Surname Overview
Surname History
The Chen surname dates its origin to the state of Chen in the Shang dynasty and has a history of at least 3,500 years.
Chen Surname
Population reference (not a current census): 53,825,412Chen / Chen
Origins
Primary Origin
During the Shang dynasty, the Shang king enfeoffed descendants of Yu Sui in Chen; King Wu of Zhou later enfeoffed Gui Man, a direct descendant of Shang Jun, in Chen.
Historical Records
Surname from the State
After King Hui of Chu destroyed the state of Chen in 479 BCE, its descendants adopted the state's name as their surname; Huaiyang in Henan is regarded as the birthplace of the Chen surname.
Migration and Distribution
Migration to the Southeast
At the end of the Western Jin, upheaval in the Central Plains led Chen families mainly to Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Jiangxi; Central Plains Chen families also entered Fujian early, becoming one of Fujian's four major surnames by the Southern Dynasties.
Notable People
The Yingchuan Branch
Before the fall of Qi, Tian Zhen went to Chu, restored the Chen surname, and was enfeoffed as Marquis of Yingchuan. Chen Zhen is regarded as the founder of the Yingchuan Chen branch; his descendant Chen Baxian established the Chen dynasty in Nanjing.
Research Notes
Surname Changes and Population Origins
The Chen surname includes historical cases of surname adoption by Xiongnu, Xianbei, Mongol, and Manchu Eight Banner groups; the population backgrounds of Chen families in northern and northeastern China differ.
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