In Cantonese, it is Tsang; In Wade–Giles, such as those in Taiwan, Tseng or Tzeng; in Malaysia and Singapore, Tsen, Chen or Cheng; in the Philippines, Chan; in Indonesia, Tjan; in Vietnam, Tăng.
The surname originates from (Chinese: 鄫; pinyin: Céng) an ancient state located in present-day Cangshan County (now Lanling County) in Shandong province, which was granted to Qu Lie, son of the emperor Shao Kang in the Xia dynasty.
The state was annexed by Ju[citation needed] (located mainly in present-day Shandong province) in 567 BC.
He later dropped the radical in the character and adopted 曾 as his surname.
The Generation Character for Zeng from the 63rd Generation to the 97th Generation are as follows: Hong, Wen, Zhen, Shang and Yan Xing, Yu, Chuan, Ji, Guang, Zhao, Xian, Qing, Fan and Xiang Ling, De, Wei, Chui, You, Qin, Shao, Nian, Xian and Yang Jian, Dao, Dun, An, Ding, Mao, Xiu, Zhao, Yi, Zhang, Yi, Wen, Huan, Jing, Rui, Yong, Xi, Shi, Xu, Chang