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

Lin, 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 Lin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lin in America

Lin is the 402nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lin surname appeared 79,508 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 27 people would have the surname Lin.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lin 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 Lin

The surname Lin is of Chinese origin, with its roots traced back to the 3rd century BC during the Warring States period. It is derived from the Chinese word "lin," which means "forest" or "woods." The name is thought to have originated in the regions of Fujian and Guangdong provinces in southeastern China.

One of the earliest recorded uses of the Lin surname can be found in the historical text "Shiji" (Records of the Grand Historian) by Sima Qian, which mentions a prominent figure named Lin Xiangru, who lived during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC - 24 AD). Another notable historical figure bearing the Lin surname was Lin Zexu (1785-1850), a scholar-official best known for his relentless efforts in suppressing the opium trade in China during the Qing Dynasty.

The Lin surname has also been associated with several place names in China, such as Linyi in Shandong Province and Linxia in Gansu Province. These place names likely derived from the same etymological root as the surname, reflecting the presence of forests or wooded areas in those regions.

Throughout history, various individuals with the Lin surname have made significant contributions across various fields. One notable example is Lin Huiyin (1904-1955), a renowned architect and writer who was a pioneer in the field of architectural preservation in China. Another prominent figure was Lin Yutang (1895-1976), a Chinese writer, linguist, and inventor who played a crucial role in bridging the cultural gap between China and the West through his works.

Lin Biao (1907-1971) was a prominent Chinese communist military leader who played a significant role in the Chinese Civil War and later served as the Vice Chairman of the Communist Party of China under Mao Zedong. Lin Xiaoxiao (1962-), on the other hand, is a contemporary Chinese film director and screenwriter known for her critically acclaimed works that explore the complexities of modern Chinese society.

Lastly, Lin Dan (1983-) is a renowned Chinese professional badminton player who has won numerous Olympic and World Championship titles, cementing his status as one of the greatest players in the sport's history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lin

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

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

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

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