Frequency: (227)
(number of times this surname appears in a sample database of 88.7 million names, representing one third of the 1997 US population)
1. Chinese 秦: from the name of Qin Valley, in present-day Gansu province. Gao Yao, a great-grandson of the legendary emperor Zhuan Xu, was a famous minister under the model emperors Yao and Shun in the 23rd century bc; he is said to have been the first to introduce laws for the repression of crime. 1300 years later a descendant of his was rewarded for his talents in animal husbandry by being granted the lordship of Qin Valley as a vassal state. Later descendants adopted the place name Qin as their surname.
2. Chinese 覃: there are two branches of bearers of this character for the surname: one pronounced Qin, and the other Tan (see Tan), although both are represented with the same character.
GIVEN NAMES: Chinese 59%. Wei (6), Jian (5), Weiping (3), Chuan (2), Feng (2), Hong (2), Ning (2), Tao (2), Zhong (2), Bailin, Bin, Dong.
See the Key to the Dictionary or consult the General Introduction for further explanation.
