Ranking
Ye(4) is ranked 49th in China's 100 most common surnames.

Origin
Ye(4) originated from the Mi(3) surname and descended from the nobles of the Chu Kingdom.

During the Spring-Autumn period, Chu Zhuangwang's grandson Shen Yinqu was killed in a battle with the Wu Kingdom. Emperor Chuzhao sent Yinqu's son, Shen Zhuliang, to Ye(4) where he was later known as Yegong. He was liked by the people of Ye(4). During a seige in the year 481BC, Yegong led his troops into the capital of Chu Kingdom to rescue King Chuyu, who was held hostage. When the Ye(4) Kingdom was destroyed, the descendants of Ye(4) used their country's name as their surname.

Evolution
Another origin of Ye(4) came from the region of Nanman where there was a Yediao Kingdom. Some of its citizens settled in the Chinese Plains and used Ye(4) as their surname. A duke named Ye Xiong of the Wu Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms period was a descendant of the Yediao citizens.

During the Kangxi's reign (Qing Dynasty), the Ye(4)s emerged in Taiwan. The Ye(4)s are mainly located in Bianliang, Meizhou, Changle, Lufeng, Chaozhou, Huizhou, Danyang, Yinchuan, Nanyang, Qiantang, Jianning, Xinan, Huzhou, Suzhou, Kaifeng, Gushi and Zhangzhou."

Famous Personalities
Ye Ting - a famous military strategist of recent times in China who was one of the founders of the Chinese Liberation Army.

Ye Jianying - a famous military strategist and politician of recent times in China who was once the chief member of the China's Dachang committee and the Vice Chairman of the Central Military Committee.

Ye Shi - a famous Tang Dynasty philosopher, litterateur, historian, critic of politics and the representative of the Yongjia club."

Ye Tianshi - a famous Qing Dynasty doctor.