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

Jin, 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 Jin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jin in America

Jin is the 3421st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jin surname appeared 10,432 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Jin.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jin 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 Jin

The surname Jin is of Chinese origin, with its roots traced back to the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD). It is believed to have originated from the ancient state of Jin, which was located in the modern-day Shanxi province. The name Jin was initially used as a designation for people hailing from this region.

During the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), the Jin surname gained prominence and spread across various parts of China. In the historical text "Tongzhi" compiled during the Qing Dynasty, the surname Jin is recorded as one of the most prominent surnames in the country.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Jin surname can be found in the "Shiji" or "Records of the Grand Historian," a monumental historical text written by Sima Qian in the 1st century BC. This text mentions several individuals bearing the Jin surname, including Jin Wengdi, a prominent ruler of the Jin state.

The Jin surname has also been associated with notable historical figures throughout Chinese history. One such figure was Jin Yuelin (1895-1984), a renowned philosopher and logician who played a significant role in the development of modern Chinese philosophy. Another famous bearer of the Jin surname was Jin Shengtan (1608-1661), a literary critic and writer during the Ming Dynasty.

In the realm of literature, the Jin surname has been immortalized in works such as "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms," a classic novel depicting the turbulent period of the Three Kingdoms (220-280 AD). The novel features characters with the Jin surname, reflecting the surname's historical significance.

During the Tang Dynasty, the Jin surname was also linked to several place names, such as Jinzhou and Jincheng, which further solidified its geographical associations. Additionally, variations in the spelling of the surname, such as Jing and Ching, have been observed in historical records.

Other notable individuals bearing the Jin surname include Jin Nong (1687-1763), a renowned Qing Dynasty painter and calligrapher, and Jin Shuren (1904-2001), a celebrated Chinese architect and urban planner who played a pivotal role in the design of modern Beijing.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jin

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

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 Jin 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 Jin 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 Jin was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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