2000
#42,677
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 478
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.18
Rare Last name
Xin
A Chinese surname derived from the word "trust" or "confidence".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,852 Americans carry the last name Xin. That puts it at #17,169 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.54 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 185,073 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Xin 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.
Bearers in the US
1.9K
1 in 185,073
Census rank
#17,169
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.6K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,615 bearers of the surname Xin in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.54 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 17169th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Xin, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.0%. The next largest groups are White (2.1%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Xin
The surname Xin originates from China and has deep historical roots that can be traced back to ancient periods in Chinese history. The name Xin is derived from the Mandarin Chinese character 辛, which is pronounced "xin." The character itself holds meanings of "bitter" or "hardship," suggesting that the surname could have originated as a descriptor for individuals or families that endured significant challenges.
Historically, the surname Xin has appeared in various records, particularly during the Han Dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE). One of the earliest references to the name Xin is found in the historical text "Shiji" or "Records of the Grand Historian," compiled by Sima Qian around 94 BCE. In these records, the name Xin often appears among the lists of officials, scholars, and notable individuals.
One of the most famous early bearers of the surname Xin was Xin Wen, a general during the Eastern Han Dynasty, born in 125 CE and died in 188 CE. His military strategies and leadership significantly impacted the regional stability during his era. Another notable figure is Xin Shi, a renowned scholar of the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907 CE), born in 723 CE and passed away in 790 CE, known for his contributions to literature and philosophy.
The surname Xin can also be seen in various inscriptions and manuscripts from the Song Dynasty (960 – 1279 CE). Xin Qiji, a distinguished poet and military leader, born in 1140 CE and died in 1207 CE, is revered in Chinese literary history. His works often reflect themes of patriotism and resistance against foreign invaders, making his contributions particularly significant.
During the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644 CE), the surname Xin continued to appear in governmental and scholarly records. Xin Zhiping, born in 1402 CE and died in 1455 CE, was an influential official and writer whose works were influential in the fields of administration and governance.
The Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1912 CE) also saw notable individuals with the surname Xin. Xin You'an, born in 1768 CE and passed away in 1825 CE, was a respected painter known for his detailed landscape paintings and innovative techniques, which left a lasting mark on Chinese art.
The historical trajectory of the surname Xin reveals its integration into various facets of Chinese culture and administration. Its bearers have contributed to military, literary, and artistic traditions, making Xin a name that has endured through centuries of Chinese history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Xin
Among Census respondents with the surname Xin, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.0%. The next largest groups are White (2.1%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Xin 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 Xin surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander96.0% · 1,550
- White2.1% · 34
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 15
- Black or African American0.6% · 10
- Two or more races0.4% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Xin
Xin 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
#25,924
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 948
+470 bearers (+98.3%)
Per 100,000 0.32
Rank movement Up 16,753 places
2020
#17,169
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,615
+667 bearers (+70.4%)
Per 100,000 0.54
Rank movement Up 8,755 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #42,677 | 478 | 0.18 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #25,924 | 948 | 0.32 | +470 bearers (+98.3%) | Up 16,753 places |
| 2020 | #17,169 | 1,615 | 0.54 | +667 bearers (+70.4%) | Up 8,755 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 Xin 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 | #25,924 | #17,169 | 33.8% |
| Count | 948 | 1,615 | 70.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.32 | 0.54 | 68.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Xin bearers went from 948 to 1,615 (+70.4% change). The surname moved up 8,755 positions in the national ranking, going from #25,924 to #17,169.
FAQ
Xin surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Xin?
Name Census estimates that about 1,852 living Americans carry the surname Xin. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 185,073 residents.
How common is Xin?
Xin ranks #17,169 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.54 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,615 people with the surname Xin. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,852), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.54 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.54 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Xin.
Has Xin become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Xin went from 948 recorded bearers to 1,615. That is an increase of 667 (+70.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #25,924 to #17,169.
What does the Census say about the background of Xin?
Among Census respondents with the surname Xin, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.0%. The next largest groups are White (2.1%) and Hispanic (0.9%). 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 Xin in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.0% (1,550 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Xin appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (96.0%), White (2.1%), Hispanic (0.9%). 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 Xin (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 Xin mean?
A Chinese surname derived from the word "trust" or "confidence". 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 Xin (0.54 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 Xin?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Xin is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.