Chan is a non-pinyin romanisation of multiple Chinese surnames, based on different varieties of Chinese.
Among respondents to the 2000 United States census, Chan was the 12th-most common surname among Asian Pacific Americans, and 459th-most common overall, with 59,811 bearers (91.0% of whom identified as Asian/Pacific Islander). Chan was the ninth-most common Chinese surname in Singapore as of 1997 (ranked by English spelling, rather than by Chinese characters). Roughly 48,400 people, or 1.9% of the Chinese Singaporean population, bore the surname Chan.
Cantonese romanisation of 陈/陳 Chan is a Cantonese romanisation of the surname spelled in pinyin as Chén ().
Chan Kong-sang (; born 1954) a.k.a. Jackie Chan, Hong Kong actor Danny Chan Pak Keung (陳百強; 1958–1993), Hong Kong singer, songwriter and actor Diana Ming Chan (; 1929–2008), American social worker of Chinese descent Amy Chan (badminton) (; born 1961), Hong Kong badminton player Isabel Chan (; born 1979), Hong Kong actress Gemma Chan (; born 1982), English actress and model of Chinese descent Eugene Chan (), Hong Kong linguist Agnes Chan (), Hong-Kong-born university professor, essayist and novelist Sunney Chan (陳長謙; 1936–2025), American biophysical chemist
Hokkien romanisation of 曾 Chan is a Hokkien romanisation of the surname spelled in pinyin as Zēng (曾). People with this surname include:
James Chan Soon Cheong (曾順祥; 1926–2023), Malaysian Roman Catholic bishop Jose Mari L. Chan (曾煥福; born 1945), Filipino singer-songwriter Chris Chan (曾成兴; born 1950), Singaporean sports administrator Chan Soo Sen (曾士生; born 1956), Singaporean politician Soo K. Chan (曾仕乾; born 1962), Singaporean architect Chan Kwok Fai (曾國琿; born 1982), Malaysian singer Dinah Chan (曾秀卿; born 1986), Singapore road cyclist Jasper Chan (曾羽辉; born 1988), Singaporean footballer Chan Kwong Beng (曾廣銘; born 1988), Malaysian badminton player Chan Boon Yong (曾文勇), Malaysian diamantaire Jannie Chan (曾秀丽), Singaporean luxury retail businesswoman Priscelia Chan (曾詩梅), Singaporean actress Chan Tien Ghee (曾長義), Malaysian businessman
Mandarin Wade–Giles romanisation of 詹
Chan is a Mandarin Wade–Giles romanisation (often used in Taiwan) of the surname spelled in pinyin as Zhān (詹). People with this surname include:
Chan Chun-po (詹春柏; born 1941), Taiwanese Kuomintang politician Steve Chan (Taiwanese politician) (詹啟賢; born 1948), Taiwanese Kuomintang politician and physician Thomas Chan (詹順貴; born 1963), Taiwanese Green Party politician Chan Ya-wen (詹雅雯; born 1967), Taiwanese Hokkien pop singer Chan Yih-shin (詹益信; born 1977), Taiwanese golfer Faye Chan (詹雯婷; born 1981), Taiwanese singer Chan Chin-wei (詹謹瑋; born 1985), Taiwanese female tennis player Yako Chan (詹子晴; born 1988), Taiwanese singer and actress Chan Che-Yuan (詹哲淵; born 1989), Taiwanese football midfielder Chan Yung-jan (詹詠然; born 1989), Taiwanese tennis player Chan Hao-ching (詹皓晴; born 1993), Taiwanese tennis player, younger sister of Chan Yung-jan Chan Sheng-Yao (詹聖堯), Taiwanese Buddhist master and artist Chan Ting-I (詹婷怡), Taiwanese politician
Mandarin Wade–Giles romanisation of 战/戰 Chan is a Mandarin Wade–Giles romanisation (often used in Taiwan) of the surname spelled in pinyin as Zhàn (战/戰). People with this surname include: Elisa Chan (戰琬瑜), American politician in Texas
Hokkien romanization of "田" Chan is a romanisation of the surname spelled in pinyin as Tián (田). People with this surname include: Chan Seng Khai (田承凱; born 1953), Malaysian politician in Sarawak Jeremy Chan (田銘耀; born 1981), Singaporean actor and singer
Other Angel Chan (disambiguation) Cynthia Chan, Filipino politician Jeffery Paul Chan (1942–2022), American writer and scholar Julius Chan (1939–2025), Papua New Guinean politician and Prime Minister Ken Chan (born 1993), Filipino actor Kenneth Chan (disambiguation)
See also
Chal (name) Char (name)
References