Surname Overview
A Multi-Origin Surname
The Yan surname is an ancient surname group with multiple ethnic and lineage origins.
yān Surname
Population reference (not a current census): 243,235yān / Yen
Origins
Two Main Origins
The Yan surname originated from the Yun and Mi surnames. The Yun branch descended from Qiu Yan, the fourth son of Lu Zhong; the Mi branch arose from the Yan state in Chu during the Spring and Autumn period and the lineage of Chu official Yan Jiangshi.
Historical Records
Historical Attestation
Yan Jiangshi was a senior official of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period.
Migration and Distribution
Geographic Distribution
During the Song dynasty, the Yan surname was mainly distributed in Jiangxi. During the Ming dynasty, it was mainly found in Sichuan, Jiangxi, Hubei, Fujian, and Anhui. In contemporary ancestral-place data, it is mainly distributed in Hubei, Jiangxi, and Sichuan.
Notable People
Ming-Dynasty Figures
Yan Gao, Yan Guizhi, Yan Dingchen, and Yan Maoqing are recorded as Ming-dynasty figures. Yan Guizhi was from Dazu, Sichuan, while Yan Dingchen and Yan Maoqing were from Fengcheng, Jiangxi.
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Surname attestation references
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