Names say a lot about a person’s identity. In the case of the Chinese who came to Victoria, the fact that their family name always came before their individual name said a lot about their identification with family lineage. To the Europeans who recorded or used them, however, it just seemed strange and unfamiliar. The pronunciation of Chinese names and their translation into Roman script (our way of writing) presented an even greater challenge to Europeans and Chinese alike.

At one time or another, all Chinese entering and living in Victoria would have been required to have their names officially recorded. This process required the person whose name was being recorded or a headman to say their name in Chinese and for the European writing it down to record the name according to the sounds that he or she heard. Unless either person spoke the other’s language, it would have been virtually impossible for the name to be checked for any degree of accuracy, assuming that Roman letters could be used to represent the Chinese name. In this fashion, affected by the hearing ability and interpretation of the recorder, names were often misrecorded or anglicized, so that Yeung might become Young. As time went by, some Chinese changed their names in order to minimize discrimination. In this way, a name like Wah was changed to Waugh.

Chinese names caused many problems for the officials and others trying to record the details of Chinese people. This was especially so if the official could not speak Chinese or the Chinese person did not speak English.

Often the officials misspelt names or recorded totally incorrect names. The officials would write down the sound or in some cases just make up a name. Some officials gave the Chinese quite rude names.

These wrong names and mistakes can cause difficulties when trying to trace Chinese people and their history.

There were interpreters but there were not enough and they were not always well trained.

Activities:

• Find out about Chinese names and compare this with the way names are written or spoken in European cultures - with given names followed by family names. Why do you think the Chinese pattern for names is different? Speak to people from other parts of Asia who attend your school or live in your community to find out if their names follow a pattern similar to the Chinese or Europeans.
• Look at the names of the Chinese prisoners in this exhibition and online resource. Which names are most common? Prepare a chart or graph to show this? Find out which names are very popular or common in your school, class or year level. Speak to your parents and/or grandparents and senior citizens to find out what names were popular when they were children.
• Read the text about ‘names’. Identify some of the problems people had at that time in writing down Chinese names in official registers like immigration records and prison registers. Can you find any evidence of racism or discrimination in the way names were written?
• Invite a member of your local Chinese community to school to talk to the class. Prepare questions to ask about their customs and way of life including areas of interest from this exhibition – language, writing, names, burial customs, special days. As part of the visit, ask the Chinese visitor to tell you the name of another Chinese person they know. You imagine you are a prison officer. Write the name as you heard it. Compare your response with that given by other students. Does this help you to understand the problems faced by officials unfamiliar with Chinese names?

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