Surname Overview
Ren, pronounced rén, is a currently uncommon surname with broad distribution but a small population; it is found among Han, Tibetan, and Miao people.
Ren Surname
Population reference (not a current census): 370Ren / Ren
Origins
The main recorded origins of Ren include the Ji lineage, the Ganzhou Uyghur khan clan in the Five Dynasties period, and the Qing Manchu surname Renjia; the surname is also recorded among Mongolians.
Historical Records
Documentary Attestations
The section “Shi Xun, 11th Zhen” quotes the Shiben as linking the Ren surname to the descendants of Churen, the fourth son of Wang Ji.
Commanderies and Clan Halls
Commandery Origin
The recorded commandery association of the Ren surname is Pengcheng Commandery, in the area of present-day Xuzhou, Jiangsu.
Migration and Distribution
Distribution
The surname is recorded today in Wuqing of Tianjin; Shangyi, Fuping, and Jingxian of Hebei; Pingyi of Shandong; Wuhai of Inner Mongolia; Hekou and Longchuan of Yunnan; and Hejiang of Sichuan. Anhui is also recorded as having the surname.
Notable People
Historical Figures
Recorded historical figures with the Ren surname include Ren Tongcheng of Pengcheng in the Han period, Ren Xian in the Tang period, and Ren Yu and Ren Mei in the Five Dynasties period.
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Surname attestation references
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