The Lin Family Name#

Family Name: Lin, pronounced as lìn

Distribution of the Lin Family Name#

Zhongshan Commandery: Established during the Han Dynasty. During the Warring States period, it belonged to the State of Zhongshan. This area corresponds to the northern part of present-day Hebei Province, specifically Hua Yin, which was an ancient county name. In the Spring and Autumn period, it was part of the State of Jin. During the Han Dynasty, Hua Yin County was established (named after its location north of Mount Hua). The ancient city of Hua Yin is located in the southeast of present-day Hua Yin County, Shaanxi Province.

Origin of the Lin Family Name#

The name “Lin” originates from the Ji (姬) clan and was derived from a place name. During the Spring and Autumn period, Cheng Shi, the younger son of Duke Xian of Jin, was granted a fief in Han (present-day Hancheng County, Shaanxi Province). He founded the State of Han, and because his title was that of a “Zi” (a lower-ranking noble), he was also known as Han Zi. His descendants adopted “Han” as their surname. When it came to Han Jue (also known as Han Xian Zi), his great-grandson, Han Kang, served as an official in the State of Zhao and was granted the territory of Lin (located north of present-day Liulin County, Shanxi Province, or northwest of Weinan County, Shaanxi Province). His descendants then took the name of this fief as their surname, thus becoming the Lin family.

Hall Names (Tang Hao):
“Wan Bi Tang” (Hall of the Perfect Jade): During the Warring States period, the State of Zhao obtained the “He Shi Bi” (a famous jade artifact). At that time, the State of Qin was very powerful and tricked Zhao into offering 15 cities in exchange for the jade. Zhao was in a difficult position: if they gave the jade, they feared Qin would not deliver the cities; if they did not give the jade, they feared Qin would attack them. Therefore, they sent Lin Xiangru to Qin with the jade. After receiving the jade, the King of Qin merely showed it to his ministers and made no mention of delivering the cities. Lin Xiangru realized that Qin had no intention of delivering the cities and said to the king, “You only praise the beauty of the jade, but you don’t know that it has a flaw!” The king then handed the jade back to Lin Xiangru and asked him to point out the flaw. Lin Xiangru immediately hugged a pillar and said, “Before I came to deliver the jade on behalf of King Zhao, I fasted and bathed for three days as a sign of respect for Qin. Now that you have the jade, you should also fast and bathe for three days before the handover ceremony can take place. Otherwise, I will break the jade against this pillar and then commit suicide.” With no other choice, the king allowed Lin Xiangru to take the jade back to Zhao. After returning to Zhao, Lin Xiangru secretly sent his followers to return the jade via a secret route. Three days later, a handover ceremony was held in Qin. Lin Xiangru told the king, “Since you have no intention of delivering the cities, I have already sent the jade back to Zhao. If you wish to kill me, please do so.” The king, realizing that killing Lin Xiangru would harm the relations between the two states, released Lin Xiangru and sent him back to Zhao.

Migration and Distribution

The Lin family is a typical single-source Han surname, ranking 300th on current surname rankings, with a population of approximately 196,000 people, accounting for about 0.012% of the national population. The Lin family originated from the Han family. During the Spring and Autumn period, a descendant of Han named Han Jue (posthumously known as Han Xian Zi) was granted the fief of Lin in the State of Zhao. Some of Han Jue’s descendants adopted the name of the fief as their surname, thus forming the Lin family. According to the historical record “Yuan He Xing Zuan,” Han Jue’s great-grandson, Han Kang, served as an official in Zhao and was granted the territory of Lin. Han Kang’s descendants took the name of this territory as their surname, which is the origin of the Lin family today.

The Lin family has a typical single-source Han origin and is the 300th most common surname in China, with a population of around 196,000, accounting for about 0.012% of the national total. According to historical texts, the Lin family descended from the Han family. During the Spring and Autumn period, a descendant of Han Jue named Han Kang served as an official in Zhao and was granted the territory of Lin. Some of his descendants adopted the name of this territory as their surname, which is the origin of the Lin family. The Lin family traces its roots back to the State of Jin and the Warring States period (over 2,000 years ago). The Lin family originated in the Zhongshan Commandery (Hebei) and Huyang Commandery (Sichuan) and gradually spread throughout China. For example, in Lin Yao Village, Shan Hua Township, Yanshi City, Luoyang City, Henan Province, there are more than 1,500 Lin family members living today.

Notable People with the Lin Surname

• Lin Xiangru: A famous statesman of the State of Zhao during the Warring States period. He became famous for returning the “He Shi Bi” to Zhao and for his role in mediating a peace agreement between generals and for his humility when Lin Po apologized for his mistakes.
• Lin Daoren: A medical monk from the Tang Dynasty (circa 790–850 AD), also known as Lin Dao Ze. He practiced Taoism and healed a man named Peng, making his medical skills widely known.