The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Royal palaces in Seoul offer free access during Chuseok holiday

  • 3

    Korean Baek In-chul wins stunning swimming gold

  • 5

    Travis King in US custody after expulsion by N. Korea: Washington officials

  • 7

    American soldier who crossed into North Korea arrives back in the US, video appears to show

  • 9

    Korea wins gold in League of Legends competition; Faker tops podium

  • 11

    Blinken to release Chuseok message for S. Koreans for 3rd year

  • 13

    Over 2,200 aging applicants for reunions of separated families died this year: gov't data

  • 15

    Daejeon hosts 14th int'l play festival

  • 17

    Korea claims third consecutive gold in men's team sabre fencing

  • 19

    S. Korea elected as IAEA board member for 2023-25

  • 2

    INTERVIEWRisk-averse culture is forcing daring creators to flee showbiz

  • 4

    Koreans adapt to soaring food prices

  • 6

    Education ministry prohibits parents from recording classes

  • 8

    BTS' Jungkook to drop 2nd solo single

  • 10

    Drug offenders using dark web increasing rapidly: report

  • 12

    BOK likely to stand pat again next month on Fed's rate freeze, slowdown

  • 14

    1st gold in Hangzhou leaves N. Korean shooters in tears

  • 16

    N. Korea stipulates nuclear force-building policy in constitution

  • 18

    China launches first cross-sea bullet train line near Taiwan Strait

  • 20

    Kim Woo-min snatches gold in freestyle swimming

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Sat, September 30, 2023 | 19:37
-------------------------
Kim, Lee, Park remain three most common surnames
Posted : 2016-09-17 16:22
Updated : 2016-09-18 09:52
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
By Choi Sung-jin

"If you throw a stone from a hill in Seoul, chances are fifty-fifty that it would hit a Kim, Lee or Park." So goes a Korean joke showing how common the three surnames are.

A recent census has reaffirmed this _ one in every five Koreans living within the country has the family name of Kim, according to a recent population and housing survey by Statistics Korea.

The number of people with Kim as their surname totaled 10.69 million or 21.5 percent of the total population of 51.07 million.

Coming in second and third on the list of most common surnames are Lee or Yi (14.7 percent) and Park (8.4 percent).

Following the big-three were Choe or Choi (4.7 percent), Chung (4.3 percent), Kang (2.4 percent), Cho (2.1 percent), Yun or Yoon (2.1 percent), Chang (2.0 percent) and Lim or Im (1.7 percent).

The 10 most common surnames accounted for 63.9 percent of the total population, down slightly from the comparable ratio of 64.1 percent in 2000.

It was the national statistical agency's first survey of family names and clans in 15 years. Some Chinese characters were turned into more than one Korean surname through their pronunciation, as were the names of Yu (or Yoo) and Ryu.

Among the total of 5,582 family names in Korea as of last November, 1,507 had Chinese characters with the 4,075 being written in Korean letters only. Those surnames without Chinese characters were mostly used by former foreigners who become nationalized Korean citizens later.

There were 36,744 family clans, and 858 of them had 1,000 people or more. The so-called large clans totaled 48.6 million people, accounting for 97.8 percent of population.

By clan, the Kims originating from Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, had the largest number of people with 4.45 million (9 percent of the population), followed by the Parks from Miryang, also South Gyeongsang, with 6.2 percent, the Lees from Jeonju, North Jeolla, with 5.3 percent, the Kims from Gyeongju (3.6 percent), the Lees from Gyeongju (2.8 percent), the Kangs from Jinju (1.9 percent), the Choes from Gyeongju (1.9 percent), the Kims from Gwangsan (1.9 percent), the Yuns from Papyeong (1.6 percent) and the Hans from Cheongju (1.5 percent).

Kim, Lee and Park accounted for 44.6 percent of family names and this share has remained almost unchanged from the medieval Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910). Gyeongju was the capital of the ancient Silla Kingdom (B.C. 57-A.D. 935) indicating why many large clans originated from the southeastern city.

"In Korea, the Confucian tradition still runs deep with people, an example of which is the practice of not allowing their children to use different surnames from those of their fathers," said Professor Kim Beom-jun of Sungkyunkwan University. "I don't think there will be many changes in the portions of family names in the future, either."

In the aftermath of the release of the census earlier the month, however, Statistics Korea has faced inquiries and protests from some people, especially the associations of some uncommon surnames and clans.

"Other clans have seen the number of their family members increase sharply, but why have ours decreased?" some protesting associations complained.

"The government's survey of family names and clans conducted every 15 years has increased and decreased their numbers at will, so we cannot believe it," other associations said.

Their protests do not seem to be totally without grounds. The family name of Hur originating from Gyeongju, for instance, numbered 271 people in 59 households in the 1985 census, and increased a whopping 24 times to 6,744 people in 2,199 families in 2000. This time around, its total number is not known as it was classified as a minor clan with 1,000 people or fewer.

Explaining the reasons for some disparities, a government official said that until the 2000 survey, the respondents had written their names in Chinese characters that did not reflect their names accurately or they selected the wrong clans, but the statistical agency resorted to administrative data, including family relation certificates for a more correct census this time around.

"To avoid controversy, we did not release some rare surnames and clans but lumped them together as ‘others,'" he said, adding they wanted to avoid data errors and possible infringement on private information.

Critics, however, said it is undesirable for the government to rough-hew official statistics for fear of causing controversies, especially in the matter of families and clans to which most Koreans give great importance.

Emailchoisj@ktimes.com Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
miguel
wooribank
LG
Top 10 Stories
1Guide to Chuseok celebrations across Korea Guide to Chuseok celebrations across Korea
2Chuseok exodus begins ahead of extended 6-day holiday Chuseok exodus begins ahead of extended 6-day holiday
3Korea sees record-low births in July Korea sees record-low births in July
4Hyundai E&C to build upmarket apartment complex in Seoul's Gwanak District Hyundai E&C to build upmarket apartment complex in Seoul's Gwanak District
5Political battle intensifies after court rejects Lee's arrest warrant Political battle intensifies after court rejects Lee's arrest warrant
6Korea on track to prove esports prowess at Asian Games Korea on track to prove esports prowess at Asian Games
7[INTERVIEW] Risk-averse culture is forcing daring creators to flee showbiz INTERVIEWRisk-averse culture is forcing daring creators to flee showbiz
8DMZ Open Int'l Music Festival to be held in Goyang in November DMZ Open Int'l Music Festival to be held in Goyang in November
9Lotte focuses on health care, mobility to spur growth Lotte focuses on health care, mobility to spur growth
10Two Koreas trade barbs over nuclear war Two Koreas trade barbs over nuclear war
Top 5 Entertainment News
1Trailblazing nonagenarian artist honored for redefining Korean fiber art Trailblazing nonagenarian artist honored for redefining Korean fiber art
2[INTERVIEW] 'Coexistence of different art hubs across Asia is necessary': Art Week Tokyo Director INTERVIEW'Coexistence of different art hubs across Asia is necessary': Art Week Tokyo Director
3[INTERVIEW] With '30 Days,' Kang Ha-neul finds new level of comfort in acting INTERVIEWWith '30 Days,' Kang Ha-neul finds new level of comfort in acting
4Rwandan artists bring diversity to Seoul's art scene Rwandan artists bring diversity to Seoul's art scene
5[INTERVIEW] ONEUS returns as 'mermaid prince' INTERVIEWONEUS returns as 'mermaid prince'
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group