Surname · Chinese origin
Lin
Meaning
The surname Lin means Forest (林).
Origin
Chinese
Type
clan name
U.S. rank (2010)
#624
U.S. bearers (2010)
49,360
How common is it?
Lin is the 624th most common surname in the United States (2010 U.S. Census), recorded for about 49,360 people.
The origin of the surname Lin
Lin is the character 林, “forest.”
How Chinese surnames work
Chinese surnames — the “family name” — come first, before the given name, and a relatively small set of names is shared by enormous numbers of people (Wang, Li and Zhang are among the most common surnames on earth). Each is written with a single Chinese character carrying its own meaning, and many trace back thousands of years to ancient clans, states, noble titles or places. The character is the surname, so its meaning is fixed by the specific hanzi.
Variants & spellings
- Lam
Frequently asked questions
What does the surname Lin mean?
The surname Lin means Forest (林). Lin is the character 林, “forest.”
Where does the surname Lin come from?
Lin is a surname of Chinese origin.
What kind of surname is Lin?
Lin is a clan name surname.
How common is the surname Lin in the United States?
Lin is the 624th most common surname in the United States (2010 U.S. Census), recorded for about 49,360 people.