Surname Ling - Meaning and Origin
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Ling: What does the surname Ling mean?
The surname Ling is of Chinese origin and is derived from the Chinese character "令" which can be translated to mean "command," "order," or "to direct." Moreover, it could also mean 'beautiful' or 'clever'. It is an ancient and popular surname in China, carried by a significant population. Chinese surnames often have historical and cultural connotations tied to them and are an important part of the Chinese identity. Ling is also found as a surname in other cultures but may have different meanings or origins. For instance, in Swedish, Ling is derived from the word "Lind," meaning lime or linden tree. Thus, the meaning of the surname Ling can vary depending on the cultural and linguistic context.
Order DNA origin analysisLing: Where does the name Ling come from?
The surname Ling is of ancient Anglo-Saxon and Asian origins. In the context of Anglo-Saxon origin, Ling is a topographic last name denoting someone who lived by the heathland or a field of heather. It is derived from the old English word "Lyng", meaning heather. In Asia, particularly in China, Ling is an ethnic Han surname. The Chinese character for Ling can be interpreted in several ways including "soul" or "spirit", "bell" or "chime", or "wind chime". Familial instances with the surname Ling can be traced back to the Shang Dynasty around 1600-1046 BC. Today, the name Ling is common in several countries, including China, the United States, and Canada, due to the widespread Chinese diaspora. It is particularly prominent in the southeastern region of China. Despite its Anglo-Saxon roots, the name is far less common in the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe.
Variations of the surname Ling
The surname Ling has multiple variants and can derive from various cultures, resulting in distinctive spellings and related surnames.
In Chinese, Ling (凌, 灵, 陵, etc.) might also appear as Leung or Liang depending on different romanization methods from Cantonese or Mandarin. Some people with the surname Lin (林) in Mandarin may have been mistakenly transcribed as Ling in Western countries.
In Scandinavian and German, Ling may derive from Lind, Lindh, Lindt, or Lyng. It is commonly seen as a component of compound surnames such as Lindberg, Lindquist, or Lindholm.
In English, the surname Ling may come from the Old Norse personal name Ljúfr, meaning "affectionate, dear". Variations of this surname include Linn, Lynn, Lines, Lynas.
Other potential English or Scottish variants include Lyng, Lieuwen, Lingen, Lingle, Long, and Lang. Ling might also be a shortened form of surnames like Lingwood, Lingard, and Billingsley. Lastly, Ling may sometimes appear as an anglicized version of Gaelic Ó Longáin, which is often translated into English as Lyons or even Long.
Famous people with the name Ling
- Lucy Liu: An American actress known for her roles in "Charlie's Angels" and "Kill Bill," she has also used the name Lucy Alexis Liu Yu Ling.
- Lisa Ling: An American journalist known for her work on CNN's "This is Life with Lisa Ling."
- Laura Ling: An American journalist and sister to Lisa Ling. She made headlines when she was detained in North Korea while working for Current TV.
- Linus William Roache: an English actor commonly known as Linus Roache, born to the English actor William Roache and actress Anna Cropper: he assumed his mother's last name as a middle name in Chinese as Linus Ling.
- Bai Ling: Chinese-American actress known for her roles in "The Crow," "Red Corner" and "Wild Wild West."
- Maya Lin: An American architect and sculptor best known for designing the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.
- Lin-Chi Ling: A Taiwanese model and actress.
- Jenna-Louise Coleman: An English actress known for her role in "Doctor Who", she has her Chinese name as Jenna-Louise Ling.
- Ling Tan: A Malaysian top model who made a remarkable impact in the fashion industry.
- Ken Ling: A former Chinese Canadian hockey player.
- Richard Ling: An English footballer known for his play with Tottenham Hotspur.