Interpretation of the Gan (甘) Surname Totem

【Meaning】

The original meaning of Gan (甘) is "to contain in the mouth." In ancient times, people would keep delicious food in their mouths for a long time to savor it; thus, the meaning was extended to sweet, delicious, or pleasant. In its character structure, the horizontal line inside the "mouth" component represents the tasty morsel being enjoyed.

【Origins】

1. From Gan Pan (Shang Dynasty): The lineage primarily originates from the descendants of Gan Pan, a high official under King Wu Ding (Gaozong) of the Shang Dynasty. Before ascending the throne, Wu Ding studied under Gan Pan. Once he became King, he appointed Gan Pan as his Prime Minister. Gan Pan's descendants adopted his name as their surname, forming the Gan clan.

2. From the State of Gan (Xia Dynasty): During the Xia Dynasty, there was a vassal state named Gan (located in present-day Yiyang, Henan). After the state was dissolved, the ruling family scattered and adopted the name of their former country as their surname.

Historical & Demographic Profile

Category

Details

Founding Ancestor

Gan Pan (Prime Minister of Shang)

Ancestral Homelands

Yiyang and Anyang, Henan Province

Prefectural Mansions

Tianshui, Bohai, Danyang

Notable Hall Name

Wucheng Hall (Five Cities Hall)

Modern Ranking / Population

Ranked 137th / Approx. 1.26 million people

Song Dynasty Ranking

Ranked 143rd in the Hundred Family Surnames

Extant Genealogies

100 volumes currently preserved

繁體中文版本 (Traditional Chinese)

甘氏圖騰釋義

【釋義】

「甘」的本義為**「含」。古人常將可口的食物久久含在嘴裡捨不得吞下，因而引申為甘甜、甜美**之義。從字形上看，口中加一橫，象徵著舌頭感受到的美味。

【起源】

1. 源於商朝名相甘盤： 商朝高宗武丁曾就學於甘盤。武丁即位後，拜甘盤為相。甘盤的後代子孫以祖先的名字為姓，遂成甘氏。

2. 源於夏代甘國： 夏朝時有諸侯國「甘國」（今河南省宜陽），亡國後其皇室子孫散居各地，以原國名為姓，成為甘姓的另一支重要源流。

歷史與人口概況

類別

詳情

得姓始祖

甘盤

始祖地

河南宜陽、安陽

郡望

天水、渤海、丹陽

堂號

五城堂

當今排序/人口

第137位 / 約126萬人

宋朝百家姓排序

第143位

現存家譜

100部