Frequency: (1183)
(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 袁: from the secondary name, or ‘style name’, of a certain prince Bo Yuan, who lived during the Warring States period (722-481 BC). A grandson of his adopted the Yuan portion of this as his surname.
2. Chinese 原: origin unknown.
3. Chinese 苑: origin unknown.
4. Chinese 元: the earliest record of this name is of an adviser called Yuan Xi in the 12th century BC, during the later stage of the Shang dynasty. Another source of the name is an adviser who lived in the state of Wei during the Spring and Autumn period (722-481 BC), who was granted an area named Yuan; his descendants adopted the place name Yuan as their surname.
GIVEN NAMES: Chinese 50%. Wei (14), Li (10), Jian (5), Ying (5), Chao (4), Chen (4), Fang (4), Hong (4), Ling (4), Ting (4), Feng (3), Gang (3), Min (3), Chang (2), Chong, Chung, Pao, Tian, Yeng.
See the Key to the Dictionary or consult the General Introduction for further explanation.
