Explore the Family Name Sian

The meaning of Sian

1. Americanized form of an unidentified French or French Canadian surname. 2. Amerindian (Guatemala; also Sián): Mayan name, probably from si’an ‘calmed down’. 3. Burmese (Chin): from a part of a male compound personal name, derived from Pasian, the name for ‘God’, and interpreted as ‘holy’. — Note: Since Chins do not have hereditary surnames, this name element was registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US. 4. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surnames 冼 and 洗, see Xian 1. This surname is also found in the Philippines. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Delfin, Catalino, Jose, Narciso, Ricardo, Rogaciano, Tita.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Sian in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Sian has seen a significant increase between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the surname ranked 41,722 in popularity with 491 individuals bearing the name, making it 0.18 per 100,000 people. By 2010, the rank had climbed to 37,792 with a count of 588 or 0.2 per 100,000 people. This represents a popularity growth rate of 9.42 percent and a count increase of 19.76 percent over the decade.

20002010Change
Rank#41,722#37,7929.42%
Count49158819.76%
Proportion per 100k0.180.211.11%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Sian

Examining the ethnic identity associated with the surname Sian, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals some interesting shifts over the specified timeframe. In 2000, a significant proportion of those with the surname identified as White (50.92 percent), Asian/Pacific Islander (30.14 percent), and Hispanic (11.61 percent). However, by 2010, while the Asian/Pacific Islander group saw an increase to 34.18 percent, the White group decreased to 41.16 percent. The Hispanic ethnicity also rose significantly, reaching 19.22 percent. Meanwhile, those identifying as Black fell from 4.28 percent to 2.04 percent. A new categorization emerged in 2010, with 2.55 percent identifying with two or more races, and another category, American Indian and Alaskan Native, registering at 0.85 percent.

20002010Change
White50.92%41.16%-19.17%
Asian/Pacific Islander30.14%34.18%13.4%
Hispanic11.61%19.22%65.55%
Two or More Races0%2.55%0%
Black4.28%2.04%-52.34%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0.85%0%