Origins
Five Origins
The Yuan surname has five recorded origins: an ancient state name, two Ji-surname branches, a Mi-surname branch, and a branch formed when Xianbei surnames were changed during the Northern Wei period.
Yuan Surname
Population reference (not a current census): 83,116Yuan / Yuan
Historical Records
Documentary Attestations
The Yuan surname is recorded in the Clan Studies sections of the Zheng Comprehensive Gazetteer and the Continued Comprehensive Gazetteer.
Migration and Distribution
In the Song dynasty, the Yuan surname was mainly distributed in Henan, Zhejiang, Shaanxi, and Hebei. In the Ming dynasty, it was mainly found in Henan, Hebei, Zhejiang, Sichuan, and Hunan. In the modern sample, the highest proportions by ancestral residence were Henan, Jilin, and Heilongjiang.
Notable People
Historical Figures
Historical figures with the Yuan surname include Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei, Yuan Hong; the Tang figures Yuan Jie and Yuan Zhen; the Jin poet Yuan Haowen; and the Five Dynasties chancellor Yuan Dezhao.
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Surname attestation references
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