{"id":2689,"date":"2022-11-24T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-24T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.mychinaroots.com\/?p=2689"},"modified":"2022-11-23T02:00:19","modified_gmt":"2022-11-23T02:00:19","slug":"lin-family-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mychinaroots.com\/blog\/surnames\/lin-family-history\/","title":{"rendered":"Lin Family History"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Is your last name spelled Lin, Lim, Ling or Lum? If so, there\u2019s a good chance that the original Chinese surname of your ancestors is \u6797, pronounced Lin in Mandarin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lin (\u6797), meaning \u2018forest\u2019, is the 18th most common surname in China. Any communities worldwide in places like Japan, Indonesia, Taiwan and Singapore also share the same surname. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The roots of the Lin family stretch far and wide. Most Lin descendants can trace their ancestry back to the bloodlines of government officials who lived and ruled during the Spring and Autumn Period (770 to 476 BC, or the first half of the Eastern Zhou period). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Looking for your Lin family history book?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Search 285 Lin records across various villages<\/a><\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Explore 2170 Lin records in collections across the world<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What are the origins of Lin?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many believe that the surname Lin originated under the reign of King Zhou (\u5e1d\u8f9b), who was the last king of the Shang dynasty of ancient China. King Zhou was known to be a draconian leader who ruled with an iron fist. He would often mete out severe punishments and enact troublesome laws. However, his uncle Prince Bi Gan (\u6bd4\u5e72) was a man of morals and sought to persuade King Zhou to change his ways. In anger, the king ordered for the arrest of the prince. Upon hearing this, the Prince\u2019s pregnant wife escaped into a nearby forest and conceived their child in secret. Shortly thereafter, King Zhou was overthrown by King Wu of the Zhou dynasty (\u5468\u6b66\u738b). To commemorate Prince Bi Gan\u2019s bravery and loyal service, the new king officially conferred the surname \u2018Lin\u2019 on Prince Bi Gan\u2019s newborn son \u2014 the first Lin ancestor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other historical accounts trace the origins of the Lin clan to King Ping of Zhou (\u5468\u5e73\u738b). King Ping\u2019s grandson first went by his personal name Ji Lin (\u59ec\u6797), but he was later acknowledged as King Huan of Zhou (\u5468\u6853\u738b) after succeeding his grandfather. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is also evidence to suggest that the Lin clan (or its various branches) may have originated elsewhere. During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, Emperor Xiaowen ordered the Xianbei (\u9c9c\u5351) Mongolian nomadic tribe to change their surnames to Lin. In addition, it is historically recorded that the Taiwanese Gaoshan (\u9ad8\u5c71\uff09 tribe, one of the biggest groups that migrated from China to Taiwan, changed their surnames to Lin in tribute to the forests of their homeland.<\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Prince Bi Gan of the Shang Dynasty, whose son was the first Lin ancestor.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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A present-day member of the Gaoshan tribe.<\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Did you know?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Chinese character for \u2018wood\u2019 is \u6728 (mu). Comprised of two \u6728 characters, the surname Lin (\u6797) evokes the imagery of a pair of trees standing side by side \u2014 thus symbolizing \u2018forest\u2019!<\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Image: The Guardian<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>

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Lin<\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n

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Meaning<\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/td>Woods, forest<\/td><\/tr>
Symbols<\/gwmw><\/td>\u6728 (wood, tree)<\/td><\/tr>
Legendary Ancestor<\/gwmw><\/td>King Wen Wu Ding \u6587\u6b66\u4e01of the Shang Dynasty<\/td><\/tr>
Founding Ancestor<\/td>Lin Jian \u6797\u575a, the son of Prince Bi Gan<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Global distribution map of Lin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Spelling Variations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Dialect<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Cantonese<\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/td>Lem, Lum, Lam<\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/td><\/tr>
Hainanese<\/td>Lam, Leem, Lewn, Liam, Lim, Lum, Lin<\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/td><\/tr>
Hakka<\/td>Lim, Lam, Ling, Lin<\/gwmw><\/td><\/tr>
Hokkien<\/td>Lim, Lem, Leng, Lin, Ling, Lng<\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/td><\/tr>
Mandarin<\/td>Lin<\/gwmw><\/td><\/tr>
Teochew<\/td>Lim, Lean, Lin, Ling<\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
By Country<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
United States<\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/td>Lam, Lamb, Lamm, Land, Lem, Lemm, Liem, Lim, Limm, Lin, Ling, Linn, Lum, Lym, Lynn<\/td><\/tr>
Cambodia<\/td>Lim<\/td><\/tr>
Macau<\/td>Lam<\/td><\/tr>
Taiwan<\/td>Lin<\/td><\/tr>
Trinidad and Tobago<\/td>Nim<\/td><\/tr>
Australia<\/td>Ah Len, Leem<\/td><\/tr>
Japan<\/td>Hayashi<\/td><\/tr>
Indonesia<\/td>Alim, Salim, Limantoro, Lim, Liemena, Liemantika, Limianto, Liem, Mulialim, Limijanto, Limanto, Liman, Limawan, Halim, Limijati, Muslim, Haliman, Ruslim, Linus, Limiardi, Nursalim, Suharlim, Nastalim, Satyalim, Lemandjaja, Halimkusuma, Lemanjaya, Lesmana, Limantara, Linanto, Wono, Limandi, Lanandi, Limiardja, Lembata, Lamono, Laksono, Laksana, lamsano, Laksamanda, Talim, Lemandau, Limijanti, Talin, Limyadi, Limandau, Lumenta, Taslim, Baroleh, Limputra, Limansubronoto, Mursalim, Limarta<\/gwmw><\/td><\/tr>
Jamaica<\/td>Lim, Lym<\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/td><\/tr>
Korea<\/td>Lim, Im, Rim<\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/td><\/tr>
Malaysia
Singapore<\/td>		Ling, Lim, Lin, Lum, Lam<\/gwmw><\/td><\/tr>
Hawaii<\/td>Aiko, Ban, Chan-lam, Loy, Lumho, Poy, Sing, Suey, Wei<\/gwmw><\/td><\/tr>
Peru<\/td>Asin, Asaulau, Lau<\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/td><\/tr>
Suriname<\/td>Lim, Liem, Lam<\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/td><\/tr>
Vietnam<\/td>L\u00e2m<\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Who are famous Lins in modern history?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

From emperors, prime ministers, and generals, to intellectuals, film stars and pro ballers: there\u2019s nothing that Lins can\u2019t do. Some of the most prominent Lins in modern history include:<\/gwmw><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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