Xin Surname

Surname Overview

Xin is a rare Chinese surname, pronounced xīn.

Reference: 忻姓起源分布与家谱家族

Origins

Origin Traditions

Three origin traditions are given for the Xin surname: descent from Fan Li, descent from the Yuan general Xindu, or a change from the Yun surname.

Reference: 忻姓的历史与文化传承：起源、分布及名人贡献-族谱网

Historical Records

Early Attestations

The Song-dynasty work Xingshi Jijiu Pian records that the Xin surname appears in Xingsuan, and a Southern Song edition of Gujin Xingshi Shu Bianzhen also lists it.

Reference: 忻姓起源分布与家谱家族

Commanderies and Clan Halls

Commandery Origin

The Ming work Qian Jia Xing records the Xin surname as belonging to the Tianshui lineage; traces of Tianshui commandery also appear in the native-place records of related figures.

Reference: 忻姓起源分布与家谱家族

Migration and Distribution

Distribution and Migration

The Xin surname is found in Songjiang of Shanghai, Huai'an and Shangyi of Hebei, Taiyuan and Datong of Shanxi, and other places; among Xin users, Zhejiang accounts for 77.3% of native-place registrations and Shanghai 18.2%.

Reference: 忻姓起源分布与家谱家族

Notable People

Historical Figures

Xindu is recorded as a Yuan-dynasty general whose descendants took his name as their surname; Xin Deshou and Xin Dechang continued compiling the Yindong Xin Clan Branch Genealogy in 1931.

Reference: 忻姓的历史与文化传承：起源、分布及名人贡献-族谱网

Genealogy and Generation Names

The Yindong Xin Clan Branch Genealogy was first compiled during the Wanli period of the Ming dynasty and records the earlier generation sequence: “Yin, Zi, Guang, Jin, Mu; Shui, Ying, Yao, Jun, Si; Xiao, De, Zi, Cheng, Li; Yuan, Xian, Ding, Shang, Zhi.”

Reference: 忻姓的历史与文化传承：起源、分布及名人贡献-族谱网