Surname Overview
Two Main Origins
The Tian surname mainly has two origins: an official title associated with the Shang period, and the Gui lineage originating from Chen Wan's change of surname to Tian.
Tian Surname
Population reference (not a current census): 6,414,971Tian / Tien
Origins
Gui-Lineage Origin
Gui Man, a direct descendant of Shun, was enfeoffed in Chen by King Wu of Zhou. In 672 BCE, Chen Wan fled to Qi amid internal turmoil in Chen and changed Chen to Tian rather than retain the Chen state name.
Historical Records
Documentary and Official-Title Records
In the official-title lineage, Tian is explained as an agricultural official stationed outside the Shang capital, recorded in oracle-bone inscriptions. The office was hereditary, and Tian figures appear in the states of Jin, Song, Lu, Wei, and Yan during the Spring and Autumn period.
Commanderies and Clan Halls
Examples of Hall Names
Existing genealogical records include the Tian lineage hall name Zijingtang. The Jiangdu genealogy records that the branch of Tian Zaixing moved from Liuhu in Dantu to Gujiasha in eastern Jiangdu.
Migration and Distribution
Before the Qin dynasty, the Tian surname was mainly active in Henan, Shandong, Shanxi, and Hebei. During the Qin, Han, and Jin periods it spread to the northwest, the Two Lakes region, and Sichuan; during the Tang and Song periods it reached Jiangnan, and it entered Taiwan in the early Qing period.
Genealogy and Generation Names
Differences in Generation Names
The many Tian branches and their long migration history have produced differences in generation names across regions; for example, the branch in Xiashanwei Village, Jieshi Town, Lufeng, Guangdong, begins with “Zong, Ming, Yong, Du.”
Research Notes
Use Across Ethnic Groups
The Tian surname is found not only among the Han but also in records concerning some other ethnic groups and groups that adopted the surname, including the Xiongnu, Tangut people of Western Xia, Jurchens, Manchus, Bai, Tujia, Tibetans, and Goryeo people.
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Surname attestation references
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