Surname Overview
Pronunciation and Ranking
The surname Xin is pronounced Shēn and ranks 290th in the Hundred Family Surnames.
Shen Surname
Population reference (not a current census): 32Shen / Shen
Origins
Descent from the Si-surnamed State of Shen
One lineage originated from the Si clan. Xia Qi enfeoffed his younger son Zhi at Shen, and Zhi's descendants adopted the fief's name as their surname.
Reference: 《百家姓》第290姓：莘，莘姓来源、分布地域与名人介绍 | 速查君
A Lineage Descended from Zhurong
Another lineage is traced to the ancient ruler Zhurong; Qianfu Lun lists Shen among the eight surnames descended from Zhurong's sons.
Historical Records
The Youxin Clan and State of Shen in Historical Texts
Shiji: Basic Annals of Xia mentions a woman of the Youxin clan; Huanyu Ji describes the State of Shen as Si-surnamed and descended from Yu; Mingxian Shizu Yanxing Leigao records that Xia Qi enfeoffed a younger son there and that his descendants adopted the state's name as their surname.
Commanderies and Clan Halls
Tianshui Commandery and Hall Names
The surname's ancestral commandery was Tianshui, administered from Pingxiang. Its hall names include Zaoqiang Hall and Huanzhou Hall, both associated with the Ming official Shen Ye.
Notable People
Shen Rong and Shen Ye
Shen Rong of Qiantang passed the highest-grade jinshi examination in the Song dynasty and was known for his learning and writing. Shen Ye of Gui'an served as a Confucian instructor and magistrate of Zaoqiang during the Ming dynasty and wrote Huanzhou Ji.
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