This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Ting Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/iRC.2ACE/91.92.1 Message Board Post: As a believing muslim I can tell you that Aladdin is a proper, in the medieval ages widely used Muslim name which an important meaning. The proper name is ´Ala ad- Deen (or Din), which means "the one high in religion". It is a name used in many muslim cultures and it surely was and is used in the muslim cultures in China (bethey Hui, Uyghur or whatever) as well. It does not only have a connection to the old story from "Arabia Nights". I think that it might be very possible that the name Ting might also be derived from any other in medieavl times widespread name ending on "deen". E.g. there is Salah ad- Deen (Prayer or salvation of religion) aka "Saladdin"!