Posted by Lawrence (205.157.110.11) on April 22, 2004 at 14:21:01:
In Reply to: Re: SHUM posted by kevin on January 02, 2002 at 16:52:04:
: : : looking for origin of name, related information, and any other persons with similar last name.
: : THE SURNAME CEN (SAM, SUM, SHUM, TS'EN, GIM AND CEM) ORIGINATED FROM THE ZHOU DYNASTY. THE ZHOU PEOPLE WERE CONSIDERED THE FIRST SEMI-NOMADIC WAR-LIKE BARBARIANS TO INVADE CHINA. THEY WERE A MIXED GROUP OF PRE-HAN CHINESE, MONGOL, MANCHU, TIBETAN AND TURKS. THEY LIVED PRIMARILY IN NORTHWEST TO NORTHEAST INNER MONGOLIA AND NORTH CHINA PROPER (SHAANXI AND SHANXI PROVINCE). OVER TIME THEY MIGRATED TO THE SOUTH AND EAST OF CHINA AND INTERMARRIED WITH VARIOUS ASIAN ETHNIC GROUPS.
: : OVERTIME THE ZHOU PEOPLE LIKE OTHER GROUPS MAKEUP THE HAN CHINESE PEOPLE OF TODAY.
THE SURNAME IS A COMBINATION OF TWO CHARACTERS. THE FIRST CHARACTER MEANS MOUNTAIN. THE SECOND CHARACTER MEANS TODAY.
: thank you very much. what is your e-mail address and i can send you the chinese characters? would it also help if i mentioned that my grandparents were indentured and brought to Canada to help build the railway in BC before the turn of the century?