Abstract: From the Ming and Qing Dynasties to the Republic of China, drastic changes of the distribution of ethnic groups and place names had taken place in Xuanwei because of the influx of the mainland immigrants with the Han nationality as the main body, and the long-term turmoil. At that time, Han people as well as the place names named in Han language are mainly distributed in the plain and along the post road. Since the bureaucratization of native officers policy, with all kinds of migrants migrated to mountainous area, the plain area was dominated by Han people, and the mountainous area was mixed with Han and the barbarian people. What’s more, the ethnic groups distribution pattern was formally formed. At the same time, place names named in Han language and represented by surname quickly spread in the mountains. From the late Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China, in addition to a number of new military place-names, the long-term turmoil also made all ethnic groups undergo great changes in the proportion of the population distribution pattern and geographical space.The study found that from Ming and Qing Dynasties to the Republic of China, Xuanwei groups and related names had strong consistency in the proportion of the number and spatial distribution.

Key words: Ming and Qing Dynasties, Xuanwei, Ethnic groups, Place-names, Changes