Chen
/tΚΙn/noun
Chen is a Chinese surname, conventionally romanized from the Mandarin surname ι³ or ι.
Did you know?The surname Chen originated with descendants of the ancient state of Chen, whose ruling house was connected to the legendary sage-king Yu the Great.
Etymological Timeline
c. 11th century BCE
Old Chinese
ι³
βThe name of Chen, an ancient state established during the early Zhou period.β
c. 1045β479 BCE
Ancient Chinese
ι³ε
βThe State of Chen, a regional kingdom in what is now Henan Province.β
479 BCE
Classical Chinese
ι³
βChen was conquered by the State of Chu; former ruling-family members adopted the state name as a surname.β
ζΌ’ dynasty
Middle Chinese
ι³
βChen was established as a hereditary Chinese family name.β
19thβ20th Century
English
Chen
βA standardized Latin-alphabet spelling of the surname, especially through Mandarin romanization.β
Modern English
English
Chen
βA widely used Chinese surname and proper name.β