Cong (叢/丛) is a Chinese word (noun quantifier) meaning clump, thicket, bush, and/or shrubbery.

The surname is said to be from a group of people in Wendeng (文登) in China's Shandong province.

One day, when Emperor Wu of Han was inspecting the horses with his wives, all the servants were mesmerized by the royal entourage, except for Midi.

However, due to dynastic changes, the descendants of Jin Midi were persecuted for their royalist ties to the Han Dynasty.

[citation needed] The population with the surname Cong tend to be more concentrated in the northern regions of China.