Tan (surname)

Tan is a Chinese surname 譚, the 67th most common surname in China.[1]

For the surname 陈/陳, romanized as Tan in Hokkien/Teochew, see Chen (surname).
For the surname 秦, see Qin (surname).
Tan (譚/谭)
PronunciationTan (Hokkien Chinese and Mandarin Chinese)
Tan (Japanese)
Dam (Korean)
Tam (Cantonese Chinese and Hakka Chinese)
Tham (Hokkien Chinese and Teochew Chinese)
Ham, Hom, Hum, Tom, Thom (Toisanese Chinese)
Language(s)Chinese, Japanese
Origin
Region of originChina, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore
Tan
Traditional Chinese譚
Simplified Chinese谭

Origin

Two origins have been suggested for the Tan surname:[2]

  • The surname came from the ancient State of Tan which was located in the western part of what is now Shandong Province. During the Spring and Autumn period, this state was conquered by the neighbouring State of Qi. The court changed their surname to Tan in remembrance of their defeated homeland, and later prospered in Hunan Province.
  • The surname came from the less common surname 談, another with the same pronunciation in Mandarin Chinese and Cantonese Chinese. In order to avoid the revenge of their enemies, the clan leaders changed it to 譚.

A study by geneticist Yuan Yida has found that people with either of the two Tan surnames are especially concentrated in Hunan Province which would tend to support these accounts. This does not mean that they are the most common surnames in that province.[1]

Romanisation and pronunciation

Tan is the Chinese character's Hanyu Pinyin romanisation in Mandarin Chinese. It is pronounced and romanised differently in different languages and dialects.[3]

  • In Cantonese Chinese, it is romanised as Taam4 in Jyutping and Tàahm in Cantonese Yale. It is romanised as Tam in Hong Kong and Macau.
  • In Toisanese Chinese, it may be romanised as Thom, Hom, Ham or Hum.
  • In Hokkien Chinese, Teochew Chinese and Hainanese Chinese, it is romanised as Thâm in POJ.
  • In Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore (Overseas Chinese communities), it is sometimes romanised as Tham.
  • In Filipino and other Philippine languages (Overseas Chinese communities), it is romanised as Tan.
  • In Japan, it may be romanised as Than.

Prominent people

Tam
  • Tam Kung, (譚公) Chinese folk hero who was reputed to be able to forecast the weather
  • Patrick Tam Kar Ming (譚家明, born 1948), Hong Kong film director and editor
  • Patrick Tam Yiu Man (譚耀文, born 1969), Hong Kong actor and singer
  • Jeremy Tam Man Ho (譚文豪, born 1975), Hong Kong politician
  • Roman Tam (譚百先, stage name 羅文, 1945–2002), Hong Kong singer
  • Tam Yiu-chung (譚耀宗, born 1949), Hong Kong politician
  • Theresa Tam (born 1965 in Hong Kong), Chief Public Health Officer of Canada
  • Vivienne Tam (譚燕玉, born 1957), Hong Kong fashion designer

Tan
  • Amy Tan (譚恩美, born 1952), American writer
  • Karen Tan Puay Kiow (born 1962), Singaporean army officer
  • Melinda Tan, British academic
  • Milagrosa Tan (1958–2019), Filipina politician
  • Shaun Tan (born 1974), Australian author and illustrator
  • Tan Dun (譚盾, born 1957), Chinese composer and pianist
  • Tan Sitong (譚嗣同, 1865–1898), Chinese politician
  • Tan Zhenlin (譚震林, 1902–1983), Chinese politician
  • Tan Yuan Yuan (譚元元, born 1977), Chinese ballet dancer; Principal Dancer at the San Francisco Ballet
  • Wan ling Tan ( 譚婉玲）， a historian and writer of Kwangtung cultural and history quarterly

Tom
  • Jason Tom (譚志豪, born 1982), American musician
  • Kiana Tom, (born 1965), American television host

Hom
  • Ken Hom (譚榮輝, born 1949), American chef

Clan villages
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See also

References
  1. China Renews Top 100 Surnames, Li Still the Biggest, People's Daily online (English), 11 January 2006
  2. In Search of Your Asian Roots: Genealogical Research on Chinese Surnames by Sheau-yueh J Chao, published by Clearfield Co, Baltimore 2000.
  3. A Practical English-Chinese Pronouncing Dictionary: English, Chinese Characters, Romanized Mandarin and Cantonese by Janey Chen, Tuttle Publishing, Hong Kong 1992.
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