Per the traceable record as in the Archive of the Hometown of Confucius  (孔子故里志), Ji Si, the scholar and grandson of Confucius was the most glorious descendant for six generations. Kong Him (孔謙) the eighth generation descendant was ordained as Man Shun Gwan (文信君) by the King of Ngai (魏王) and also functioned as the prime minister. The First Emperor of the Chin Dynasty (秦始皇) intended to honor Kong Fu (孔鮒) the ninth generation, as the Man Tong Gwan (文通君).  Fu retreated as a hermit in the Sung Mountain (嵩山) and as a teacher to show his resentment. Hon Go Jo (漢高祖) , the first emperor of the Hon Dynasty (漢朝), ordained Kong Chung (孔藂),the10th generation descendant as Marquis of Liu (蓼侯), and Kong Tang (孔騰) the ninth generation as Fung Ji Gwan (奉祀君) with the special duty as the Chief Offering Officer to Confucius for the Emperor.  Since that time on, for sixty-nine generations, the first-born son of the main branch inherited the title from the rank of marquis to the duke（e.g. Duke of Yin Sing衍聖公 for the past eight hundred years）until the end of the Ching Dynasty (清朝).  The 77th generation descendant of the main branch who inherited the tile as the duke is still living in Taiwan. Recently with the birth of his great grandson at the beginning of 2006, the eightieth generation is added to the family.  

根據孔子故里志，子思是孔子死後六代最顯赫人物。第八代孫孔謙曾受魏王封為文信君並為相。秦始皇召第九代孫孔鮒為文通君，但孔鮒隱於嵩山授徒。漢高祖封第十代孫孔藂為蓼侯，並封第九代孫孔騰為奉祀君，專責祭孔. 自始以後，六十九代嫡系長子，便襲封為公或侯的爵位, 直至清末。最後一任衍聖公, 即第七十七代嫡孫現居台灣. 在2006年初，嫡系加添一位第八十代孫。       

From the War Period (戰國) to the beginning of Eastern Hon Dynasty (東漢 ), descendants were mostly living in Qufu of Shangdong province.  Per the Archive of the Hometown of Confucius there were only twenty families of descendants living in Qufu.  During the visit of Emperor Jeung of the Hon Dynasty (漢章帝), there were only sixty-three members in Qufu.  During the late Tong Dynasty (唐朝), there were only ten families of descendants living in there. The reduction was due to massive emigrations.  At the end of the Eastern Hon Dynasty, Kong Yin (孔衍), the twenty-second generation migrated to Wooi Kai (會稽now is known as Siu Hing of Zhejiang province今浙江紹興).  This branch is known as Chi Kai Paai or Branch (慈溪派).  During the Tong Dynasty, Kong Yin (孔賢) of the thirty-five generation moved to Ning Ling of Henan province (河南寧陵), forming the Ning Ling Branch (寧陵派). Kong LaapYan (孔立言) also of the thirty-five generation migrated to Hin County of Hebei province (河北獻縣) named as Hin County Branch (獻縣派). Kong Ji (孔至) of the thirty-sixth generation escaped to Lo San of Henan (河南魯山) and formed the Lo San Branch (魯山派). Kong Wai Si (孔惟時) of the thirty-eighth generation became the creator of the Hap County Branch of Henan province (河南郟縣派) and Kong Ying (孔瑛) of the same generation started the Lau Yang Branch of Hunan province (湖南瀏陽派). Kong Wan Hin (孔溫憲) of the thirty-ninth generation formed the Gwai Dong Branch in Hunan province (湖南桂東派). Kong Sun (孔絢)of the fortieth generation formed the Dan Yang Branch in Jiangsu province (江蘇丹陽派) and Kong Jik (孔績) of the same generation formed the Lam Gong Branch in Jiangxi province (江西臨江派).  Kong Cheong Mok (孔昌弼) of the forty-first generation formed the Ling Nan Branch in Guangdong province (廣東嶺南派) while Kong Dan  (孔禾丹 ) of the forty-second generation formed the Lo Gong Branch in Anhui province (安徽廬江派) . Kong Kui  (孔檜 ) of the same generation formed the PingYang branch in Shangdong province（山東平陽派）. The reasons to move were either due to governmental appointments, or to avoid wars. After the migration, descendants stayed there forever forming a new branch or known as paai (派) in Chinese. Kong Gong Ji  (孔光嗣) of the forty-second generation was murdered by his slave Kong Moo (孔末) due to the chaotic society during the end of the Tong Dynasty also known as Five Dynasties (五代). Kong Yan Yuk (孔仁玉), son of Gong Ji reclaimed the title later. Yan Yuk is now known as the Jung Hing Jo (Resurrect Ancestor 中興祖 ) .  The above-mentioned groups are known as descendents of the Northern Division (北宗).    

在戰國到東漢初，孔子後裔主要是聚居在曲阜。據孔子故里志所記，在東漢前期，在曲阜定居的孔子後裔大約有二十戶，在漢章帝時也只有六十三人。唐代後期，在曲阜定居的孔子後裔大約有十戶。不過，在秦漢時，孔子後裔已有遷居外地，在東漢末年，第二十二代後裔孔衍遷到會稽，即現今的浙江紹興，成為現在的慈溪派。到唐代時，第三十五代的孔賢遷到河南的寧陵，形成現代的寧陵派，同代的孔立言遷居河北獻縣，形成獻縣派。第三十六代的孔至避亂河南魯山，形成魯山派。第三十八代的孔惟時為河南郟縣派的始祖，同代的孔瑛為湖南瀏陽派的始祖。第三十九代的孔溫憲在湖南成桂東派，第四十代孔絢的江蘇丹陽派、同代孔績的江西臨江派，第四十一代的孔昌弼嶺南派，第四十二代的孔(禾丹) 成安徽廬江派、同代的孔檜成山東平陽派。遷離曲阜的主要原因是官職或避亂，外遷後，後人便在當地定居, 成為一新支派。在第四十二代時，因為唐後五代亂世，孔光嗣被原為家奴的孔末殺害，光嗣子仁玉復位，後世稱為中興祖。以上便是北宗的主要支派。

Based on the publication from The Committee of The Arch Shrine of the Southern Division of the Confucius Family in Kui Jau, (衢州孔氏南宗家廟管委會), Kung Duen Yau, the forty eighth Duke of Yan Sing (衍聖公孔端友) observed the decree from Emperor Go Jung of the Sung Dynasty (宋高宗) to the south.  He built the arch-shrine in Kui Jau of Zhejiang province (浙江衢州) per the decree.   Kui Jau became the hometown of the main branch, while the arch-shrine in Qufu 曲阜was in the trust to other family members still living there.  Per the judgment of  Emperor Sai Jo of the Yuen dynasty (元世祖) , those who lived in Kui Jau were the main branch. He decreed Kong Jue (孔洙) to return to Qufu to reclaim his title.  Jue responded that he could not return because his immediate ancestors were buried in Kui Jau as an excuse.  He would like to let those in Qufu to inherit the duke title.  Since then the genuine main branch was known as the Southern Division.  Recently the Northern and Southern Divisions are united as one.

據衢州孔氏南宗家廟管委會記載，在宋高宗時，第四十八代衍聖公孔端友奉詔南渡，承旨在浙江衢州成立大宗廟，是當時孔氏大宗居地。曲阜的宗廟由族人署理。元世祖時，定”寓衢者為大宗” 。詔孔洙回曲阜復爵。“ 洙以先世廟墓在衢” ，“ 固讓其爵於在魯者” 。自始衢州孔氏便稱為南宗。近年南北宗已結合為一體。