Han () is a common Chinese

surname In many societies, a surname, family name, or last name is the mostly hereditary portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family. It is typically combined with a given name to form the full name of a person, although several give ...

. The spelling "Han" is based on China's

pinyin Hanyu Pinyin, or simply pinyin, officially the Chinese Phonetic Alphabet, is the most common romanization system for Standard Chinese. ''Hanyu'' () literally means 'Han Chinese, Han language'—that is, the Chinese language—while ''pinyin' ...

system and so used throughout Mainland China. Spelling can vary from 'Hon' in

Cantonese Cantonese is the traditional prestige variety of Yue Chinese, a Sinitic language belonging to the Sino-Tibetan language family. It originated in the city of Guangzhou (formerly known as Canton) and its surrounding Pearl River Delta. While th ...

-speaking areas to 'Hang' in

Hainan Hainan is an island provinces of China, province and the southernmost province of China. It consists of the eponymous Hainan Island and various smaller islands in the South China Sea under the province's administration. The name literally mean ...

. It is the 15th name on the ''

Hundred Family Surnames The ''Hundred Family Surnames'' (), commonly known as ''Bai Jia Xing'', also translated as ''Hundreds of Chinese Surnames'', is a classic Chinese language , Chinese text composed of common Chinese surnames. An unknown author compiled the book ...

'' poem. In 2003, Han (韩) is ranked 25th in China in terms of the number of bearers at around 8 million persons. In 2019 it was the 28th most common surname in Mainland China. Less common Chinese surnames

romanized In linguistics, romanization is the conversion of text from a different writing system to the Roman (Latin) script, or a system for doing so. Methods of romanization include transliteration, for representing written text, and transcription, ...

as ''Han'' include: 寒 (Hán) and 汉/漢 (Hàn).

Four Chinese Origins of '韩'

From '姬' surname

' 姬' (Jì) is an ancient Chinese surname. It is an alternate surname of the

Yellow Emperor The Yellow Emperor, also known as the Yellow Thearch, or Huangdi ( zh, t=黃帝, s=黄帝, first=t) in Chinese, is a mythical Chinese sovereign and culture hero included among the legendary Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. He is revered as ...

(Gongsun Xuanyuan) and the Zhou ruling family. A descendant of

King Wu of Zhou King Wu of Zhou (; died ), personal name Ji Fa, was the founding king of the Chinese Zhou dynasty. The chronology of his reign is disputed but is generally thought to have begun around 1046 BCE and ended with his death three years later. Ki ...

, Wan, was given land in Hanyuan. Wan's descendants created the

State of Han Han was an ancient Chinese state during the Warring States period. Scholars frequently render the name as Hann to clearly distinguish it from China's later Han dynasty. It was located in central China (modern-day Shanxi and Henan) in a region ...

during the

Warring States period The Warring States period in history of China, Chinese history (221 BC) comprises the final two and a half centuries of the Zhou dynasty (256 BC), which were characterized by frequent warfare, bureaucratic and military reforms, and ...

. When the state was conquered by Qin in 230 BC, members of the ruling family adopted Han '韩' as their surname.

From the transcription of non-Han names

Non-Han ethnic groups tend to adopt Chinese surnames through the process known as

sinicization Sinicization, sinofication, sinification, or sinonization (from the prefix , 'Chinese, relating to China') is the process by which non-Chinese societies or groups are acculturated or assimilated into Chinese culture, particularly the language, ...

. During the reforms of Emperor Xiao Wen of Northern Wei, the

Xianbei The Xianbei (; ) were an ancient nomadic people that once resided in the eastern Eurasian steppes in what is today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Northeastern China. The Xianbei were likely not of a single ethnicity, but rather a multiling ...

surname 'Dahan', 大汗 (dà hàn) in Chinese, was changed to Han '韩' because the two names sound similar after 'Da' or '大' is dropped. Manchu clan names Hacihuri (), Hangiya (), Hanja (), Hanyan (), and Gilate () were changed to Han '韩'.

From given name to surname

The mythical

had a son Chang Yi (昌意), who had a son with the given name Han Liu (韩流). Those who claimed to be Han Liu's descendants adopted Han as their surname.

By Imperial Appointment

The Salar Muslims voluntarily joined the

Ming dynasty The Ming dynasty, officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming was the last imperial dynasty of ...

. The Salar clan leaders each capitulated to the Ming dynasty around 1370. The chief of the four upper clans around this time was Han Pao-yuan and Ming granted him office of centurion, it was at this time the people of his four clans took Han as their surname. The other chief Han Shan-pa of the four lower Salar clans got the same office from Ming, and his clans were the ones who took Ma as their surname. Ma and Han are the two most widespread names among the salar. Ma is a Salar surname for the same reason it is a common Hui surname, Ma substitutes for Muhammad. The upper four clans of the Salar assumed the surname Han and lived west of Xunhua. One of these Salar surnamed Han was Han Yimu, a Salar officer who served under General

Ma Bufang Ma Bufang (1903 – 31 July 1975) (, Xiao'erjing: ) was a prominent Chinese Muslim Ma clique warlord in China during the Republican era, ruling the province of Qinghai. His rank was lieutenant-general. Life Ma Bufang and his older brother ...

. He fought in the Kuomintang Islamic Insurgency in China (1950–1958), leading Salars in a revolt in 1952 and 1958. Han Youwen was another Salar General, who served in the Communist

People's Liberation Army The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is the military of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the People's Republic of China (PRC). It consists of four Military branch, services—People's Liberation Army Ground Force, Ground Force, People's ...

Notable people with surname 韩/韓

Modern

* Han Dong (韩东/韓東), Chinese member of a South Korean girl group

DREAMCATCHER In some Native Americans in the United States, Native American and First Nations in Canada, First Nations cultures, a dreamcatcher (, the Ojibwe language#Grammar, inanimate form of the word for 'spider') is a handmade willow hoop, on which is ...

Han Dongfang Han Dongfang ( zh, s=韩东方; born 1963) is a Chinese advocate for workers' rights. Han was born in the impoverished village of Nanweiquan in Shanxi and first came to international prominence as a railway worker in Beijing. He helped set up ...

(韩东方/韓東方), human rights activist * Han Fuju (韩复榘/韓復榘), Kuomintang general *

Han Geng Han Geng (born February 9, 1984) is a Chinese Mandopop singer and actor. He started his career in 2001, when he was chosen by S.M. Entertainment to become a member of South Korean boy band Super Junior, which debuted in 2005. He later became ...

(韩庚/韓庚), singer and actor * Han Hong (韩红/韓紅), singer and songwriter *

Han Kuo-yu Han Kuo-yu (Chinese language, Chinese: 韓國瑜, born 17 June 1957), also known as Daniel Han, is a Taiwanese politician and retired Republic of China Army officer who is the current president of the Legislative Yuan. Han graduated from the ...

(韩国瑜/韓國瑜), mayor of Kaohsiung * Han Lao Da (韩劳达/韓勞達), Singaporean playwright *

Han Meilin Han Meilin (; born December 26, 1936, in Jinan, ShandongHanban.edu.Hanban.edu." ''Profile of the artist.'' Retrieved on 2008-04-27.Xinhuanet." ''韓美林作品選(圖).'' Retrieved on 2008-04-27.) is a Chinese artist most recognized today for hi ...

(韩美林/韓美林), artist * Han Sai Por (韩少芙/韓少芙), Singaporean sculptor * Han Shaogong (韩少功/韓少功), novelist * Han Xiaopeng (韩晓鹏/韓曉鵬), freestyle skier * Han Xianchu (韩先楚/韓先楚), general in the People's Liberation Army *

Han Xinyun Han Xinyun (; ; born 30 May 1990), also known as Monica Han, is an inactive Chinese tennis player. Han has won three doubles titles on the WTA Tour, as well as one doubles title on the WTA Challenger Tour. She also has won 35 titles (9 in sin ...

(韩馨蕴/韓馨蘊), tennis player * Han Youwen (韩有文/韓有文), general in the National Revolutionary Army *

Han Zheng Han Zheng (; born April 1954) is a Chinese politician who since 2023 has served as the 11th Vice President of China, vice president of China. He previously served as the Vice Premier of China, first-ranking vice premier of China between 2018 and ...

(韩正/韓正), mayor of Shanghai *

Hon Sui Sen Benedict Hon Sui Sen (16 April 1916 – 14 October 1983) was a Singaporean politician who served as Minister for Finance between 1970 and 1983. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ha ...

(韩瑞生/韓瑞生), Singaporean politician * Residents of the Cuandixia village

Pre-Modern

* Han Dang (韩当/韓當), general of the Three Kingdoms period *

Han Fei Han Fei (233 BC), also known as Han Feizi, was a Chinese Legalist philosopher and statesman during the Warring States period. He was a prince of the state of Han. Han Fei is often considered the greatest representative of Legalism for th ...

(韩非/韓非), philosopher of the Warring States period * Han Fu (韩馥/韓馥), warlord of the Eastern Han dynasty *

Han Gan Han Gan () (–783) was a Chinese painter during the Tang dynasty. He came from a poor family in either Chang'an, modern-day Xi'an, Shaanxi; Lantian, modern-day Shaanxi; or Daliang, modern-day Kaifeng, Henan. As a young man, Han Gan was re ...

(韩干/韓幹), painter of the Tang dynasty * Han Guang (韩广/韓廣), ruler of the Kingdom of Liaodong * Han Hong (韩弘/韓弘), general and statesman of the Tang dynasty * Han Hao (韩浩/韓浩), general of the Eastern Han dynasty * Han Lanying (韓蘭英), scholar and writer of the Southern Qi and Liu Song dynasties * Han Shantong (韩山童/韓山童), rebel leader of the Yuan dynasty *

Han Shizhong Han Shizhong () (1089 – 16 September 1151) was a Chinese military general, poet, and politician of the late Northern Song dynasty and the early Southern Song dynasty. He dedicated his whole life to serving the Song dynasty, and performed man ...

(韩世忠/韓世忠), general of the Southern Song dynasty *

Han Sui Han Sui () (140s - June or July 215According to Cao Cao's biography in ''Sanguozhi'', Han Sui was killed in the 5th month of the 20th year of the ''Jian'an'' era of Liu Xie's reign. This corresponds to 15 June to 13 July 215 on the Julian calend ...

(韓遂), general and warlord of the Eastern Han dynasty * Han Tuozhou (韩侂胄/韓侂胄), statesman of the Southern Song dynasty *

Han Xiangzi Han Xiangzi, courtesy name Qingfu or Beizhu, is a Chinese mythological figure and one of the Eight Immortals in the Taoist pantheon. He studied Taoist magical arts under the tutelage of Lü Dongbin, another of the Eight Immortals. Han Xiangzi i ...

(韩湘子/韓湘子), one of the Eight Immortals *

Han Xin Han Xin (; ? – early 196 BCE) was a Chinese military general and politician who served Liu Bang during the Chu–Han Contention and contributed greatly to the founding of the Han dynasty. Han Xin was named as one of the "Three Heroes of the ...

(韩信/韓信), general of the Western Han dynasty *

King Xin of Han Xin, King of Hán (died 196 BC), also known as Hán Xin and as Hán Wang Xin, was a noble of the early Han dynasty of China and a descendant of the royal family of Hán during the Warring States period. He was made King of Hán () in 205 BC b ...

(韩王信/韓王信), a vassal ruler under Emperor Gaozu of Han *

Han Yu Han Yu (; 76825 December 824), courtesy name Tuizhi (), and commonly known by his posthumous name Han Wengong (韓文公), was an essayist, Confucian scholar, poet, and government official during the Tang dynasty who significantly influenced t ...

(韩愈/韓愈), poet and philosopher of the Tang dynasty * Concubine Han, a Korean concubine of the Chinese

Hongwu The Hongwu Emperor (21 October 1328– 24 June 1398), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Taizu of Ming, personal name Zhu Yuanzhang, courtesy name Guorui, was the List of emperors of the Ming dynasty, founding emperor of the Ming dyna ...

emperor

References

External links

* {{surname, Han Chinese-language surnames Individual Chinese surnames