Surname Overview
Surname Form
When used as a surname, “范” remains written as “范” in traditional form, not “範”.
Fan Surname
Population reference (not a current census): 4,442,236Fan / Fan
Origins
Surname Origin
According to the Tongzhi, Clan Studies, Part Three, the Fan clan descended from Liu Lei, a descendant of Emperor Yao, and belonged to the Yiqi surname line. Its successive clan names were Tao Tang, Yulong, Shiwei, and Tang Du; after moving to Jin, it became the Fan clan.
Research Notes
Character Distinction
The original meaning of “范” is a kind of grass. As a surname, it should be distinguished from “笵”, originally referring to legal provisions written on bamboo slips, and “範”, originally referring to a ritual for the road deity before travel.
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