Korean Last Names
Korea has surprisingly few surnames. Around 45% of South Koreans are named Kim, Lee or Park, and the 2015 census counted only a few thousand surnames in total, most of them tiny and many recently adopted by naturalized citizens. What really distinguishes families is the bon-gwan, the ancestral seat of a clan: a Kim from Gimhae and a Kim from Gyeongju are considered different lineages.
Almost every Korean surname is a single syllable written with one hanja character, so each has a literal meaning, though most were adopted from Chinese families or states rather than chosen for that meaning. Here are more than 90 Korean last names with Hangul, hanja, meaning and common English spellings. See also Korean boy names, Korean girl names and Chinese last names.
The 10 most common Korean last names
These ten surnames alone cover well over half of South Korea’s population.
| Surname | Hangul (hanja) | Meaning and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kim | 김 (金) | Gold, metal; about 21% of South Koreans |
| Lee | 이 (李) | Plum tree; also spelled Yi, Rhee or Ri in North Korea |
| Park | 박 (朴) | Gourd; the Silla founder Hyeokgeose was said to hatch from a gourd-shaped egg |
| Choi | 최 (崔) | Lofty, towering; also Choe |
| Jung | 정 (鄭) | Name of an ancient Chinese state; also Jeong, Chung |
| Kang | 강 (姜) | Ginger; linked to the Chinese surname Jiang |
| Cho | 조 (趙) | An ancient Chinese state; also Jo, Joe |
| Yoon | 윤 (尹) | Govern, official; also Yun |
| Jang | 장 (張) | To stretch a bow; also Chang |
| Lim | 임 (林) | Forest; also Im |
Other common Korean surnames
Rounding out the top 50 or so, these names are familiar in every Korean school and office.
| Surname | Hangul (hanja) | Meaning and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Han | 한 (韓) | Korea; an ancient Chinese state |
| Oh | 오 (吳) | The ancient state of Wu |
| Seo | 서 (徐) | Slow, calm; also Suh |
| Shin | 신 (申) | To state; ninth earthly branch (monkey) |
| Kwon | 권 (權) | Authority, power |
| Hwang | 황 (黃) | Yellow |
| Ahn | 안 (安) | Peace, comfort |
| Song | 송 (宋) | The Song state or dynasty |
| Jeon | 전 (全) | Whole, complete; also Chun |
| Hong | 홍 (洪) | Vast, flood |
| Yoo | 유 (柳) | Willow; also Yu, Ryu |
| Ko | 고 (高) | High, tall; also Go |
| Moon | 문 (文) | Writing, culture; also Mun |
| Yang | 양 (梁) | Beam, bridge |
| Son | 손 (孫) | Grandson, descendant |
| Bae | 배 (裵) | Flowing robe |
| Baek | 백 (白) | White; also Paik |
| Heo | 허 (許) | To permit; also Hur, Huh |
| Nam | 남 (南) | South |
| Shim | 심 (沈) | To sink; also Sim |
| Noh | 노 (盧) | Black, a rush plant; also Roh, Ro |
| Ha | 하 (河) | River |
| Kwak | 곽 (郭) | Outer city wall |
| Sung | 성 (成) | To accomplish; also Seong |
| Cha | 차 (車) | Cart, carriage |
| Joo | 주 (朱) | Vermilion; also Ju |
| Woo | 우 (禹) | Yu the Great, legendary Chinese king |
| Koo | 구 (具) | Tool, to equip; also Gu |
| Min | 민 (閔) | Compassion; clan of Empress Myeongseong |
| Na | 나 (羅) | Silk net; Ra in North Korea |
| Jin | 진 (陳) | To display; the Chen state |
| Ji | 지 (池) | Pond |
| Eom | 엄 (嚴) | Strict, stern; also Um |
| Chae | 채 (蔡) | A Zhou-era state; also Chai |
| Won | 원 (元) | Origin, first |
| Cheon | 천 (千) | Thousand; also Chun |
| Bang | 방 (方) | Direction, square |
| Gong | 공 (孔) | Hole; the surname of Confucius |
| Hyun | 현 (玄) | Dark, mysterious |
| Ham | 함 (咸) | All, together |
| Byun | 변 (卞) | Hasty; also Byeon |
| Yeom | 염 (廉) | Honest, modest |
| Yeo | 여 (呂) | Spine; also Yuh |
| Chu | 추 (秋) | Autumn |
| Do | 도 (都) | Capital city |
| Seok | 석 (石) | Stone |
| Ma | 마 (馬) | Horse |
| Gil | 길 (吉) | Lucky, auspicious |
Rare and unusual one-syllable Korean surnames
These surnames are carried by only thousands or tens of thousands of people. For inspiration beyond Korea, see unique last names.
| Surname | Hangul (hanja) | Meaning and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wang | 왕 (王) | King; royal surname of the Goryeo dynasty |
| Ok | 옥 (玉) | Jade |
| Geum | 금 (琴) | Zither |
| Yuk | 육 (陸) | Land; also Yook |
| Maeng | 맹 (孟) | Eldest; the surname of Mencius |
| Tak | 탁 (卓) | Eminent, table |
| Eo | 어 (魚) | Fish |
| Pyo | 표 (表) | Surface, display |
| Myung | 명 (明) | Bright |
| Gi | 기 (奇) | Rare, strange; also Ki |
| Seol | 설 (薛) | A kind of grass; also Sul |
| Bong | 봉 (奉) | To offer, serve |
| Pi | 피 (皮) | Skin, leather |
| Yeon | 연 (延) | To extend |
| Eun | 은 (殷) | Prosperous; the Shang (Yin) dynasty |
| Tae | 태 (太) | Great |
Two-syllable Korean surnames
Only a handful of Korean families carry compound surnames, which makes them instantly memorable.
| Surname | Hangul (hanja) | Meaning and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Namgung | 남궁 (南宮) | South palace |
| Jegal | 제갈 (諸葛) | Same as Chinese Zhuge, as in strategist Zhuge Liang |
| Hwangbo | 황보 (皇甫) | Emperor + great |
| Seonu | 선우 (鮮于) | Fresh + at; also Sunwoo |
| Dokgo | 독고 (獨孤) | Lone, solitary |
| Sagong | 사공 (司空) | Minister of works, an old title |
| Seomun | 서문 (西門) | West gate |
| Dongbang | 동방 (東方) | The east |
Famous Korean clans (bon-gwan)
A surname plus its clan seat identifies a lineage. Until 1997, Korean law even banned marriage between people of the same surname and bon-gwan.
| Clan | Hangul | History |
|---|---|---|
| Gimhae Kim | 김해 김씨 | Largest clan in Korea; traces to King Suro of Geumgwan Gaya |
| Gyeongju Kim | 경주 김씨 | Royal clan of the Silla kingdom |
| Jeonju Lee | 전주 이씨 | Royal clan of the Joseon dynasty (1392–1897) |
| Miryang Park | 밀양 박씨 | Largest Park clan, descended from Silla kings |
| Andong Kwon | 안동 권씨 | Prominent Goryeo and Joseon scholar-officials |
| Gyeongju Choi | 경주 최씨 | Claims descent from scholar Choe Chiwon |
| Yeoheung Min | 여흥 민씨 | Clan of Queen Min (Empress Myeongseong) |
| Andong Kim | 안동 김씨 | Powerful in-law clan of the 19th century |
| Papyeong Yoon | 파평 윤씨 | Leading Joseon-era yangban clan |
| Deoksu Yi | 덕수 이씨 | Clan of Admiral Yi Sun-sin |
Things to know about Korean last names
- Surname comes first. Park Ji-min means Ji-min of the Park family; many Koreans abroad flip the order.
- Spellings vary a lot. 이 can be Lee, Yi, Rhee or Ri, and 박 is almost always Park even though it sounds like “Bahk.”
- Women keep their surnames. Korean women traditionally do not take their husband’s family name after marriage.
- Mention the clan for depth. In fiction or genealogy, adding a bon-gwan (for example, Jeonju Lee) makes a character or record feel authentic.
- Don’t guess at meaning. Most surnames came from Chinese clans or states, so the literal hanja meaning isn’t why a family carries the name.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common Korean last name?
Kim (김, 金) is the most common, carried by about one in five South Koreans, followed by Lee (이) and Park (박).
Why do so many Koreans share the same last names?
Surnames spread first among royalty and aristocrats; when commoners gained surnames, especially in the late Joseon era, many adopted prestigious names like Kim, Lee and Park.
Why is 이 spelled Lee in English?
In Korean, 이 is pronounced “ee.” Early English spellings like Lee and Rhee were chosen for familiarity and stuck, even though official romanization would be “I” or “Yi.”
What does Park mean in Korean?
The hanja 朴 means “gourd” and relates to the founding legend of Silla’s first king, Park Hyeokgeose. The name is pronounced closer to “Bahk.”
Are there Korean surnames with two syllables?
Yes, but very few. Namgung, Jegal, Hwangbo, Seonu and Dokgo are the best known.