Han is a common Chinesesurname. The spelling "Han" is based on China'spinyin system and so used throughout Mainland China. Spelling can vary from 'Hon' in Cantonese-speaking areas to 'Hang' in Hainan. It is the 15th name on the Hundred Family Surnames poem. In 2003, Han is ranked 25th in China in terms of the number of bearers at around 8 million persons. In 2019 it was the 28th most common surname in Mainland China. Less common Chinese surnamesromanized as Han include: 寒 and 汉/漢.
Four Chinese Origins of '韩'
From '姬' surname
'姬' is an ancient Chinese surname. It is an alternate surname of the Yellow Emperor and the Zhou ruling family. A descendant of King Wu of Zhou, Wan, was given land in Hanyuan. Wan's descendants created the State of Han during the Warring States period. When the state was conquered by Qin in 230 BC, members of the ruling family adopted Han '韩' as their surname.
From the transcription of non-Han names
Non-Han ethnic groups tend to adopt Chinese surnames through the process known as sinicization. During the reforms of Emperor Xiao Wen of Northern Wei, the Xianbei surname 'Dahan', 大汗 in Chinese, was changed to Han '韩' because the two names sound similar after 'Da' or '大' is dropped. Manchu clan names Hacihuri, Hangiya, Hanja, Hanyan, and Gilate were changed to Han '韩'.
From given name to surname
The mythical Yellow Emperor had a son Chang Yi, who had a son with the given name Han Liu. Those who claimed to be Han Liu's descendants adopted Han as their surname.
By Imperial Appointment
The Salar Muslims voluntarily joined the Ming Dynasty. The Salar clan leaders each capitulated to the Ming Dynasty around 1370. The chief of the four upper clans around this time was Han Pao-yuan and Ming granted him office of centurion, it was at this time the people of his four clans took Han as their surname. The other chief Han Shan-pa of the four lower Salar clans got the same office from Ming, and his clans were the ones who took Ma as their surname. Ma and Han are the two most widespread names among the salar. Ma is a Salar surname for the same reason it is a common Hui surname, Ma substitutes for Muhammad. The upper four clans of the Salar assumed the surname Han and lived west of Xunhua. One of these Salar surnamed Han was Han Yimu, a Salar officer who served under General Ma Bufang. He fought in the Kuomintang Islamic Insurgency in China, leading Salars in a revolt in 1952 and 1958. Han Youwen was another Salar General, who served in the Communist People's Liberation Army.
