Explore the Family Name Bian
The meaning of Bian
Chinese: 1. Mandarin form of the surname 卞, meaning ‘rules’ or ‘hasty’ in ancient Chinese: from Bian (卞), the name of a fief (located in Shandong province) in the state of Cao dating back to the Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC). 2. Mandarin form of the surname 邊, meaning ‘margin, edge’ in Chinese: (i) from the second element of the personal name Zi Bian (子邊), style name of a prince of the state of Song during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (ii) from Bian (邊), the name of an ancient state (located in Henan province) during the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Bian in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Bian has seen a significant rise in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Bian was ranked 48,665th most common surname, but by 2010, it had jumped to the 32,438th position, marking an increase of 33.34%. The count of people bearing the Bian surname also surged from 407 in 2000 to 709 in 2010, showing a substantial growth rate of 74.2%. Consequently, the proportion of individuals with the Bian surname per 100,000 increased by 60%, moving from 0.15 in 2000 to 0.24 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #48,665 | #32,438 | 33.34% |
| Count | 407 | 709 | 74.2% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.15 | 0.24 | 60% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Bian
Examining the ethnic identity associated with the surname Bian, we see a shift in its distribution as well. Data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows that in 2000, about 69.04% of Bians identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, which rose to 87.02% by 2010, signifying an increase of 26.04%. The number of Bians identifying as White decreased significantly from 20.15% in 2000 to 8.74% in 2010, a drop of 56.63%. Similarly, the percentage of Hispanic Bians fell from 6.39% to 2.96%, down by 53.68%. Interestingly, the count for those identifying as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native registered at 0 in 2010. The proportion of Bians identifying with two or more races also declined, dropping by 42.28% from 1.23% in 2000 to 0.71% in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 69.04% | 87.02% | 26.04% |
| White | 20.15% | 8.74% | -56.63% |
| Hispanic | 6.39% | 2.96% | -53.68% |
| Two or More Races | 1.23% | 0.71% | -42.28% |
| Black | 3.19% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |