Surname Overview
百家姓 Ranking
The Lin surname ranks 278th in the Song edition of the Hundred Family Surnames.
Lin Surname
Population reference (not a current census): 212,366Lin / Lin
Origins
Origin from a Fief
The Lin surname is mainly traced to the Ji surname. Han Kang, a great-grandson of Han Jue, served Zhao and received a fief at Lin; his descendants adopted the fief name as their surname.
Historical Records
Documentary Record
The Zheng Tongzhi: Clan Records states that Kang, Han Jue's great-grandson, served Zhao and received Lin as his fief, thereby taking Lin as his surname; his descendant Lin Xiangru became a senior minister of Zhao, and later descendants served Qin and moved to Chengdu.
Commanderies and Clan Halls
Commanderies and Halls
The Lin surname's commandery associations are Zhongshan and Huayin; its hall names include Zhongshan Hall, Huayin Hall, and Jade-Returning Hall.
Migration and Distribution
Origins and Migration
The Lin clan originated around Fengyi in Shaanxi, Zhongshan in Hebei, and Huayang in Sichuan, then expanded and multiplied across the country from these centers.
Notable People
Historical Figure: Lin Xiangru
Lin Xiangru was a senior minister and noted diplomat of Zhao during the Warring States period, remembered for Returning the Jade Intact, the Meeting at Mianchi, and the Reconciliation of the General and the Minister.
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