Surname · Korean origin
Shin
Meaning
The surname Shin means An old clan name (申).
Origin
Korean
Type
clan name
U.S. rank (2010)
#2,099
U.S. bearers (2010)
15,857
How common is it?
Shin ranks #2,099 among U.S. surnames (2010 U.S. Census), recorded for about 15,857 people.
The origin of the surname Shin
Shin is written with hanja such as 申 — a long-established Korean clan surname.
How Korean surnames work
Korean surnames are few in number but shared by huge populations — Kim, Lee (Yi) and Park alone account for a large share of all Koreans. Each is written with a hanja (a Chinese-origin character) and is tied to a clan or lineage identified by an ancestral seat (bongwan). The surname comes first, before the given name, and Korean women traditionally keep their own surname after marriage.
Variants & spellings
- Sin
Frequently asked questions
What does the surname Shin mean?
The surname Shin means An old clan name (申). Shin is written with hanja such as 申 — a long-established Korean clan surname.
Where does the surname Shin come from?
Shin is a surname of Korean origin.
What kind of surname is Shin?
Shin is a clan name surname.
How common is the surname Shin in the United States?
Shin ranks #2,099 among U.S. surnames (2010 U.S. Census), recorded for about 15,857 people.