The Lin Family#

Surname: Lin, pronounced as “lín”

Regions with a High Population of the Lin Family**#

Xihé County, Shanxi Province; Nan’an County, Fujian Province; Xiapi County, Jiangsu Province

Origins of the Lin Surname**#

The origin of the “Lin” surname can be traced back to two main theories:

1. Derived from the “Zi” Surname: Bi Gan, a high-ranking advisor to the Shang Dynasty, was executed for admonishing King Zhou of Shang. His son, Jian, fled to the forest of Changlin. After King Wu of Zhou overthrew the Shang Dynasty, he was granted the surname Lin and granted land in Boling. The Lin family then dispersed across the states of Zhou, Lu, Qi, and Wei.
2. According to the “Tongzhi: Shizú Lüè,” the Lin surname originates from Lin Kai, an illegitimate son of King Ping of Zhou. He adopted the surname Lin as his own.

Population Distribution of the Lin Family

Today, the Lin family has a population of over 13 million, ranking 17th in the country, accounting for approximately 1.07% of the total Chinese population. Over the past 600 years since the Ming Dynasty, the Lin population has increased from 790,000 to over 14 million, a growth of 18 times. The growth rate of the Lin family has been significantly higher than the national average. Over the past 1,000 years since the Song Dynasty, the growth rate has shown a V-shaped trend. The Lin family is most concentrated in Fujian, Guangdong, and Taiwan, accounting for about 57% of the total Lin population. Zhejiang, Guangxi, and Shandong account for another 18%. Fujian, in particular, is home to 23% of the Lin population and remains the largest province with a significant Lin population. The distribution of the Lin family indicates that it is a common surname in the southeastern coastal regions. In Fujian, Taiwan, Hainan, and eastern Guangdong, the Lin surname accounts for more than 3% of the local population; in southern Fujian and Taiwan, this proportion exceeds 8%. These areas cover approximately 4% of the country’s total area and are home to about 51% of the Lin population. In Guangxi, Guizhou, central and northern Guangdong, eastern Yunnan, southeastern Sichuan, southern Chongqing, most of Hunan, Jiangxi, parts of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui, the eastern part of Shandong, eastern Hubei, eastern Inner Mongolia, and most of Liaoning, the Lin surname accounts for 0.5% to 3% of the local population, covering about 22.5% of the country’s total area and home to about 39% of the Lin population.

Notable People with the Lin Surname

• Lin Zexu: In 1839, this “anti-drug hero” sparked a major change in China by setting fire to the opium warehouses at Humen in Guangzhou. Known for his integrity and concern for the country and its people, he is celebrated for his efforts to ban opium. He also advocated for learning advanced Western technologies and was one of the first people in modern China to open its eyes to the world.
• Lin Juemin: A martyr of the modern democratic revolution from Minhou, Fujian. He participated in the Guangzhou Uprising in 1911 and wrote a farewell letter on April 24, expressing his determination to dedicate his life to the restoration of China. He was wounded and captured during the battle, but met his death with composure. His works include “A Comparison of Constitutions of Six Countries” and “Refutation of Kang Youwei’s Theory of Saving the Country through Material Means.”
• Lin Boqu: One of the leaders in the establishment of the People’s Republic of China.