In 2008, (simplified Chinese: 阎; traditional Chinese: 閻) pinyin Yán was estimated to be the 75th most common surname in the People's Republic of China, shared by around 3.1 million citizens,^[1] making it the most common of the surnames written “Yan” without tone markers.

The surname 闫 (閆 in traditional), also Yán, was created as a result of the Second round of simplified Chinese characters, in 1977. Although this series of simplifications was soon retracted, some people retained the simplified surname. One source even suggests that 阎 now more common, as it is shared by 4,900,000 people, and the 78th-most common name,^[2] compared to 闫, shared by 3,200,000 people, or the 103rd most common name.^[3] Both appear on the Hundred Family Surnames poem.

It may be derived from one of the following sources:

• from a fief located around Xihua County, Henan, granted to Zhong Yi, a great-grandson of Taibo, by King Wu of Zhou. Another source claims the fief was granted by King Kang of Zhou to his eldest son
• from a fief (located around the town of Yanjing in Shanxi) granted to Yi, the prince of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period.^[4]

Notable people

• 阎崇年 Yan Chongnian (born 1934) Chinese historian
• 阎芳 Yan Fang, Chinese softball player
• Yan Feng (athlete) Chinese paralympic athlete competing in throwing events
• 阎红 Yan Hong, Chinese race walker
• 阎连科 Yan Lianke (born 1958), Chinese writer of novels and short stories
• 阎肃 Yan Su (1930-2016), Chinese lyricist and screenwriter
• 阎森 Yan Sen (born 1975), Chinese table tennis player
• 阎世鹏 Yan Shipeng (born 1987), Chinese football player
• 阎嵩 Yan Song (footballer) (born 1981), Chinese footballer
• 阎维文 Yan Weiwen (born 1957), Chinese opera singer with origins in the People's Liberation Army
• 阎相闯 Yan Xiangchuang, Chinese professional footballer
• 閻錫山 Yan Xishan (1883–1960), warlord
• 阎学通 Yan Xuetong (born 1952), Dean of the Institute of Modern International Relations at Tsinghua University

References