Explore the Family Name Yuan
The meaning of Yuan
Chinese: 1. Mandarin form of the surname 袁, meaning ‘(of dress) long’ in ancient Chinese: from the personal name of Bo Yuan (伯爰), style name of Zhu, who was a descendant of Hu Gong Man (Duke Hu of Chen, head of the state of Chen). In ancient Chinese, the characters 爰, 轅, and 袁 were used interchangeably. Descendants of Bo Yuan adopted 袁 (Yuan) as their surname. 2. Mandarin form of the surname 元, meaning ‘head’ or ‘beginning’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from the personal name of Yuan Xian (元銑), an official in the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC). (ii) from the placename Yuan (元), the name of a fief located in Gaoping in Shanxi province, which was granted to Yuan, prince of the state of Wei during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (iii) from the placename Yuan (元), the name of a fief located in present-day Hebei province, which was granted to Yuan Xuan (元晅), an official in the state of Wey (衛) during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (iv) from the Tuoba (拓跋), Hegu (紇骨), and Shiyun (是雲) families from the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China, who adopted 元 as their surname during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD). 3. Mandarin form of the surname 苑, often referring to imperial gardens in ancient Chinese: (i) from the placename Yuan (苑), the name of a state (located in Xinzheng in Henan province) during the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC). (ii) from the personal name of Yuan He Ji (苑何忌), an official in the state of Qi (located mainly in present-day Shandong province) during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). 4. Mandarin form of the surname 原, meaning ‘open land’ in Chinese: from Yuan (原), the name of a state (located in Jiyuan in Henan province) granted to Yuan Bo (原伯) (the Earl of Yuan), the 16th son of King Wen of Zhou (1152–1056 BC). After it was annexed by the state of Jin (located in present-day Shanxi province) during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC), people from the state adopted Yuan (原), the name of the state, as their surname. Moreover, after the annihilation of the state of Yuan (原), the state became a fief in the state of Jin, which were then granted to Xian Zhen, also known as Yuan Zhen. His descendants also inherited Yuan (原), the name of the fief, as their surname. 5. Mandarin form of the surname 源, meaning ‘source, origin’ in Chinese: surname from the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China, said to be traced back to Tu-Fa Po-Qiang (403–79 AD), also known as Yuan He (源賀), who was originally prince of the state of Southern Liang (397–414 AD) but later fled to Northern Wei after the toppling of Southern Liang. He was later endowed with the new surname Yuan (源) by the then emperor (Emperor Taiwu of Northern Wei) because it was said that he shared the same ‘origin’ with the emperor. His descendants then inherited his new surname Yuan (源). Some characteristic forenames: Chinese Wei, Li, Jian, Ying, Chao, Chen, Fang, Hong, Ling, Ting, Feng, Gang, Min, Chang, Chong, Chung, Pao, Tian, Yeng.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Yuan in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Yuan significantly increased between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Yuan ranked as the 5877th most popular surname in the United States, but by 2010 it had risen to the 4129th position, a change of nearly 30%. The total number of people bearing the surname also grew from 5,394 in 2000 to 8,588 in 2010, marking an increase of over 59%. Consequently, the proportion of individuals with this surname per 100,000 people in the country rose by 45.5%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #5,877 | #4,129 | 29.74% |
| Count | 5,394 | 8,588 | 59.21% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2 | 2.91 | 45.5% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Yuan
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals that the majority of individuals with the Yuan surname identify as Asian/Pacific Islander. In 2000, 95.85% of individuals with this surname identified as such, and this percentage slightly increased to 96.43% in 2010. During the same period, the percentage of those identifying as two or more races declined from 1.91% to 1.28%, while those identifying as White saw a modest increase from 1.37% to 1.62%. The proportion of individuals identifying as Hispanic remained almost the same, experiencing a slight decrease from 0.43% to 0.42%. Finally, the percentages for those identifying as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native were suppressed in the 2010 data, presumably for privacy reasons.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 95.85% | 96.43% | 0.61% |
| White | 1.37% | 1.62% | 18.25% |
| Two or More Races | 1.91% | 1.28% | -32.98% |
| Hispanic | 0.43% | 0.42% | -2.33% |
| Black | 0.33% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.11% | 0% | 0% |
Yuan 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 Yuan is Chinese, which comprises 90.8% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Korean (2.2%) and Manchurian & Mongolian (2.1%). Additional ancestries include Chinese Dai, French & German, British & Irish, Vietnamese, and Eastern European.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 90.8% |
| Korean | 2.2% |
| Manchurian & Mongolian | 2.1% |
| Other | 5.0% |
Possible origins of the surname Yuan
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 Yuan have recent ancestry locations all within China.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Shandong, China | 36.30% |
| Guangdong, China | 36.30% |
| Zhejiang, China | 36.30% |
| Jiangsu, China | 36.30% |
| Shanghai, China | 36.00% |
What Yuan 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 Yuan is O-F8, which is predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Haplogroup O-F8 is descended from haplogroup O-M1359. Other common haplogroups include O-F46 and O-F11, which are predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American and East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Xu, Gao, Zhao, Li, Zhang, Tang, Zhou, Wu, Wang, Sun.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Yuan surname are: D4a, F2, M7b. These most commonly trace back to individuals of East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins O-M1359
Your paternal lineage may be linked to the Han Chinese
Haplogroup O-Page23 has been found in several populations of the Han Chinese ethnic group. The ancestors of the Han, called the Huaxia, lived in the upriver basin of the Yellow River 5,000-6,000 years ago. As agricultural technology improved, the Huaxia spread east and south, and became the Han Chinese. Over the last 2,000 years, there have been three major migrations of the Han southward. The first of these migrations occurred during the Jin Dynasty from 317 to 420 CE, when nearly one million people moved south. A second migration occurred during the Tang Dynasty, after the An-Shi Rebellion, between 755 and 762 CE. The last migration occurred during the Southern Song Dynasty, from 1127 to 1297 CE, when nearly 5 million people migrated southward. The Pinghua, a branch of Han in which haplogroup O2a2b1a1 is particularly common, may be descendants of indigenous minority groups that adopted Han culture during one such major migration event.
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 Yuan 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.
"Yuan" Surname 34.4%
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.
"Yuan" Surname 24.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Yuan" Surname 19.8%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Yuan" Surname 6.2%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Yuan?
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 Yuan are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition