Find out how popular the last name Jian is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Jian.

Jian, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Jian surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jian in America

Jian is the 29822nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jian surname appeared 788 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Jian.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jian to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Jian

The surname JIAN has its origins in China and can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). It is believed to have originated from the Chinese word "jian", which means "sword" or "blade". This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with skilled swordsmen or warriors.

During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the JIAN surname gained prominence in the regions of Hebei and Shandong provinces. Historical records from this period, such as the "Jiu Tang Shu" (Old Book of Tang), mention individuals bearing the JIAN surname, indicating its widespread use.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the JIAN surname was Jian Shanshi, a renowned scholar and philosopher who lived during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). His works on Confucian thought and ethics were highly influential in shaping the intellectual discourse of his time.

In the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368 AD), the JIAN surname was also found in the coastal regions of Zhejiang and Fujian provinces. This was likely due to the migration of families during this period, as trade and commerce flourished along the maritime silk routes.

The Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD) saw the rise of several notable figures bearing the JIAN surname, including Jian Yingzhao, a renowned military strategist and statesman who played a crucial role in defending the empire against Mongol invasions in the early 15th century.

During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912 AD), the JIAN surname continued to be prevalent in various regions of China. One prominent individual was Jian Zhuxi, a celebrated poet and calligrapher who lived in the 18th century and was known for his mastery of the cursive script.

Other notable individuals with the JIAN surname throughout history include Jian Bozan, a renowned painter and scholar of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279 AD), and Jian Guoliang, a successful merchant and philanthropist who lived during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD) and established several charitable organizations.

The JIAN surname has also been associated with various place names and locations throughout China, such as Jianshan County in Zhejiang Province and Jianyang City in Sichuan Province, further emphasizing its deep historical roots and geographic spread.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jian

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Jian.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Jian was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Jian has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Jian was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Jian, please contact us.

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