Nguyen Family History

Some characteristic forenames: Vietnamese Thanh, Hung, Dung, Tuan, Minh, Hoa, Hai, Son, Tam, Hoang, Thuy, Long, Anh, Hong, Nam, Thai, Phong, Chi, Sang, Dong, Hang, Tuong, Tinh, Tong, Thach, Chien, Manh, Man, Chung, Han, Sinh, Lai, Chan, Ho, Uyen, Tuoi.

Vietnamese (Nguyễn):

from Chinese ruan (阮), which denotes a type of traditional Chinese stringed instrument. Compare the Mandarin Chinese name Ruan , Cantonese Yuen .

possibly also from old Vietnamese words such as nguồn ‘spring, fountain’ or ngòi ‘canal, small river’, applied as a topographic name.

History: This is by far the most common Vienamese surname, being borne by an estimated 40 per cent of the population. It was adopted on at least three occasions in Vietnamese history by members of the ruling family after they were overthrown: in 1232 AD by members of the Lê family (see Le ); in 1407 AD by members of the Trần family (see Tran ); and again in 1592 AD by members of the Mạc family (see Mac ). In the ensuing centuries the name Nguyễn came to be associated with the major Vietnamese royal dynasty. In the 19th century, when the Nguyễn lords once again ruled Vietnam (1802–1945), some people who had something to hide changed their names to Nguyễn in the hope that it would protect them from prosecution.