History of your Surname
Get access to Yin family records.Start a free trial

Yin Family History

Yin Name Meaning

Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 殷 meaning ‘plentiful’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from the placename Yin (殷) the name of the capital (located in present-day Henan province) of the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC). Pan Geng the 19th king of the Shang dynasty moved the original capital Yan (located in present-day Shandong province) to Yin. Thus the Shang dynasty was also known as the Yin dynasty. After the Shang dynasty was overthrown by King Wu of Zhou (c. 1087–1043 BC) people kept the name of the state as their surname. (ii) from Yin Shui (殷水 ‘River Yin’) the name of a river in Shangshui in Henan Province. People who lived along the river acquired 殷 (Yin) the name of the river as their surname. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 尹 a term for the official title in ancient Chinese: (i) from the placename Yin (尹) the name of a fief (said to have been located in Shexian in Shanxi province or Xin’an in Henan province) which was granted to Yin the son of the legendary king Shao Hao (c. 26th century BC). (ii) from the personal name of Shi Yin (師尹) literally meaning ‘head of officers’ the name of an official post during the Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC). (iii) from the second element of Ling Yin (令尹) the name of an official post in charge of the military in the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). This post was held by a prince of the state of Shen called Cheng who migrated to the state of Chu when he took up the post. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 印 meaning ‘seal stamp’ or ‘print’ in Chinese: from Zi Yin (子印) style name of Lun son of the Duke Mu of Zheng (ruler of the state of Zheng 648–606 BC). Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 陰 referring to ‘yin’ in Chinese philosophy: (i) from the personal name of Yin Jing (陰兢) an official in the late Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC). (ii) from the placename Yin (陰) the name of a fief (located in present-day Henan province) during the Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC). (iii) from Yin Dafu (陰大夫 ‘Yin Counsellor’) a title given to Guan Xiu a descendant of Guan Zhong (a famous official in the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC)). Guan Xiu was born in the state of Qi and went to the state of Chu where he was given the title Yin Dafu. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 銀 meaning ‘silver’ in Chinese: (i) from the name of Wan-Yan Yinshu (完顏銀術) a famous governor of a district (in present-day Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region) during the Jin dynasty (1115–1234 AD). (ii) the surname is also traced back to minority ethnic groups in China. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 鄞: from Yin (鄞) the name of an ancient fief (located in present-day Zhejiang province).7: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surnames 言 燕 鄢 and 彦 see Yan 6-9. Also variant Romanization of the surname 嚴 see Yan 8: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 袁 see Yuan 9: Burmese: from a personal name usually forming part of a compound name from yin ‘gentle charming’. — Note: Since Burmese do not have hereditary surnames this name was registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US.10: Cambodian: written យិន of Chinese origin (probably corresponding to one of the surnames above).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Jin, Yan, Ying, Qin, Qi, Yun, Lin, Min, Xin, Yon

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Yin family from?

You can see how Yin families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Yin family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1880 and 1920. The most Yin families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 16 Yin families living in British Columbia. This was about 73% of all the recorded Yin's in Canada. British Columbia had the highest population of Yin families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Yin surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Yin ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Labourer was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Yin. 39% of Yin men worked as a Labourer. .

View Census Data for Yin | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Labourer
    39%
  • Waiter
    16%
  • Cook
    16%
  • Laborer
    16%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Yin family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Yin. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Yin census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Yin

Passenger Lists

There are 8,000 immigration records available for the last name Yin. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Yin immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Yin. For the veterans among your Yin ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Yin military records

You've only scratched the surface of Yin family history

Discover More

What is the average Yin lifespan?

Between 1949 and 2004, in the United States, Yin life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1978, and highest in 1975. The average life expectancy for Yin in 1949 was 50, and 84 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Yin

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Yin family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Yin last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial