Huang means yellow, and is associated with the earth, and with the direction of east.

A common surname in China, Huang is also spelled Houang, Hoang, Wong, Vong, Hung, Hong, Bong, Eng, Ng, Uy, Wee, Oi, Oei or Ooi, Ong, Hwang, or Ung in Chinese, Hoang or Huynh in Vietnamese, or Hwang or Whang in Korean.

There are several possible origins for this ancient name. One stems from the descendants of Huang Di, the Yellow Emperor, one of the Five Legendary Emperors. Huang Di is supposed to have ruled from 2697 BC to 2597 BC, and is often thought of as the father of Chinese medicine. During the later rule of Emperor Yao, another of the legendary emperors, one of Huang Di's descendants managed to control the flooding of the Yellow River, and as a reward received the State of Canhu in Shanxi, which was renamed the State of Huang in his honor.

Another story tells of an ancient Huang ancestor called Shao Hao. His mother's name was Huang-e, and as a young woman she was known for her love of riding around in boats during the day and knitting at night. Huang fell in love with Ben Tao in Shangdong and the child of their union was Shao Hao. Ben Tao rose to become the head of the justice department and Shao Hao later became emperor in 2597 BC. He ruled for eighty-four years before he was succeeded by his nephew, Zhuanxu. Shao Hao is often included as one of the legendary Five Emperors of China.

But there are twists to this tale, one being that Shao Hao was really fathered by Venus, whom his mother met one night when she was riding along the Milky Way. The other more believable tale, is that Shao Hao was sired by Huang Di, the Yellow Emperor himself. Since his name means "Little Son of Heaven", either is possible.

Whatever his parentage, Shao Hao's tomb, a large stone pyramid, can be seen today in Shandong Province, in Qufu, which was his capital, though this purported tomb may have been built during the much later Song dynasty.

Other notable Huangs include Huang Zhong and Huang Gai, generals during the Three Kingdoms Period, Huang Chao, the leader of a rebellion during the Tang dynasty, and Huang Xin, a a major character in the Song dynasty novel Water Margins.


Sources:
Familypedia
wikipedia - Shao Hao
Yutopian Online
China eGuide
Cultural China

~Contributed by Feiyan Zhou
~Family plaque by Night~Owl Nyentsen