{"id":388,"date":"2020-06-22T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-06-22T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wp.mychinaroots.com\/?page_id=388"},"modified":"2022-11-08T06:35:17","modified_gmt":"2022-11-08T06:35:17","slug":"chen-family-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mychinaroots.com\/blog\/surnames\/chen-family-history\/","title":{"rendered":"Chen Family History"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Is your last name spelled Chan, Chinn, or Tan? If so, there’s a good chance that the original Chinese surname of your ancestors is \u9648, pronounced Chen in Mandarin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chen is the most common surname in southern China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore. If you can imagine a world where everyone has the same surname as you, that’s probably how your ancestors felt. In China alone, there are around 70 million Chens, or more than the entire population of France. Among them, 50 million can trace their ancestry to Yingchuan in Henan province, the largest branch of the Chen clan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Scenic<\/a><\/figure>
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Looking for your Chen family history book?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Browse our collection of Chen zupus<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Search for a Chen ancestor in our database<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What are the origins of Chen?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Chens are descendants of the legendary Emperor Shun, the last of eight mythological rulers of ancient China who brought order to the realm over 3000 years ago. Meaning ‘old’ or ‘antiquated,’ the origins of the surname Chen date back to an imperial powerplay for legitimacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After overthrowing the Shang in 1046 BC, Wu Wang, the new king of Zhou, sought alliances with noble families to justify his rule. Gui Man, whose entire family descended from Emperor Shun, was granted the region of Chen and wedded to Da Ji, the king’s eldest daughter. From then on, his descendants adopted the surname Chen, posthumously renaming him to Chen Hugong, their founding ancestor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gui Man became the first Chen in China at a time when only 50 million humans inhabited the entire planet \u2013 less than the population of South Korea today. David had just defeated Goliath in modern-day Israel, and someone in Phoenicia invented the first known alphabet!<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Illustrated
Chen Hugong, the first Chen (originally named Gui Man). Source: Chen Zupu of Aohu, Guangdong.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Illustrated
Emperor Shun of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. Source: Chen Zupu of Nanchang, Hainan.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Did you know?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The origin of the popular Sichuan dish, mapo tofu, can be traced to the Chen Xingsheng Restaurant, a small eatery in Chengdu run by a couple with the surname Chen. Created in 1862 during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), mapo tofu means “pockmarked grandma’s beancurd,” named after the pockmarked face of Mrs. Chen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Image: The Woks of Life<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

\"Spicy<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Chen<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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Meaning<\/td>Old, antiquated<\/td><\/tr>
Symbols<\/td>\u961c\/\u961d(“hill”) + \u6771 (“east”)<\/td><\/tr>
Legendary Ancestor<\/td>Emperor Shun \u5e1d\u821c<\/td><\/tr>
Founding Ancestor<\/td>Gui Man \u59ab\u6ee1<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"World<\/a>
Global distribution map of Chen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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

By Dialect<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Cantonese<\/td>Chan, Zen<\/td><\/tr>
Hainanese<\/td>Dan<\/td><\/tr>
Hakka<\/td>Ch’iu, Qin<\/td><\/tr>
Hokkien<\/td>Din, Ding, Tan, Tin, Ting<\/td><\/tr>
Mandarin<\/td>Chen<\/td><\/tr>
Teochew<\/td>Tan<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
By Country<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Australia<\/td>Ah Kew, Leanfore<\/td><\/tr>
Jamaica<\/td>Chance, Chin, Chinn, Chin You, Ewing-Chow<\/td><\/tr>
Korea<\/td>Chin, Jin<\/td><\/tr>
Malaysia<\/td>Chan, Chen, Chin, Ding, Sin, Tan, Tang, Tin, Ting<\/td><\/tr>
Singapore<\/td>Chan, Tan, Ting<\/td><\/tr>
USA<\/td>Akina, Awai, Ching, Tchen<\/td><\/tr>
Vietnam<\/td>Tr\u1ea7n<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Who are famous Chens in modern history?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

From emperors, prime ministers, and generals, to intellectuals, film stars and kung-fu masters: there’s nothing that Chens can’t do. Some of the most prominent Chens in modern history include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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