Chen was listed 10th in the Hundred Family Surnames poem, in the verse 馮陳褚衛 (Féng Chén Chǔ Wèi).
In Cantonese, it is usually romanized as Chan (e.g., Jackie Chan), most widely used by those from Hong Kong, and also found in Macau and Singapore. It is also sometimes spelled Chun. The spelling Tan usually comes from Southern Min dialects (e.g., Hokkien), while some Teochew dialect speakers use the spelling Tang. In Hakka and Taishanese, the name is spelled Chin. Spellings based on Wu include Zen and Tchen. There are many spellings based on its Hainanese pronunciations, including Dan, Seng, and Sin.[4][5]
In Vietnam, this surname is written as Trần (in Quốc Ngữ) and is 2nd most common. In Thailand, this surname is the most common surname of Thai Chinese and is often pronounced according to Teochew dialect as Tang. In Cambodia, this surname is transliterated as Taing. In Japanese, the surname is transliterated Chin (ちん). In Korean it is transliterated Jin or Chin (진).
Chen is 5th most common surname in mainland China, but 4th most common in the world due to the larger overseas population. With all its various spellings and pronunciations, there are around 80–100 million people surnamed 陳/陈 worldwide.[7]
The surname Cheng (程) is sometimes romanized as Chen (e.g., John S. Chen). Another less common Chinese surname諶/谌 (Shen) can also be romanized as Chen.[8]
Character
As well as being a surname, the Chinese character陳/陈 can also mean 'to describe' or 'ancient'. It is a combination of the radical 阝 and the phonetic component 東/东.
Chen descends from the legendary sage king Emperor Shun from around 2200 BC via the surname Gui (媯).[9][10]
A millennium after Emperor Shun, when King Wu of Zhou established the Zhou dynasty (c. 1046 BC), he enfeoffed his son-in-law Gui Man, also known as Duke Hu of Chen or Chen Hugong (陈胡公). Chen Hugong, a descendant of Emperor Shun, found the State of Chen in modern Huaiyang County, Henan Province.[9][10] In 479 BC, Chen was absorbed by Chu and became the Chu capital. The people of Chen adopted the name of their former state as their surname.[9][10]
During this period, the nomadicXianbei people had systematically assimilated into China's agrarian culture and adopted Han Chinese surnames under the state directives of Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei. The Xianbei subjects whose surname of "侯莫陳" (Hóumòchén) were converted to "陳" (Chen).[16]
Some descendants of Chen migrated to Vietnam (Dai Viet) and established the Trần dynasty, a golden age in Vietnam. Their original home was Fujian, and they migrated under Trần Kinh (陳京 Chén Jīng). Trần Thái Tông (陈太宗 Chen Taizong) became the founding emperor of the Tran dynasty, and his descendants would rule Vietnam for more than a century, expanding Vietnam's territory and promoting developments in language, chu nom, culture, and art. Certain members of the clan could still speak Chinese, like when a Yuan dynasty envoy had a meeting with the Chinese-speaking Tran Prince Trần Quốc Tuấn in 1282.[17][18][19][20][21][22][23]
In the 20th century, Chen Duxiu cofounded the Chinese Communist Party and became its first general secretary, but was eventually expelled from the party and condemned by Mao due to advocating Trotskyism.[25]
Distribution
Chen is the 5th most common surname in mainland China (around 70 million) and 4th most common in the world (around 80–100 million, including all its variants like Chan, Tan, Tran).
A 2013 study found that it was the 5th most common surname, shared by 61,300,000 people or 4.610% of the population, with the province with the most being Guangdong.[26]
According to 2018 census, it was 5th most common in mainland China at around 63 million, but 4th most common surname in the world with 80–100 million people. It is the most common Chinese surname overseas.[7]
In 2019 Chen was again the fifth most common surname in mainland China. It is the most common surname in the southern provinces of Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangdong.[27]
Hong Kong has around 700,000 using the spelling "Chan" and 61,000 using the spelling "Chen", so in total around 700,000–800,000 Chen (陈), which ranks first in Hong Kong.
In Thailand, last names are more unique therefore the Chinese last name Chen ranks 2nd with 88,000 and with an incidence of 1 to 900.
There are 187,000 Chens in the US, as of 2014. It is the 30th most common last name in California where there are 70,000. 11,300 in Texas, 6,800 Illinois, 5,900 Maryland. New Jersey was undercounted with data missing; New York had 5,400.
In Canada there are 32,900 Chens; 16,600 Ontario and 11,000 British Columbia.[28]
Chen is usually one of the top 5 common Asian last names and top 3 most common Chinese in the US.
Other pronunciations and transliteration
Chen family ancestral temple, in Xiazai Village, Cangnan County, Zhejiang
Chen Hui / Chen Yi (陳禕; 602–664), also known as Master Xuanzang (玄奘法師), Buddhist monk, scholar, traveller, and translator, known for his epoch-making contributions to Chinese Buddhism and the travelogue of his journey to India during the Tang dynasty period
Chen Wangting (陳王庭;1580–1660), commander of the Wen County garrison during the late Ming dynasty, who founded Chen-style tai chi
Chen Weisong (陳维崧; 1626–1682), first of the great Ci and Pianwen poets during the Qing dynasty, leader and founder of the Yangxian poetry school
Chen Wenlong (陳文龍; 1232–1277), scholarly general during the final years of the Southern Song dynasty, was later deified as City God of Fuzhou and Putian during the Ming dynasty
Chen Wu (陳武), military general who served under the warlord Sun Ce and Sun Quan during the late Eastern Han dynasty
Chen Xu (陳頊), Emperor Xuan of Chen (陳宣帝), fourth emperor of the Chen dynasty
Chen Zhaoyin (陳昭應; 1047–1101), also known as Master Qingshui (清水祖師), Chan Buddhist monk during the Northern Song from Anxi County of Quanzhou and was worshipped as a deity in Southern Fujian region and among Chinese diaspora communities
Chen Zi'ang (陳子昂), prominent poet and important advisor to the Empress Wu Zetian of the Tang dynasty, well known for his collection of thirty-eight poems "Ganyu" (感遇)
Chen Zhen (陳震), Minister of the Guards (衛尉) in Shu Han during Three Kingdoms period
Chen Zheng (陳政; 616–677), military general of the Tang dynasty
Trần Quốc Tuấn (陳國峻; 1228–1300), royal prince, statesman and military commander during the Trần dynasty, managed to repelled two major Mongol invasions in the late 13th century, worshipped and revered as national hero
Trần Thừa (陳承; 1184–1234), head of the Trần clan and high-ranking mandarin during the Lý dynasty
Trần Thủ Độ (陳守度; 1194–1264), Grand Chancellor and Regent of the Emperor during the Trần dynasty
Dynasties and states
Rulers of Chen (state) during the Zhou dynasty period (陳國), where Taoism originated
Rulers of the Chen dynasty during the Northern and Southern dynasties period (陳朝)
Rulers of Chen Han during the late Yuan dynasty period (陳漢)
Rulers of the Trần dynasty that ruled over Đại Việt (also known as 陳朝)
Hanjin Tan (陳奐仁; born 1976), Singaporean-Hong Kong singer-songwriter
Tan Khoen Swie (陳坤瑞; 1883/1894–1953), Indonesian publisher
Tan Pin Pin (陳彬彬; born 1969), Singapore-based film director
Tan Swie Hian (陳瑞獻; born 1943), Singaporean multidisciplinary artist known for his contemporary Chinese calligraphy, Chinese poetry and contemporary art sculptures
Tan Teng-pho (陳澄波; 1895–1947), Taiwanese oil painter
Tan Tjoei Hock (1908–1984), Indonesian journalist and filmmaker
Chen Jiongming (陳炯明; 1878–1933), Hailufeng Hokkien revolutionary figure in the early period of the Republic of China
Joseph Zen Ze-kiun (born 1931), Roman Catholic cardinal and former Bishop of Hong Kong
Chen Kuang-fu (陳光復; born 1955), Magistrate of Penghu County, Taiwan (2014–2018)
Chen Lanhee (陳仁宜; born 1978), American policy advisor, attorney, and academic
Chen Lifu (陳立夫; 1900–2001), Chinese politician and anti-communist of the Republic of China, Minister of Education (1938–1944)
Chen Mingren (陳明仁; 1903–1974), First Corps Commander and the provincial chairman of the Hunan Provincial Government during ROC period, later become one of the founding member of PLA during PRC period
Tan Kiat How (陳傑豪; born 1977), Singaporean politician and civil servant
Tan Kim Ching (陳金鐘; 1829–1892), served as Kapitan China of the Chinese community, was also the consul for Japan, Siam and Russia, and was a member of the Royal Court of Siam
Tan Kim Seng (陳金聲; 1805–1864), Chinese community leader (Hokkien) and first magistrate of Chinese descent in Singapore
Tan Kok Wai (陳國偉; born 1957), Malaysia's Member of Parliament and National Chairman of the Democratic Action Party
Chen Xiang (born 1990), Chinese business executive and chef
Chen Xiangming, sociologist, founding dean and director of urban and global studies and director of the Center for Urban and Global Studies at Trinity College in Hartford
Chen Xiaohong, economist and serves as the Malcolm K. Brachman Professor of Economics at Yale University
Chen Yuan, economist who served as the Chairman of the China Development Bank (1998–2013)
Tan Chay Yan (陳齊賢; 1870–1916), Malaysian Peranakan Chinese rubber plantation merchant and philanthropist, grandson of Tan Tock Seng
Tan Chee Yioun Vincent (陳志遠; born 1952), Malaysian businessman, investor and the founder of Berjaya Corporation Berhad
Tan Chin Hwee (陳競輝; born 1971), Singaporean businessman and professor, Asia-Pacific chief executive officer of Trafigura
Tan Chin Tuan (陳振傳; 1908–2005) Singaporean Peranakan banker and philanthropist
Tan Hiok Nee (陳旭年; 1827–1902), Major China of Johor and leader of Ngee Heng Kongsi
Tan Hock Eng (陳福陽; born 1952), Malaysian business executive, philanthropist and the CEO of Broadcom Inc.
Tan Jiak Kim (陳若錦; 1859–1917), Singapore Peranakan merchant, political activist, philanthropist and co-founder of the Straits Chinese British Association
Tan Kah Kee (陳嘉庚; 1874–1961), Chinese businessman, community leader and philanthropist in Singapore and China
Tan Lip-Bu (陳立武; born 1959), Malaysian-born American executive and entrepreneur, executive chairman of Cadence Design Systems and Chairman of Walden International
Tan Min Liang (陳民亮; born 1977), Singaporean businessman and internet entrepreneur, the co-founder, CEO and creative director of Razer Inc., the CEO of THX
Lucio Tan (陳永栽; born 1934), Filipino-Chinese businessman and owner of Philippine Airlines
Sports
Johnny Chan (陳金海; born 1957), Chinese-American professional poker player
Kelly Chan Kum Seng (陳金星; 1956–1998), Singaporean windsurfer, ranked number one in Raceboard Lightweight class by International Boardsailing Association in 1992
Patrick Chan (陳偉群; born 1990), Canadian figure skater, 2018 Olympic gold medallist in the team event
Chan Siu Wing (陳兆榮; born 1993), Hong Kong professional basketball player
Chan Yau-Man (born 1952), Malaysian-American table tennis player, technology executive and reality TV contestant
Bruce Chen (born 1977), Panamanian Major League Baseball player
Chen Chi-ting (陳紀廷; born 1999), Taiwanese badminton player
Chen Ding (born 1992), racewalker, 2012 Olympic champion
Chen Dong (陳冬; born 1978), PLA fighter pilot and taikonaut
Chen Fake (陳發科; 1887–1957), prominent martial artist of Chen-style tai chi
Chen Fushou (陳福壽; 1932–2020), Indonesian badminton gold medalist, later became the head coach of the China national women's badminton team, which won 25 team or individual world championships under his leadership
Chen Hong (陳宏; born 1979), former Chinese badminton player
Chen Jin (陳金; born 1986), former world men's singles champion in badminton
Karen Chen (陳楷雯; born 1999), American figure skater, 2022 Olympic Games team event silver medalist
Chen Lu (born 1976), PRC figure skater and 1995 World Champion
Napa Kiatwanchai (born 1967), Thai professional boxer (born as Suwit Sae-tang)
Nathan Chen (陳巍; born 1999), American figure skater, 2022 Olympic champion and gold medalist
Tan Aik Huang (陳奕芳; born 1946), former Malaysian All-England Open men's singles champion
Tan Aik Quan (陳裖荃; born 1990), Malaysian badminton player who has achieved as world number 15 in the mixed doubles.
Tan Boon Heong (陳文宏; born 1987), former World No. 1 Malaysian professional badminton player in men's doubles event
Tan Hoan Liong (陳香良; 1938–2009), Indonesian–Dutch chess player, the first Indonesian and one of the first Asian chess players to hold the International Master title
Chen Chung-shin (陳忠信), General Secretary of the Boy Scouts of China and was awarded the 157th Bronze Wolf, the only distinction of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, awarded by the World Scout Committee for exceptional services to world Scouting.
Peter Chen Pin-Shan (陳品山; born 1947), computer scientist, inventor of the Entity-Relationship Model
Chen Saijuan, hematologist and molecular biologist with a research focus on leukemia cytogenetics
Chen Wei, Epidemiologist and virologist specializing in biodefense
Chen Yinke (陳寅恪; 1890–1969), historian and fellow of Academia Sinica, considered one of the most original and creative historians in 20th century China
Chen Zhongwei (陳中偉; 1929–2004), expert in orthopedic surgery and microsurgery, one of the pioneers of the process of reattaching severed limbs
Chen Zhu (born 1953), PRC hematologist, molecular biologist, and politician, former Minister of Health
Lynda Chin (born 1968), Chinese-American cancer genomic scientist
Tan Chorh Chuan (陳祝全), Singaporean college administrator and professor, President of the National University of Singapore (2008–2017) and director of medical devices in Ministry of Health (2000–2004)
Tan Tai Yong (陳大榮), Singaporean academic and former politician, President of Yale-NUS College
Tan Tjin Kie (1853–1919), Majoor-titulair der Chinezen, high-ranking bureaucrat, courtier, sugar baron, also the founder and patron of the Confucian revival and Tiong Hoa Hwee Koan in Cirebon
Tan Tjoen Tiat (陳濬哲; 1816–1880), second Majoor der Chinezen ("Major of the Chinese") of Batavia (1865-1879)
Tan Yueh Ming (1945–2010), also known as Hadi Soesastro, Indonesian economist, political scientist (international relations), founder and former executive director of Centre for Strategic and International Studies (Indonesia)
Michael Tan (born 1952), a Chinese Filipino medical anthropologist and the 10th Chancellor of the University of the Philippines Diliman
Criminals
Tan Chor Jin (陳楚仁; 1966–2009), Singaporean gang lord and murderer
Tan Eng Yan 陈英燕, Singaporean murder victim and former fruit stall helper
Tan Kheng Ann (陈庆安; 1941–1965), Singaporean gang member and murderer
Tan Mui Choo (陈梅珠; 1953/1954–1988), Singaporean child killer
Tan Ping Koon (陈平坤; born 1968), Singaporean kidnapper
Chen Fu Zhen Ren (陳府真人), ancestral deity of Indonesian Chinese residing throughout Banyuwangi Regency, Java, Bali, and Lombok, also worshipped by Balinese and Javanese (Kejawen).
Chen Jinggu (陳靖姑), Taoist deity and protective goddess of women, children, and pregnancy, also known as Lady Linshui (臨水夫人). She is worshipped in Fujian, Taiwan, South China, and across East Asia and Southeast Asia.
Chen-style tai chi, Northern Chinese martial art and the original form of tai chi.
Tran (surname), second most common Vietnamese surname, the Vietnamese spelling of 陳
This page lists people with the surnameChen. If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name(s) to the link.
