Pan Surname

Surname Overview

Three Main Origins

The Pan surname has three main origins: the Yao, Ji, and Mi surnames.

Reference: 潘姓起源分布与家谱家族

Origins

Mi-Surname Origin

After Chu occupied the state of Pan during the Spring and Autumn period, Pan became a settlement of Chu and descendants took the settlement name as their surname. Another account traces Chu Pan families to Pan Chong; his son Pan Wang and grandson Pan Dang were both ministers of Chu.

Reference: 潘姓起源分布与家谱家族

Historical Records

Early Historical Figures

Pan Fu, a minister of Marquis Ai of Jin, belonged to the Ji-surname Pan lineage and was likely a descendant of the Ji-surname state of Pan. During the reign of King Cheng of Chu, Pan Chong was tutor to Crown Prince Shangchen.

Reference: 潘姓起源分布与家谱家族

Migration and Distribution

Historical Migration

Before the Qin dynasty, the Pan surname was active in Shaanxi, Henan, Shanxi, and Hubei. From the Han dynasties through the Tang dynasty, it was concentrated mainly in the Central Plains, and after the Tang dynasty it expanded toward Gansu, Hebei, and Shandong.

Reference: 潘姓起源分布与家谱家族

Contemporary Distribution

Among Pan-surname users in 23Mofang genetic-testing data, ancestral registrations are concentrated mainly in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Guangdong, accounting for 15.3%, 15.1%, and 9.5%, respectively.

Reference: 潘姓起源分布与家谱家族

Genealogy and Generation Names

Generation-Name Tradition

Pan generation names are also called paiyu or banxing; they assign names by lineage, distinguish members of the same generation, and keep clan descent traceable.

Reference: 潘姓字辈大全：潘氏60辈分表及全国主要分支字辈 - 族谱网