History of your Surname
Get access to Tian family records.Start a free trial

Tian Family History

Tian Name Meaning

Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 田 meaning ‘farmlands’ in Chinese: (i) perhaps from the placename Tian (田) (which has a similar pronunciation to that of the Chinese character 陳 in the dialects of the state of Qi) the name of a fief in the state of Qi granted to Chen Wan (陳完) a prince in the state of Chen who fled to the state of Qi in order to escape persecution. (ii) possibly from the post name of an official in charge of the management of farmlands dating back to the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC). (iii) adopted in place of the Chinese surname Huang (黃) by the son of an official called Huang Zi Cheng during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644 AD) in order to escape persecution. Vietnamese: variant of Tien .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Tan, Qian, Tien, Xin, Jian, Xiang, Tin, Lian, Ban, Duan

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Tian family from?

You can see how Tian families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Tian family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Tian families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there was 1 Tian family living in London. This was 100% of all the recorded Tian's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Tian families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Tian surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Tian ancestors do for a living?

Census records can tell you a lot of little known facts about your Tian ancestors, such as occupation. Occupation can tell you about your ancestor's social and economic status.

What Tian family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 499 census records available for the last name Tian. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Tian census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Tian

Passenger Lists

There are 252 immigration records available for the last name Tian. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Tian immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 70 military records available for the last name Tian. For the veterans among your Tian ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Tian military records

You've only scratched the surface of Tian family history

Discover More

What is the average Tian lifespan?

Between 1971 and 2004, in the United States, Tian life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1993, and highest in 1971. The average life expectancy for Tian in 1971 was 95, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Tian

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Tian family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Tian last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial