Explore the Family Name Xin
The meaning of Xin
Chinese: 1. Mandarin form of the surname 辛, meaning ‘hot and spicy’ or ‘suffering’ in Chinese: (i) from the placename Shen (莘), the name of a fief (originally located in Heyang in Shaanxi province, later moved to Chenliu in Henan province during the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC)), granted to descendants of Qi, the second king of the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC). When the name of the fiefdom was adopted as a surname, the written form of the Chinese character was simplified to 辛, which was pronounced the same as 莘 in ancient Chinese. (ii) said to be traced back to Gao Xin Shi (高辛氏), the title of the legendary king Di Ku (or Emperor Ku), who lived prior to the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC). 2. Mandarin form of the surname 信, meaning ‘believe’ in Chinese: from the first element of Xin Ling (信陵), title of Wuji (died 243 BC), prince of the state of Wei, known as one of the Four Lords of Warring States period (475–221 BC). 3. Mandarin form of the surname 忻, possibly traced back to Xin Du (忻都), a name appearing during the Yuan dynasty (1206–1368 AD), but the exact bearers of this name were unknown. Some characteristic forenames: Chinese Li, Dapeng, Fang, Wei, Yan, Chen, Chun Lin, Feng, Fu, Guorong, Hong, Hongbo.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Xin in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Xin has seen a significant increase between 2000 and 2010. The rank of the surname jumped from 42,677 in 2000 to 25,924 in 2010, marking an impressive growth of approximately 39.26%. Similarly, the count of people with the Xin surname nearly doubled from 478 in 2000 to 948 in 2010, indicating a whopping 98.33% increase. The proportion per 100k also showed a substantial rise from 0.18 in 2000 to 0.32 in 2010, a surge of about 77.78%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #42,677 | #25,924 | 39.26% |
| Count | 478 | 948 | 98.33% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.18 | 0.32 | 77.78% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Xin
In terms of ethnic identity associated with the surname Xin, the Decennial U.S. Census data indicates a majority falling within the Asian/Pacific Islander category. In 2000, 97.70% of those with the surname Xin identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, which slightly decreased to 96.73% by 2010. The percentage of individuals identifying with two or more races increased by roughly 20.95%, from 1.05% in 2000 to 1.27% in 2010. Notably, the data shows new percentages in 2010 for individuals identifying as White (1.37%) and Hispanic (0.53%), where there had been no previous record in 2000. There was no change in the categories of Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 97.7% | 96.73% | -0.99% |
| White | 0% | 1.37% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 1.05% | 1.27% | 20.95% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 0.53% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |