Chinese Singaporean - Ancestral Origins or Language Groups

Ancestral Origins or Language Groups

In general, the Chinese in Singapore are grouped according to their respective Chinese linguistic, cultural, or ancestral groups. The ancestral origins of the Chinese Singaporeans are diverse; some are identified by their linguistic group, others by their ancestral home (祖籍, zuji; 籍贯, jiguan).

Most of the Chinese in Singapore belong to several cultural groups, mostly from the southeastern coast of China in the Fujian, Guangdong and Hainan provinces. The Hoklo, Teochew, and Cantonese together form more than three-quarters of the Chinese population. The Hakka, Hainanese, and other groups account for most of the remainder. These are generally the descendants of the free and indentured immigrants from southern China during the 19th and early half of 20th century and are typically known as "'native' Singaporean Chinese" ( 新加坡本地华人, 新加坡本地華人, Xīnjiāpōběndì Huárén). The 1990s and early 21st century saw Singapore experience a third wave of migration from different parts of China.

Intermarriage between different ancestral Chinese groups is quite common in Singapore, but association of different cultural groups typically follows the ancestry of the father's side. For instance, if one's father is of Hokkien ancestry and another's mother is of Teochew ancestry, the children will tend to associate with other Hokkien. Some Chinese Singaporeans also tend to associate according to their clans and ancestral origins, as seen in the Singapore Chinese Clan Associations.