Lin (Chinese: 林) is the Mandarin romanization of the Chinese surname written 林 in Chinese character. It is also used in Korea and the Philippines. It is also common among overseas Chinese families, in which it is at times pronounced and spelled as Lim because many Chinese descendants are part of the Southern Min diaspora and speak Min Nan. In Hong Kong and Macau, it is spelled as Lam via Cantonese.
King Zhou of Shang (reigned 1154 to 1122 B.C.), the last king of the Shang dynasty, had three uncles advising him and his administration. The king's uncles were Bi Gan, Jizi, and Weizi. Together the three men were known as "The Three Kind-Hearted Men of Shang" in the kingdom. Bi Gan was the son of Prince Ding, son of King Shang and, thus, was King Zhou's uncle.
Zhou was a cruel king, but his three uncles could not persuade him to change his ways. Failing in their duty to advise the king, Weizi resigned. Jizi faked insanity and was relieved of his post. Only Bi Gan stayed on to continue advising the king to change his ways. "Servants who are afraid of being killed and refrain from telling the truth are not righteous" he said. This put him in danger of incurring the king's wrath. Bi Gan stayed at the palace for three days and nights to try to persuade the blood-thirsty and immoral king to mend his ways.
The stubborn king would not relent and had Bi Gan arrested for treason. Upon hearing this, his pregnant wife escaped into the forest and went into labor there. With no one to help her, she gave birth to a boy in the rocky cave in the forest.
Before long, King Zhou was overthrown and killed by King Wu of the Zhou dynasty. King Wu knew about the courageous court advisor Bi Gan and sought his wife and child. When he found them, he honoured them in respect of Bi Gan. The mother and child were restored to the royal family. The new king conferred the surname Lin (meaning forest) on Bi Gan's son.
This family name is common among the Malaysian Chinese community. However, because the vast majority of Chinese Malaysians romanized their surnames according to the pronunciations of their respective southern Chinese dialects, it is very rarely romanized as "Lin". The Hakka, Hokkien, Teochew and Hainan communities romanize it as "Lim" whereas the Cantonese-speaking community uses "Lam".A Korean surname 임 Im (Korean name) is the Korean equivalent of "Lin". Specifically, only the first and by far the more numerous of the two clan branches of 임, 수풀 림 (Supul-Lim), is equivalent to "Lin". The second, 맡길 임(Matgil-Im), is equivalent to the rarer Chinese surname Ren. The romanization of 林 is commonly spelt "Lim" (임) with the rarer spelling being "Rim" (림). While the romanization of 任 (임) is commonly spelt "Im" with the rarer spelling being "Yim".A common Japanese surname, Hayashi, is written with the same character 林 and also means forest. Rare Japanese surname, Rin, is also written with same character.The Vietnamese surname, "Lâm", was formerly written using the same character.In Singapore, although "Lim" and "Lam" are generally more common variants, the extremely rare spelling "Lynn" can be found in select families of Chinese, Japanese, or other East Asian ancestry (also transcribed using the 林 character) and bears no known relation to the English or Scottish surname of the same spelling, or alternate spelling "Ling".A rare Chinese surname which is also transcribed Lin is 藺 (pinyin Lìn).Indonesians of Chinese ancestry bearing this surname sometimes spell it as "Liem."Guamanians and Filipinos of Chinese descent with this surname mostly use the Hokkien spelling "Lim", as the majority have Fujianese ancestry. It is sometimes found in Hispanicised compound surnames such as "Limjoco" in the Philippines, and "Limtiaco" in Guam; this type of surname is often derived from the full and complete original name of a Spanish-era immigrant patriarch.Prominent Thai-Chinese royalist families with this surname are bestowed by member of the royal family some indigenised derivative such as "Limthongkul" "Sirilim".This is a Chinese name, meaning the surname is stated "before" the given name, though Chinese persons living in Western countries will often put their surname after their given name.
(Mandarin and Shanghai form):
Lin Biao, military general and former Vice Premier of the People's Republic of ChinaLin Yutang, inventor, linguist, writer, Nobel prize nomineeLin Zexu, nineteenth-century governor-general, imperial commissioner, poet, scholar, diplomatLin Shihong (林士弘), king of Chu dynastyLin Bu (林逋), poetLin Xu (林旭), scholar, poetLin Sen, former president, chairman of National Government of ChinaLin Ling-san, former Minister of Transportation and Communications of the Republic of ChinaLin Xiangru, Chinese politician of the Warring States periodLin Yang-kang, former mayor of Taipei city, Chairman of Taiwan province, Taiwanese politicianLin Wenyue, scholar, writer and translator from Taiwan.Lin Yu-fang, Taiwanese politicianLin Dan (林丹), world Olympic champion, men's singles badminton player, People's Republic of ChinaLin Weining (林伟宁), world Olympic champion, weightlifter, athleteLin Yue (林跃), world Olympic champion, diverLin Qingfeng (林清峰), world Olympic champion, weightlifter, athleteLin Sang, world Olympic silver medalist, athlete, archerKevin Lin (林義傑), marathon runnerJeremy Lin (林書豪), U.S. basketball playerCho-Liang Lin, musician, U.S. Taiwanese violinist, "Instrumentalist of the Year" in 2000Lin Di, musician, pipa player with Chinese rock band Cold FairylandLin Hwai-min, choreographer and founder of Taiwan's Cloud Gate Dance TheaterJenny Lin, musician, pianistLin Youren, musician, Chinese guqin playerLin Shicheng musician, Shanghai-born pipa playerLin Jun Jie, Singaporean singer and songwriterJustin Lin, U.S. film directorLin Li Hui (林立慧)(stage name- Shu Qi), movie star, Chinese Playboy bunny, supermodel, film critic, philanthropistMaya Lin, artist and architectLin Peng, actressLin Xin Ru (Ruby Lin), (林心如), Taiwanese actressLin Yi Chen (Ariel Lin), Taiwanese actressLin Yu-chun Taiwanese singerLin Wei Ling (林韋伶) (stage name- Estrella Lin), Taiwanese singerAlfred Lin, U.S. Taiwanese C.F.O. and venture capitalistBrigitte Lin (Lin Ch'ing-hsia 林青霞), movie star, Taiwanese actressLin Chih Ying (林志穎), movie star, (stage name - Jimmy Lin), Taiwanese actor, singerLin Chi Ling (林志玲), Taiwanese supermodel, actressLin Youyi (有懿), Hong Kong-born Singaporean television host and actressLin Yuhan (鈺涵), Taipei-born Taiwanese bachelor of computer science, lives in Brazil, member of magno marcos family(Cantonese form)
Adrian Lam, coachBarry Lam, (林百里), billionaire and founder of Quanta ComputerBowie Lam, Hong Kong actor and singerLam Bun, radio commentatorBun-Ching Lam, concert pianist and composerCarol Lam, former United States Attorney for the Southern District of CaliforniaChet Lam, singer/songwriterDavid Lam, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, CanadaDerek Lam, U.S. fashion designerEman Lam, musicianFrancis Lam Po-chuen, voice actorGeorge Lam, singerJames Lam, author and consultantKarena Lam, actressLam Kor-wan, serial killerNora Lam, Chinese Christian Ministry and the author of "China Cry"Pat Lam, rugby playerRaymond Lam, Hong Kong entertainerRichard Lam, lyricistRingo Lam, film directorSandy Lam, Hong Kong Cantopop singerSarah Lam, actressStephen Lam, government officialTony Lam, politicianWifredo Lam, Cuban artist(Also Cantonese form)
Olivia Lum, Singaporean businesswomanAgnes Lum, U.S. model and J-pop singerAwkwafina or Nora Lum, U.S. rapper(Southern Min)
Lee Hong Susan Lim, Malaysian parasitologist (1952-2014)Lim Eng Beng, Philippine Chinese professional basketball playerAlfredo Lim, Philippine Chinese politician and former mayor of ManilaZeryl Lim, a Philippine Chinese actressVicente Lim, Brigadier General during WWII, anti-Japanese Resistance fighter in the PhilippinesDanilo Lim, Philippine Chinese Brigadier General originally from AmoyLim Bo Seng, World War II anti-Japanese Resistance fighter based in Singapore and British MalayaCatherine Lim, Malaysian-born Singaporean authorJennifer Lim, British-Born Chinese ActressLim Koon Teck, first person of East Asian descent to be appointed to the British Colonial Legal Service during the twentieth centuryLim Chin Siong, cofounded Singapore's People's Action Party (P.A.P.) along with Lee Kuan YewLim Chong Eu, former Malaysian-born Singaporean politicianLim Giong, Singaporean Taiwanese musician, songwriter and actorLim Goh Tong, Fujianese billionaire and casino tycoonLim Guan Eng, Malaysia politician, current Chief Minister of Penang (2008–present)Ken Lim, Singaporean record producer and composerLim Kit Siang, Malaysian politician, known as Mr. OppositionLim Kwong Yew (Norman Kwong), former professional athlete and Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, CanadaMoses Lim, T.V. and movie actor (e.g. "Just Follow Law"), food gourmet and entrepreneur from SingaporePeter Lim, Singaporean billionairePhillip Lim, U.S. fashion designerPilar Hidalgo-LimRon Lim, U.S. comic book artistTan Sri Lim Kok Thay, Chairman and C.E.O. of Genting Berhad conglomerateLim Yew Hock, second Chief Minister of SingaporeXian Lim, Philippine Chinese actorFreddy Lim, Taiwanese musician and lead singer of Taiwanese metal band ChthonicLim Boon Keng Singaporean national reformist of Peranakan descentWendell Lim, Professor at University of California, San Francisco and director of SynBERCLim Hng Kiang(林勛強), Singapore Minister for Trade and IndustryLim Chin Tsong(林振宗), Overseas Chinese oil tycoon during British BurmaLim Por-yen 林百欣, Hong Kong industrialistLim Kim San, 林金山, builder of SingaporeRebecca Lim, 林慧玲, Singaporean Actress(Indonesian and Dutch form):
John Beng Kiat LiemLiem Sioe Liong (Sudono Salim), Indonesian tycoonLiem Swie King, Indonesian badminton playerSteve Liem Tjoan Hok (Teguh Karya), Indonesian film directorLiem Seeng Tee, founder of Sampoerna, one of the largest Indonesian tobacco companiesLiem Tien Pao (Putera Sampoerna) (Chinese: 林天喜), one of Indonesia's richest men(Eastern Min, Northern Min, and Wu form):
Ling How Doong (林孝谆, born 1934), Singaporean politician and lawyerLing Liong Sik (林良实, born 1943), Malaysian politicianJahja Ling (林望傑, born 1951), Indonesian-born American orchestral conductorTschen La Ling (林球立, born 1956), Dutch football playerAlan Ling Sie Kiong (林思健, born 1983), Malaysian lawyerJulia Ling (林小微, born 1983), American television actressLandon Ling (林家亮, born 1987), Canadian football playerTung-Chai Ling (林忠财), Malaysian materials scientist
