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Sun (surname)

Chinese surname

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Other transliterations include Suen (Hong Kong and regions with Cantonese-speaking populations), Soon (Amoy dialect), Sng and Soon (Teochew dialect), Tôn (Vietnamese), Son (Japanese/Korean), Soon (regions with Hokkien-speaking populations), Sen/Suan/-son/-zon (Chinese Filipino in the Philippines), and Swen.

In 2019, Sun was the twelfth most common surname in mainland China. A 2013 study found it to be the 12th most common name as well, shared by 18,300,000 people or 1.38% of the population, with the province with the most being Shandong.

Note that in Hong Kong and regions with Cantonese-speaking populations, the surname Xin (辛) is also transliterated as Sun.

Origins

  • The name Sunshu Ao (孫叔敖) comes from the surname Wei (蔿), from Yuan (薳) in Chu
    • Sun Shu (孫叔), the style name of Sunshu Ao, an official in Chu during the Spring and Autumn period His descendants part of the style mame nas their surname.
  • Hui Sun (惠孫), style name of the son of Wei Wu Gong Hui Sun's grandson later inherited 孫 as his surname.
  • Sun Shu (孫書), an official in the Qi, was given the name by Duke Jing of Qi because of his contributions in the war between the state of Qi and the state of Lü. Notable descendants through this line include Sun Tzu
  • People with the surname Xun (荀). changed it to 孫 during the reign of Liu Xun (劉恂), also known as Emperor Xuan of Han, because it had the same pronunciation as the given name of the emperor (in Old Chinese). After the death of Han Xuan Di, some people kept the surname, while others changed it back to their original.

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