2000
#6,100
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,186
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.92
Uncommon Last name
Jin
A Chinese surname meaning "gold" or referring to the Jin dynasty, or a Korean surname meaning "precious stone."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 18,270 Americans carry the last name Jin. That puts it at #2,228 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 5.33 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 18,761 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Jin surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Jin with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
18K
1 in 18,761
Census rank
#2,228
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
5.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
16K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 15,932 bearers of the surname Jin in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 5.33 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2228th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Jin, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.8%. The next largest groups are White (2.2%) and Two or More Races (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Jin
Among Census respondents with the surname Jin, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.8%. The next largest groups are White (2.2%) and Two or More Races (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Jin bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Jin surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander95.8% · 15,265
- White2.2% · 346
- Two or more races1.0% · 162
- Black or African American0.6% · 95
- Hispanic or Latino0.4% · 60
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Jin
Jin appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#3,421
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,432
+5,246 bearers (+101.2%)
Per 100,000 3.54
Rank movement Up 2,679 places
2020
#2,228
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 15,932
+5,500 bearers (+52.7%)
Per 100,000 5.33
Rank movement Up 1,193 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,100 | 5,186 | 1.92 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,421 | 10,432 | 3.54 | +5,246 bearers (+101.2%) | Up 2,679 places |
| 2020 | #2,228 | 15,932 | 5.33 | +5,500 bearers (+52.7%) | Up 1,193 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Jin surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,421 | #2,228 | 34.9% |
| Count | 10,432 | 15,932 | 52.7% |
| Per 100K | 3.54 | 5.33 | 50.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Jin bearers went from 10,432 to 15,932 (+52.7% change). The surname moved up 1,193 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,421 to #2,228.
FAQ
Jin surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Jin?
Name Census estimates that about 18,270 living Americans carry the surname Jin. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 18,761 residents.
How common is Jin?
Jin ranks #2,228 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 5.33 per 100,000 residents, which is about 5 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 15,932 people with the surname Jin. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (18,270), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 5.33 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 5.33 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 5 of them to have the surname Jin.
Has Jin become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Jin went from 10,432 recorded bearers to 15,932. That is an increase of 5,500 (+52.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #3,421 to #2,228.
What does the Census say about the background of Jin?
Among Census respondents with the surname Jin, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.8%. The next largest groups are White (2.2%) and Two or More Races (1.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Jin in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.8% (15,265 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Jin appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (95.8%), White (2.2%), Two or More Races (1.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Jin (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Jin mean?
A Chinese surname meaning "gold" or referring to the Jin dynasty, or a Korean surname meaning "precious stone." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Jin (5.33 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Jin?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Jin on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.