, Dong-Fang, Gong-Sun,

Multi-character surnames are surnames of three or more characters. Most of the multi-character surnames are from ethnic minorities. Although they make up only a small of the Chinese surnames, they are still quite a lot of them.
For example: Si-Li-Po-Luo(four characters).

When two family names are combined into one, they become a combined surname. In the past, when a woman was married, she began to assume a combined surname by combining her husband's family name and her own,while some people combine the family names of their father and mother. This method of combining two family names show respect for both parents or expresses conjugal love and family happiness.