There are several different opinions about the origin of Bao's family on the Fifth Avenue in Tianjin. A more reliable statement is that the Bao family was originally Manchu and lived in the northeast for generations. Later, for some reasons, they moved to Tianjin in the late Qing Dynasty and settled in Wudao area. They made a living by farming at first, and then gradually developed into rich local households, building many luxurious villas and courtyards.

However, there are also some other theories, such as that Bao's family may be related to Bao Chengxian, a senior minister of the Ministry of War in the Ming Dynasty, or that Bao's family is from Anhui, and so on. These statements have not been fully confirmed at present, so it is impossible to determine the specific origin of Bao's family on Tianjin Fifth Avenue.