Start with Hangul
Hangul shows the Korean spelling people read in modern Korean. It is the safest first key for matching a surname in this table.
Korean surname directory
Korean Last Names
Browse Korean last names, Korean surnames, and Korean family names with Hangul, Hanja, meanings, romanization variants, and 2015 census popularity data.
Korean surname meanings depend on Hanja and clan context. This page treats surnames as language and census data, not as proof of personal background or one shared family line.
Hangul, Hanja, meanings
Korean Last Names
Showing Korean last names. Use the filters to browse by popularity, rare entries, two-syllable surnames, and meaning notes.
The main Korean surnames list follows 2015 South Korean census population by Hangul spelling. Hanja and English spellings can vary by family registration and romanization convention.
| Korean Last Name | Hangul | Hanja | Meaning | Alternate Spellings | Popularity | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KimRank 1 | 김 | 金 | gold, metalThis gloss follows the listed Hanja; it is not a full family history. | GhimKin | 10,689,967 · 21.5% | Copy |
| LeeRank 2 | 이 | 李 異 伊 | plum treeMeaning depends on which Hanja is used for the surname; the English spelling alone does not prove one meaning. | YiRhee | 7,307,237 · 14.7% | Copy |
| ParkRank 3 | 박 | 朴 博 | gourd; simple, unadornedMeaning depends on which Hanja is used for the surname; the English spelling alone does not prove one meaning. | PakPack | 4,192,080 · 8.4% | Copy |
| JungRank 4 | 정 | 鄭 丁 程 | ancient Zheng state; solemn, properMeaning depends on which Hanja is used for the surname; the English spelling alone does not prove one meaning. | JeongChung | 2,407,601 · 4.8% | Copy |
| ChoiRank 5 | 최 | 崔 催 最 | high, lofty, toweringMeaning depends on which Hanja is used for the surname; the English spelling alone does not prove one meaning. | ChoeChoy | 2,340,582 · 4.7% | Copy |
| ChoRank 6 | 조 | 趙 曺 調 | ancient Zhao stateMeaning depends on which Hanja is used for the surname; the English spelling alone does not prove one meaning. | JoJoe | 1,453,971 · 2.9% | Copy |
| KangRank 7 | 강 | 姜 康 強 | ginger; peace, health; strongMeaning depends on which Hanja is used for the surname; the English spelling alone does not prove one meaning. | GangKhang | 1,269,290 · 2.6% | Copy |
| JangRank 8 | 장 | 張 蔣 章 | to stretch; draw a bowMeaning depends on which Hanja is used for the surname; the English spelling alone does not prove one meaning. | Chang | 1,021,107 · 2.1% | Copy |
2015 census basis
Common Korean Last Names
Kim, Lee, and Park dominate the common Korean last names list, but this table keeps one ranking basis: South Korea's 2015 census by Hangul surname spelling.
The concentration is the key fact for readers: Kim, Lee, and Park together account for about 44.6% of the census population shown here. The top ten surnames also include Jung, Choi, Cho, Kang, Jang, Yoon, and Lim, so a short Korean surnames list can cover many real examples without implying that every holder belongs to one group.
Ranks can shift when a source counts by Hanja instead of Hangul. For example, 정 can be written with several Hanja, so a Hangul-based table may place Jung differently from a table that separates 鄭, 丁, and 程.
| Rank | Surname | Hangul | Population | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kim | 김 | 10,689,967 | 21.5% |
| 2 | Lee | 이 | 7,307,237 | 14.7% |
| 3 | Park | 박 | 4,192,080 | 8.4% |
| 4 | Jung | 정 | 2,407,601 | 4.8% |
| 5 | Choi | 최 | 2,340,582 | 4.7% |
| 6 | Cho | 조 | 1,453,971 | 2.9% |
| 7 | Kang | 강 | 1,269,290 | 2.6% |
| 8 | Jang | 장 | 1,021,107 | 2.1% |
| 9 | Yoon | 윤 | 1,020,564 | 2.1% |
| 10 | Lim | 임 | 1,015,200 | 2.0% |
| 11 | Shin | 신 | 986,001 | 2.0% |
| 12 | Yoo | 유 | 963,498 | 1.9% |
| 13 | Han | 한 | 773,537 | 1.6% |
| 14 | Oh | 오 | 763,334 | 1.5% |
| 15 | Seo | 서 | 752,233 | 1.5% |
| 16 | Jeon | 전 | 749,266 | 1.5% |
| 17 | Kwon | 권 | 706,212 | 1.4% |
| 18 | Hwang | 황 | 697,475 | 1.4% |
| 19 | Ahn | 안 | 685,688 | 1.4% |
| 20 | Song | 송 | 683,521 | 1.4% |
| 21 | Hong | 홍 | 558,994 | 1.1% |
| 22 | Yang | 양 | 530,554 | 1.1% |
| 23 | Ko | 고 | 471,429 | 0.95% |
| 24 | Moon | 문 | 464,047 | 0.93% |
| 25 | Son | 손 | 457,356 | 0.92% |
| 26 | Bae | 배 | 400,669 | 0.81% |
| 27 | Baek | 백 | 382,447 | 0.77% |
| 28 | Heo | 허 | 326,782 | 0.66% |
| 29 | Noh | 노 | 315,372 | 0.63% |
| 30 | Nam | 남 | 275,659 | 0.55% |
Hanja-led glosses
Korean Last Names and Meanings
Meanings are listed as Hanja glosses. They are not claims about every family with that English spelling.
Then check Hanja
Hanja supplies the character gloss behind many meanings. One Hangul surname can have several Hanja, so the meaning note must stay attached to the written form.
Use romanization carefully
English spellings such as Lee, Yi, Rhee, Jeong, Jung, and Chung can reflect romanization choices rather than different surnames.
Kim
Meaning: gold, metal. This gloss follows the listed Hanja; it is not a full family history.
Lee
Meaning: plum tree. Meaning depends on which Hanja is used for the surname; the English spelling alone does not prove one meaning.
Park
Meaning: gourd; simple, unadorned. Meaning depends on which Hanja is used for the surname; the English spelling alone does not prove one meaning.
Jung
Meaning: ancient Zheng state; solemn, proper. Meaning depends on which Hanja is used for the surname; the English spelling alone does not prove one meaning.
Choi
Meaning: high, lofty, towering. Meaning depends on which Hanja is used for the surname; the English spelling alone does not prove one meaning.
Cho
Meaning: ancient Zhao state. Meaning depends on which Hanja is used for the surname; the English spelling alone does not prove one meaning.
Kang
Meaning: ginger; peace, health; strong. Meaning depends on which Hanja is used for the surname; the English spelling alone does not prove one meaning.
Jang
Meaning: to stretch; draw a bow. Meaning depends on which Hanja is used for the surname; the English spelling alone does not prove one meaning.
Yoon
Meaning: governor; to administer. Meaning depends on which Hanja is used for the surname; the English spelling alone does not prove one meaning.
Lim
Meaning: forest; duty, responsibility. Meaning depends on which Hanja is used for the surname; the English spelling alone does not prove one meaning.
Shin
Meaning: to report; bitter; careful. Meaning depends on which Hanja is used for the surname; the English spelling alone does not prove one meaning.
Yoo
Meaning: willow; to allow. Meaning depends on which Hanja is used for the surname; the English spelling alone does not prove one meaning.
Han
Meaning: Korea; great; leader. Meaning depends on which Hanja is used for the surname; the English spelling alone does not prove one meaning.
Oh
Meaning: ancient Wu state. Meaning depends on which Hanja is used for the surname; the English spelling alone does not prove one meaning.
Seo
Meaning: slow; gentle; west; writing. Meaning depends on which Hanja is used for the surname; the English spelling alone does not prove one meaning.
Jeon
Meaning: whole; field; money. Meaning depends on which Hanja is used for the surname; the English spelling alone does not prove one meaning.
Kwon
Meaning: authority; power; rights. Meaning depends on which Hanja is used for the surname; the English spelling alone does not prove one meaning.
Hwang
Meaning: yellow; imperial. Meaning depends on which Hanja is used for the surname; the English spelling alone does not prove one meaning.
Ahn
Meaning: peace; safety. Meaning depends on which Hanja is used for the surname; the English spelling alone does not prove one meaning.
Song
Meaning: Song dynasty; pine tree. Meaning depends on which Hanja is used for the surname; the English spelling alone does not prove one meaning.
Hong
Meaning: vast; flood; red. Meaning depends on which Hanja is used for the surname; the English spelling alone does not prove one meaning.
Yang
Meaning: bridge; beam; poplar. Meaning depends on which Hanja is used for the surname; the English spelling alone does not prove one meaning.
Ko
Meaning: high; tall. Meaning depends on which Hanja is used for the surname; the English spelling alone does not prove one meaning.
Moon
Meaning: writing; culture; gate. Meaning depends on which Hanja is used for the surname; the English spelling alone does not prove one meaning.
Son
Meaning: grandchild; descendant. Meaning depends on which Hanja is used for the surname; the English spelling alone does not prove one meaning.
Population-defined rarity
Rare Korean Last Names
Here, rare means a Korean surname with a very small published census population. The rare table uses published population counts rather than a subjective unusual-name label.
The strongest rare examples here are the smallest published census counts. Some have fewer than 100 holders, and several two-syllable surnames stand out because most Korean surnames are one Hangul syllable.
Use extra caution with rare surnames in fiction or examples: a very small population can make a real surname unusually identifiable. If you only need a distinctive character surname, an uncommon-but-not-ultra-rare example is often a better choice.
| Rare surname | Hangul | Hanja | Population | Count basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deungjeong | 등정 | 藤井 | 5 | 2015 census surname count |
| Hwangmok | 황목 | 荒木 | 5 | 2015 census surname count |
| Tang | 탕 | 湯 | 5 | 2015 census surname count |
| Mubon | 무본 | 武本 | 6 | 2015 census surname count |
| Beon | 번 | 樊 | 6 | 2015 census surname count |
| Da | 다 | 多 | 7 | 2015 census surname count |
| Nan | 난 | 欒 | 8 | 2015 census surname count |
| Mangjeol | 망절 | 網切 | 8 | 2015 census surname count |
| San | 산 | 山 | 9 | 2015 census surname count |
| Ran | 란 | 欒 | 10 | 2015 census surname count |
| Mu | 무 | 武 | 15 | 2015 census surname count |
| Mi | 미 | 米 | 16 | 2015 census surname count |
| Bi | 비 | 丕 | 16 | 2015 census surname count |
| Bo | 보 | 寶 保 甫 | 16 | 2015 census surname count |
| Dok | 독 | 獨 | 17 | 2015 census surname count |
| Noe | 뇌 | 雷 | 19 | 2015 census surname count |
| Ryeo | 려 | 呂 | 19 | 2015 census surname count |
| Roe | 뢰 | 雷 | 19 | 2015 census surname count |
| Gwan | 관 | 關 管 | 20 | 2015 census surname count |
| Deung | 등 | 滕 鄧 | 20 | 2015 census surname count |
Romanization variants
Korean Last Name Spellings and Variants
English spelling is not a perfect key. Family convention and romanization systems can produce several spellings for the same Hangul surname.
| Hangul | Primary spelling | Other Romanizations |
|---|---|---|
| 이 | Lee | Yi, Rhee, I |
| 정 | Jeong | Jung, Chung, Cheong |
| 조 | Cho | Jo, Joe |
| 윤 | Yoon | Yun, Youn |
| 임 | Lim | Im, Yim, Rim |
| 류 | Ryu | Yoo, Ryoo |
| 노 | Noh | No, Roh |
| 최 | Choi | Choe, Choy |
Surname and clan context
Korean Surnames and Bon-gwan Clans
A Korean surname is not the same thing as one family line. Bon-gwan identifies an ancestral clan seat, so two people named Kim may belong to different Kim clans.
This is why a Korean family name can be both extremely common and internally specific. Gimhae Kim and Gyeongju Kim are not the same label as a bare Kim surname; Jeonju Lee is a clan-seat label inside the Lee surname; Miryang Park is a clan-seat label inside Park.
Surname ≠ clan
Kim, Lee, Park, and other common Korean family names each include many bon-gwan groups. The surname is the broad family name; bon-gwan adds a traditional place-based clan distinction.
Why it matters
Bon-gwan helps explain why a small surname pool can still represent many clan histories. It also helps answer the common question of whether all Kims, Lees, or Parks are one family: the surname alone is not enough.
How to read this page
Use the surname, Hangul, Hanja, and population details as name data, not as proof of personal background. For clan questions, look for a named bon-gwan in a source rather than inferring it from the surname.
Name-order basics
How Korean Family Names Work
In Korean-language order, the family name usually precedes the given name. Most Korean surnames are one Hangul syllable, while a smaller group, such as Namgung or Hwangbo, has two syllables.
Family name first
A Korean full name normally starts with the family name in Korean order, followed by the given name. Western-order contexts may reverse that order for English readers.
Hangul, Hanja, English spelling
Hangul gives the Korean spelling, Hanja gives a character form where one is used, and English spelling gives a romanized form. These three details answer different questions.
Gender does not change the surname
Korean surnames generally do not change for women, men, or people of any gender. A search for Korean last names for women is usually asking for usable surname examples, not a different surname form.
Keep browsing
Explore More Last Names
Japanese Last Names
Kanji, readings, meanings, and popularity notes.
Chinese Last Names
Characters, pinyin, meanings, and variants.
German Last Names
Meanings, origins, and common surnames.
Spanish Last Names
Ranks, meanings, and naming traditions.
Russian Last Names
Cyrillic forms, meanings, and gendered endings.
Last Name Origin Search
Look up reviewed surname-origin notes.
All Last Names
Browse the main surname index.
Korean surname FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common Korean last names?
Kim, Lee, and Park are the three most common Korean last names in the 2015 South Korean census. Together they account for about 44.6% of the population counted there, while Jung and Choi follow by Hangul-spelling count.
What do Korean last names mean?
Many Korean surnames are written with Hanja, and the meaning depends on the Hanja associated with the surname. The same Hangul spelling can have more than one Hanja, so a romanized form such as Jung, Cho, or Kang should not be treated as one fixed meaning.
What are some rare Korean last names?
Rare Korean last names include census entries such as Deungjeong, Hwangmok, Tang, Mubon, Beon, Da, Nan, and Mangjeol. This page uses published population counts rather than a subjective unusual-name label.
Why are Kim, Lee, and Park so common?
The distribution of Korean surnames is highly concentrated because surnames spread through prestigious clan names and later registration patterns. A shared surname alone does not mean one shared family line, because bon-gwan clan seats distinguish many groups inside the same surname.
Why can Korean surnames have different English spellings?
Romanization systems, older spellings, North/South usage, and family convention can produce spellings such as Lee, Yi, and Rhee for 이 or Jeong, Jung, and Chung for 정.
Do Korean last names differ for men and women?
No. Korean last names are not gendered, so Korean last names for women use the same surname forms as men and people of any gender. Search phrases like Korean female surnames usually reflect name-list intent, not a separate surname grammar.