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

Min, 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 Min surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Min in America

Min is the 5026th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Min surname appeared 6,982 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Min.

We can also compare 2010 data for Min 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 Min

The surname "Min" is believed to have originated in China, where it has been traced back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE). The name is thought to derive from the Old Chinese word "min," meaning "people" or "subjects," suggesting that the original bearers of this surname may have been commoners or citizens.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname "Min" can be found in the "Zizhi Tongjian," a renowned historical work compiled during the Song Dynasty (960-1279 CE). This text documents the existence of individuals with the surname "Min" during the Tang Dynasty.

In ancient Chinese records, the surname "Min" is sometimes spelled using alternative characters, such as "民" or "旻," which share similar pronunciations and meanings.

During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 CE), the "Min" surname gained prominence in the southern coastal regions of China, particularly in the provinces of Fujian and Guangdong. This may be attributed to the migration of people from northern China to the southern regions during this period.

Notable historical figures with the surname "Min" include:

1. Min Ziqian (1828-1900), a famous Chinese scholar and official during the Qing Dynasty.
2. Min Zidong (1444-1532), a renowned painter and calligrapher who lived during the Ming Dynasty.
3. Min Guizhi (1638-1718), a prominent Chinese playwright and novelist of the late Ming and early Qing periods.
4. Min Yuren (1635-1708), a renowned Chinese landscape painter and poet of the early Qing Dynasty.
5. Min Erchang (1504-1585), a renowned Chinese military general and strategist during the Ming Dynasty.

While the surname "Min" originated in China, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange. However, its roots and earliest recorded instances can be traced back to ancient China, where it held a significant presence and historical relevance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Min

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

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

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

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