Surname Overview
Pronunciation and Population
The surname 偃 is pronounced Yǎn. It has fewer than 1,000 people nationwide, is considered rare, and ranks 3,079th in the latest population ranking.
Yǎn Surname
Surname profileYǎn / Yen
Origins
Two Lineages
One lineage traces the surname to Gao Yao, who was said to have been granted the surname Yan; after the Yan-surnamed states established by his descendants were destroyed by Chu, their descendants retained Yan as their surname. Another lineage descends from King Yan of Xu in the Spring and Autumn period.
Historical Records
Historical Attestation
The surname Yan is recorded in the Treatise on Clans of the Comprehensive Annals. Zheng Qiao summarized two lines: descendants of a state bearing the Yan name and descendants of Gao Yao.
Commanderies and Clan Halls
Ancestral Commandery
The ancestral commandery associated with the Yan surname is recorded as Shucheng.
Notable People
Historical Figures
Recorded figures include Yan Zigao, an official of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period; Yan Can from the time of Wang Mang; and Yan Ji of the Jin dynasty.
Research Notes
Surname Variant
A later variant is recorded in which the person radical was removed from 偃, producing the surname 匽.
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Surname attestation references
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