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Tian Family History

Tian Surname 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


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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.
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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Tian ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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