Explore the Family Name Chien
The meaning of Chien
Chinese: 1. variant of Qian. 2. alternative Mandarin form of the surnames 簡 and 蹇, see Jian 1 and 4. Some characteristic forenames: Chinese Ming, Shih, Yao, Kuang, Li-Jen, Mei, Pei-Ling, Shu-Jen, Wan, Ying, Chao, Chen.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Chien in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Chien has seen increasing popularity in the United States. In 2000, the surname was ranked 9,257th but had risen to 8,732nd place by 2010, demonstrating a growth of 5.67%. The number of individuals with this last name also increased from 3,239 in 2000 to 3,756 in 2010, representing a substantial increase of 15.96%. The proportion of individuals named Chien per 100,000 people also saw an increase of 5.83% over the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,257 | #8,732 | 5.67% |
| Count | 3,239 | 3,756 | 15.96% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.2 | 1.27 | 5.83% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Chien
Regarding ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that most bearers of the surname Chien identify as Asian/Pacific Islander, although this percentage slightly decreased from 93.49% in 2000 to 91.99% in 2010. Those identifying as two or more races grew by 24.44%, while those identifying as White saw a modest increase of 15.60%. The percentage of individuals with the surname Chien identifying as Hispanic experienced the most significant change, increasing by 136.96% between 2000 and 2010. Conversely, there was a slight decrease of -5.41% for those identifying as Black. Lastly, those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native went from 0.15% to 0.00%, indicating a complete drop-off in that category.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 93.49% | 91.99% | -1.6% |
| White | 3.27% | 3.78% | 15.6% |
| Two or More Races | 2.25% | 2.8% | 24.44% |
| Hispanic | 0.46% | 1.09% | 136.96% |
| Black | 0.37% | 0.35% | -5.41% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.15% | 0% | -100% |
Chien ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Chien is Chinese, which comprises 89.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Vietnamese (2.1%) and British & Irish (1.9%). Additional ancestries include French & German, Filipino & Austronesian, Scandinavian, Korean, and Chinese Dai.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 89.5% |
| Vietnamese | 2.1% |
| British & Irish | 1.9% |
| Other | 6.6% |
Possible origins of the surname Chien
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Chien have recent ancestry locations in China and Taiwan.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Fujian, China | 69.00% |
| Jiangsu, China | 69.00% |
| Guangdong, China | 69.00% |
| Shanghai, China | 69.00% |
| Shandong, China | 69.00% |
What Chien haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Chien is C-F1319, which is predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Haplogroup C-F1319 is descended from haplogroup C-M217. Other common haplogroups include O-F11 and O-F8, which are predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American and East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Ku, Uy, Fang, Yen, Xie, To, Zou, Tsao, Qian, Shen.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Chien surname are: B4, D4, M7b. These most commonly trace back to individuals of East Asian & Indigenous American and European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins C-M217
Your paternal lineage may be linked to Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan, the Mongolian conqueror that lived from 1162 to 1227 CE, was likely a member of haplogroup C-M217, and may be responsible for the spread of one of its branches. Half of a percent of all men on Earth, and 8% of men in the region reaching from northeastern China to Uzbekistan, may descend from Genghis Khan. His lineage is most common in Hazara, Mongolian, Uygur, Chinese Kazak, and Inner Mongolian Han populations.
Your maternal lineage may be linked to the ancient people of the Indian subcontinent
While Haplogroup M is widespread throughout South and East Asia, it is more diverse on the Indian sub-continent than anywhere else in the world. The high degree of diversity of M in India is likely tied to its ancient arrival here nearly 50,000 years ago. In addition to M2, which is found throughout the subcontinent, there are dozens of haplogroups branching off of M that exist in India. These branches are often connected to specific regions, tribes, or ethnic groups. For example, haplogroup M18 is found among the Oraon peoples of eastern India and Bangladesh, while haplogroup M41 is common among the Pardhan speakers of eastern India, and haplogroup M31a can be found on the Andaman Islands, just off the southeast coast of India.
What do people with the surname Chien have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Chien" Surname 44.1%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Chien" Surname 38.5%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Kinesthetic Learner
Preferring to learn and process information through hands-on activities, practical experiences, and active engagement.
"Chien" Surname 45.5%
23andMe Users 61.5%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Chien" Surname 11.2%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Chien?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Chien are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition