Surname Overview
Pronunciation and Rarity
The surname Xian is pronounced Xián and is a rare surname.
Xián Surname
Population reference (not a current census): 26Xián / Hsien
Origins
The State of Xian and Its Origins
The State of Xian was a small feudal state established by the Zhou dynasty. Its lineage is described in two ways: as a state of the Ying surname descended from Shaohao, or as belonging to the Kui surname.
Historical Records
The State of Xian in Classical Records
The Zuo Zhuan records that Chu destroyed Xian and the ruler of Xian fled to Huang. Relying on marital alliances, he did not serve Chu or prepare defenses, and the state was consequently destroyed.
Migration and Distribution
Modern Distribution
The modern Xian surname is rare. Records place its possible modern origin in Tianjin, with descendants in Nanjing, Taiwan, and Longmen, Huizhou, Guangdong; another record notes the surname in Huainan, Anhui.
Continue your family research
Start with ancestral counties, villages, personal names and dates. Record genealogy titles, volumes, editions and catalog identifiers. A shared surname does not prove a shared lineage; compare branch records.
Surname attestation references
These catalogs or datasets attest written names, not every origin or lineage claim on this page.
This page includes automatically organized material. Check the references and original family documents.
Add or correct information
Submit the information and a reference link for possible inclusion on this page.