Ho is a surname with multiple origins. As a Chinese surname, it is the Cantonese and Min Nan romanization of He (Hé), which itself derives from various Chinese characters: 河 meaning "river, stream", 和 meaning "harmony, peace", or 荷 meaning "lotus, water lily" (the latter usually feminine). Outside of Chinese contexts, Ho is also a surname anglicized from Vietnamese Hồ (e.g., Hồ Chí Minh). In addition, Ho is the name of an ethnic group and a Munda language spoken in India. The Chinese character 何 (Hé) is one of the most common sources for the surname Ho among Cantonese and Min Nan speakers. Famous bearers include the Ming dynasty explorer Zheng He (1371–1433), though his surname was Ma (Hui). In modern times, Ho appears among overseas Chinese communities; for example, Stanley Ho (1921–2020) was a Macau billionaire tycoon. The transliteration as Ho is particularly frequent in Hong Kong, Macau, and Southeast Asia. Other Meanings In India, the Ho people are a Central-Eastern Adivasi (tribal) group of about one million, primarily residing in Jharkhand, Odisha, and West Bengal. They speak the Ho language, which belongs to the Munda branch of Austroasiatic. The English surname Ho may also be a phonetic spelling from other languages, but the Chinese and Vietnamese origins are predominant internationally. Strongly associated with Chinese origin (Cantonese/Min Nan). Also a Vietnamese surname (from Hồ). As a surname romanization: Cantonese ho4, Mandarin Hé. Notable: Stanley Ho (businessman), Zheng He (explorer).