NameCensus.

UK surname

Chin

A Chinese surname referring to the Jin state or meaning "money", "gold", "catty", or "to bequeath".

In the 1881 census there were 57 people recorded with the Chin surname, ranking it #25,575 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,511, ranked #4,094, up from #25,575 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Willesden, Blandford St Mary, Turnworth and Sturminster Newton Castle. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Camden, Southwark and Cambridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Chin is 1,526 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 2550.9%.

1881 census count

57

Ranked #25,575

Modern count

1,511

2016, ranked #4,094

Peak year

2014

1,526 bearers

Map years

4

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Chin had 57 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,575 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,511 in 2016, ranked #4,094.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 104 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Chin surname distribution map

The map shows where the Chin surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Chin surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Chin over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 104 #16,746
1861 historical 86 #22,810
1881 historical 57 #25,575
1891 historical 59 #29,325
1901 historical 37 #30,009
1911 historical 36 #29,370
1997 modern 976 #5,610
1998 modern 1,022 #5,579
1999 modern 1,048 #5,492
2000 modern 1,049 #5,474
2001 modern 1,024 #5,480
2002 modern 1,063 #5,420
2003 modern 1,095 #5,202
2004 modern 1,140 #5,035
2005 modern 1,192 #4,786
2006 modern 1,236 #4,659
2007 modern 1,313 #4,447
2008 modern 1,328 #4,428
2009 modern 1,406 #4,319
2010 modern 1,500 #4,184
2011 modern 1,483 #4,188
2012 modern 1,438 #4,215
2013 modern 1,503 #4,148
2014 modern 1,526 #4,118
2015 modern 1,502 #4,133
2016 modern 1,511 #4,094

Geography

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Where Chins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Willesden, Blandford St Mary, Turnworth, Sturminster Newton Castle, Manchester and Camborne. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Camden, Southwark, Cambridge, Lewisham and Newcastle upon Tyne. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Willesden Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 Blandford St Mary, Turnworth Dorset
3 Sturminster Newton Castle Dorset
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Camborne Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Camden 025 Camden
2 Southwark 012 Southwark
3 Cambridge 007 Cambridge
4 Lewisham 003 Lewisham
5 Newcastle upon Tyne 023 Newcastle upon Tyne

Forenames

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First names often paired with Chin

These lists show first names that appear often with the Chin surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Chin

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Chin, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Chin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Chin household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Chin is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Chin is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Chin falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Chin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Asian - Chinese

This describes the area pattern most associated with Chin, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Chin

The surname CHIN has its origins in China, where it is a romanized version of the Chinese surname 陈 (Chén). This surname can be traced back to the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BC), making it one of the oldest and most prominent Chinese surnames.

The earliest recorded instances of the CHIN surname can be found in historical texts and records from the Zhou Dynasty (c. 1046–256 BC). During this period, the name was associated with various noble families and scholars, including Chen Sheng, a renowned leader of the Dazexiang Uprising, which played a crucial role in the downfall of the Qin Dynasty.

In the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD), the CHIN surname gained further prominence with notable figures such as Chen Zi'ang (661–702 AD), a renowned poet and calligrapher, and Chen Guangrui (723–815 AD), a famous military strategist who served under the Tang emperor Dezong.

As the surname spread across China, regional variations and dialectal pronunciations led to alternative spellings, including Chan, Tan, and Tran. These variations are particularly common in the southern regions of China and among Chinese communities in Southeast Asia.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the CHIN surname outside of China can be found in the Kamakura period (1185–1333) in Japan, where it was associated with Chinese immigrants and traders who settled in the country.

Notable historical figures bearing the CHIN surname include Chen Hongshou (1599–1652), a renowned painter and calligrapher during the Ming Dynasty, and Chen Qingying (1637–1687), a celebrated dramatist and poet of the Qing Dynasty.

In more recent history, the CHIN surname has been carried by influential individuals such as Chen Duxiu (1879–1942), a prominent figure in the Chinese Communist Movement, and Chen Kenichi (1912–1995), a renowned Japanese-American architect and designer.

It is important to note that while the CHIN surname has a rich history dating back thousands of years, its prevalence and geographic distribution have evolved over time due to migration patterns, cultural exchange, and societal changes.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Chin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Chin surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Cornwall leads with 24 Chins recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.84x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 24 36.84x
Middlesex 9 1.56x
Staffordshire 9 4.63x
Royal Navy 4 58.31x
Gloucestershire 3 2.66x
Bedfordshire 2 6.71x
Cumberland 2 4.04x
Sussex 2 2.06x
Dorset 1 2.65x
Essex 1 0.88x
Hampshire 1 0.85x
Warwickshire 1 0.69x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camborne in Cornwall leads with 24 Chins recorded in 1881 and an index of 895.52x.

Place Total Index
Camborne 24 895.52x
Burton Extra 4 360.36x
Poplar London 3 27.62x
Walsall Foreign 3 29.91x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 2 18.81x
Ealing 2 38.91x
Eversholt 2 1333.33x
Hackney London 2 6.20x
Mayfield 2 350.88x
Millom 2 131.58x
Churchdown 1 454.55x
Hampstead London 1 11.16x
Holdenhurst 1 32.36x
Kensington London 1 3.13x
Romford 1 55.56x
Royal Navy 1 17.06x
Sturminster 1 270.27x
Sutton Coldfield 1 65.36x
Walsall Borough 1 66.23x
West Bromwich 1 8.99x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Chin surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Chin surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
George 3
Richard 3
Thomas 3
Caleb 2
Daniel 2
John 2
Samuel 2
William 2
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Chang 1
Cum 1
Francis 1
Hanibale 1
Isaac 1
Joseph 1
Matthew 1
Sydney 1
Walter 1
Wong 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Chin households.

FAQ

Chin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Chin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 57 people were recorded with the Chin surname. That placed it at #25,575 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Chin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,511 in 2016. That gives Chin a modern rank of #4,094.

What does the Chin surname mean?

A Chinese surname referring to the Jin state or meaning "money", "gold", "catty", or "to bequeath".

What does the Chin map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Chin bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.