573+ South Korean Last Names: Unveiling Their Cultural Significance

South Korean last names, or family names, are a big deal in the country. There are over 280 different ones, but some, like Kim, Lee, and Park, are super common.

These names aren’t just random—they have deep roots in Korea’s history and show connections to important families or royalty. People take a lot of pride in their last names because they reflect where they come from and their family history.

Each name has a special meaning, making it unique. Even today, these last names are a big part of Korean identity, helping people feel connected to their roots and the country’s traditions.

Top South Korean Last Names

South Korea boasts diverse surnames, but a few dominate the population. Kim, meaning “gold,” is the most prevalent, reflecting historical privilege. Lee, symbolizing “plum” or “wealth,” is another common name. Park, associated with “gourd,” also holds significant presence. These surnames showcase the country’s rich cultural heritage and societal influences.

South Korean Last Names and Meaning

South Korean last names, or “surnames,” hold rich historical and cultural significance. Common ones like Kim, Lee, and Park are prevalent, often denoting family ancestry. Kim, for example, signifies “gold” or “metal,” reflecting high value. Lee conveys “plum” or “tree,” symbolizing strength, while Park represents an enclosed or “park-like” space.

Last Name	Meaning
Kim	Gold/Metal
Lee	Plum/Tree
Park	Enclosed space
Choi	Pinnacle
Jung	Upright
Kang	River
Yoon	Allow/Consent
Shin	Belief
Han	Country/Korea
Moon	Literature
Cho	Willow
Jang	Bright/Clear
Song	Pine tree
Lim	Forest
Oh	Five
Bae	Pear
Jeong	Righteous
Hwang	Yellow
Kwon	Strong/Authority

Most Common Korean Last Names

The most common Korean last names, or surnames, often reflect historical and ancestral ties. Kim, Lee, and Park consistently top the list, collectively representing a significant portion of the population. These names hold cultural significance, reflecting Korea’s rich heritage and familial traditions, shaping the nation’s social fabric for generations.

Famous South Korean Last Names

South Korea boasts diverse surnames, with Kim, Lee, and Park being the most prevalent. Kim, representing around 21% of the population, holds historical significance, associated with royalty. Lee is common among the elite, while Park often denotes the working class. These surnames reflect Korea’s rich cultural heritage and social stratification.

Unique South Korean Last Names

South Korea boasts unique last names, reflecting its rich history and cultural diversity. Names like Kim, Lee, and Park dominate, but lesser-known gems like Jeon, Ha, and Lim add uniqueness. Some surnames originated from occupations or places, creating a tapestry of distinct identities that contribute to Korea’s fascinating heritage.

Royal Korean Last Names

Korean royal last names hold historical significance, often tracing lineage to ancient dynasties. Common royal surnames include Lee, Kim, and Park. These names signify noble ancestry, and their association with Korean royalty reflects a rich cultural heritage. Each name carries a legacy that adds to the country’s royal history.

South Korean Surname

South Korean surnames reflect the nation’s rich history and cultural diversity. Common ones include Kim, Lee, and Park, representing over half the population. Each surname often carries deep ancestral significance, rooted in centuries-old traditions. These names contribute to South Korea’s identity, weaving a tapestry of familial heritage.

• Kim
• Lee
• Park
• Choi
• Jung
• Kang
• Yoon
• Cho
• Lim
• Jang
• Han
• Shin
• Song
• Oh
• Kwon
• Baek
• Hwang
• Ryu
• Park
• Moon
• Jeong
• Bae
• Jo
• Ha
• Woo
• Nam
• Seo
• Yoo
• Cha
• Im

Popular Korean Last Names

Popular Korean last names reflect the country’s rich history and cultural heritage. Kim, Lee, and Park are among the most common, representing familial lineages. These surnames hold significance, often denoting social status or regional origins. Embodying tradition and identity, they contribute to the diverse tapestry of Korean heritage.

Kim	Lee
Park	Choi
Kang	Yoon
Jang	Moon
Cho	Shin
Lim	Oh
Song	Han
Jeong	Yun
Baek	Ryu
Hwang	Kwon
Yoo	Chung
Seo	Kang
Ha	Ahn
Nam	Jin
Bae	Do
Won	Yang
Seok	Yim
Hahn	Yoo
Min	Cho
Goo	Jung
Kwak	Shin
Kim	Hwang
Son	Cha
Choi	Yoon
Kim	Kwon
Moon	Joo
Lee	Jung
Jung	Chung
Yun	Park
Kwon	Jang
Ko	Choi
Lee	Jin
Yoon	Baek
Han	Lim
Kang	Kim
Shin	Ha
Ahn	Nam
Kim	Yim
Yoo	Seo
Kim	Yang
Lee	Yoo
Park	Hwang
Choi	Goo
Ryu	Kwak
Hwang	Bae
Jang	Do
Han	Won
Shin	Jung
Kang	Seok
Lim	Hahn
Song	Son
Jeong	Yun
Baek	Ryu
Hwang	Kwon

Beautiful South Korean Last Names

South Korea boasts a rich tapestry of surnames, each carrying cultural significance. Names like Kim, Lee, and Park dominate, reflecting historical prominence. Kim signifies gold, symbolizing wealth and nobility. Lee signifies plum or tree, denoting scholarly pursuits. Park signifies an enclosed space, reflecting harmony and stability. These surnames embody Korea’s captivating heritage.

Cool South Korean Last Names

The second most common last name in South Korea is Lee (also called Yi, Rhee, or Ree). This last name is derived from the Chinese character “李” (li), which means “plum” or “plum tree.” According to the study, about 15% of the population in South Korea has the last name Lee. Here is a list of some cool South Korean Last Names.

Yoo : “Right”

Seong : “Success” Or “Completion”

Jeon : “Field” Or “Farm”

Yoon : “Govern” Or “Rule”

Jung : “County” Or “District”

Moon : “Literature” Or “Culture”

Jeong : “Nation” Or “Government”

Bae : “Help” Or “Assist”

Kwon : “Power” Or “Right”

Jo : “Nation” Or “State”

Dang

Jae-yong

Gyeong

Dae-won

Sang-won

Yong-joon

Sung-yong

Boram

Sun

Chang-hoon

Kyung-chul

Dong-min

Sang-chul

Tae-joon

Powerful

Yeong

Jun-ho

Kwang-sik

Ok

Young-hoon

Seo-yun

Rim

Ji-yoon

Ki-ha

Yeon

Hwan

Ki-moon

Dong-gun

Pai

Kwan

Bong

Wang

Biblical

Sung-won

Seong-hoon

Ji-soo

Ye-rim

Yong-ho

Nari

Chae-yeong

Jooheon

Yeon-seok

Young-sik

Hye-seong

Jeong-ho

Cute

Bora

Kyung-soo

Gyeong-wan

Jin-sun

Sung-woo

Pak

Won-sul

Jeong-suk

Seo-yeon

Myeong

Seung-jae

Dong-wook

Pan

Ji-hu

Lin

Daejeon

Hyun-seung

Gyeong-tae

Mong

Dong-soo

Jae-seop

Ho

Su-bin

Ulson

Tan

Young-jae

Ji-tae

Kwang-hyun

Jong

Chul-woo

Pretty

Noe

Jun-sang

Hae-il

Bin

Cool

Ryu

Eun-seong

Chang-ho

Won

Yo-han

Ji-hun

French

Kyung-gu

Fun fact:”Kyung-gu” means “respectful country” in South Korea.

Catchy South Korean Last Names

The third most common last name in South Korea is Park (also spelt Pak or Bak). This last name is derived from the Chinese character “朴” (bak or pak), which means “plain” or “unadorned.”

According to the study, about 8% of the population in South Korea has the last name Park. Here is a list of some catchy South Korean Last Names.

Lee : “Plum” Or “Plum tree”

Chang : “To stretch” Or “To expand”

Go : “Local” Or “Place”

Cho : “Large” Or “Great”

Son : “Grandson” Or “Descendant”

Dong : “East”

Gim : “Gold” Or “Metal”

Park : “Plain” Or “Unadorned”

Hwang : “Yellow”

Ma : “Horse”

Tae-soo

Myung-hwan

Chan-young

Dong-suk

Woo-jin

Dong-il

Sung-chul

Jae-geun

Seo-hyun

Kwang-su

Yee

Unique

Chung

Om

Han-jae

Sa

Young-hee

Myung

Goo

Im/lim

Joh

Gyeon

Yesung

Gal

Chi-won

Yoo-jung

Hoon

Il

Gyeong-suk

Gun

Beom-seok

Ra

Jae

Pung

Ju

Im

Joo-hwan

Jong-yul

Young-gi

Nahm

Gang

Seong-jin

Min-jeong

Han-bin

Dong-won

Suwon

Chin

Moon-sik

Seol

Seung-heon

Bak

Sang-wook

Kwang-seok

Busan

Jae-ho

Woo

Do-won

Joong-ki

Eun-jung

Beautiful

Su-jin

Duri

Yee/yi

Ki

Eun

Suh

Byung-joon

Chang-woo

Sung-bin

Sung-min

Sang-jun

Eun-kyung

Seung-wan

Jung-eun

Nam-kyu

Chew

Eun-jeong

Min-seok

Quon

Jae-bong

Tak

Jeong-myung

Sang-hyun

Seung-chul

Kyung-hwan

Ma-ri

Mi-suk

Jung-hyun

Yong

Seung-soo

Fun fact: “Seung-soo” means “winning protection” in South Korea.

Best South Korean Last Names

It’s worth mentioning that South Korea also has last names that don’t come from Chinese characters. These are called “bon-gwan” names, which are often indigenous Korean names that are not related to Chinese characters. These names are usually much rarer than the Chinese-derived names. Here is a list of some best South Korean Last Names.

Jang : “To stretch” Or “To expand”

Kang : “Ginger”

Baek : “White”

Hong : “Flood” Or “Vast”

Kwak : “Enclose” Or “Enclosed”

Jang : “Cocoon” Or “Silkworm”

No : “Drum” Or “Musical instrument”

Go : “Tall” Or “High”

Koo : “Hill” Or “Mound”

Seo : “Slow” Or “Gentle”

Top

Tae-wook

Min-hyeok

Young-chul

Da-som

Jae-joon

Kee

Man

Reeh

Kwang-hwan

Iseul

Gan

Jin-hwan

Kwang-seon

Chun

Hyun-woo

Hyuk

Se-yoon

Jong-hyuk

Nam

An

Seong-min

Gwangju

Si-u

Beom-soo

Ki-nam

Mok

Hispanic

Tae-sung

Jeju-do

Seong-il

Yong-nam

Chul

Cheong

Dong-chan

Chul-soon

Jae-hyun

Byung-woo

Ye-eun

Won-chul

Jae-suk

Dan-bi

Kang-min

Jun-seok

Yoon-sung

Hae-won

Mun

Kong

Sin

Chae

Hee-chul

Nam-il

Ji-woon

Mi-gyeong

Yeong-ja

Jung-sik

Nam-gi

Byung-hoon

Eun-sook

Dong-woo

Ki-jung

Sim

Seung-hoon

Hyuk-jae

Ha-joon

Myung-yong

Eun-ji

Jin-kyu

Jue

Roh

Ham

Young-sook

Ho-sung

Hahm

Sun-young

Bon-hwa

Na-moo

Tae-woo

Seul-gi

Won-sik

Dong-geun

Ye-jun

Byung-wook

Jae-jin

Jae-beom

Gyeong-hui

Min-ho

Myung-hoon

Jae-hyuk

Sang-hoon

Fun fact:”Sang-hoon” means “bright and virtuous” in South Korea.

Awesome South Korean Last Names

It’s important to note that as society continues to change, many people in South Korea have begun to adopt new last names or change the spelling of their terms to make them more distinct or personalized.

Additionally, given the tradition of patrilineal surnames, many women tend to adopt their husbands’ last names after marriage, which could affect the statistical representation of specific last terms. Here is a list of some awesome South Korean last names.

Park : “Plain” Or “Unadorned”

Kim : “Gold” Or “Metal”

Choi : “High” Or “Noble”

Son : “Grandson” Or “Descendant”

Oh : “Clan” Or “Family”

Kim : “Gold” Or “Metal”

Yang : “Willow”

Lim : “Forest”

Joo : “Week” Or “Cycle”

Ahn : “Safety” Or “Security”

Moon-soo

Jae-seong

Jun-su

Won-il

Ae-cha

Ho-jin

Sung-ha

Byun

Chan-woo

Kwang-jo

Young-ho

Dong-hyuk

Tae-ho

Kwang-hoon

To

Eun-young

Jae-won

Whang

Paik

Jae-woong

Seung-gi

Jong-soo

Jong-il

You

Na-rae

Daegu

Jae-gyu

Sook-ja

Sung-ho

Choe/choi

Eun-ju

In

Jinhae

Kyung-jae

Ji-hwan

Yu

Kyu-chul

Famous

Ko

Jeong-hun

Geumseong

Hyun-wook

Hyun-joo

Hyun-tae

Chay

Seok-ju

Dam-bi

Nabi

Ho-jun

Gu

Suk-won

Sang

Park/bak

Hyun

Myung-soo

Gwan

Dae-hyun

Yun-seok

Jeong-hui

Min-ki

Jeong-jin

Ji-seok

Ji-eun

Tae-il

Paek

Mu-yeol

Dong-chul

Ye

Byung-ho

Toh

Kwang-min

Dong-ha

Ji-won

Yoong-gun

Do-hun

Goe

Tae

Jeong-mo

Na-ra

Seung-won

Pae

Young-hwan

Kuk

Yun

Joon

Raon

Kwack

Seok

Won-jae

Gae

Fun fact:”Gae” means “tall and respectable” in South Korea.

Amazing South Korean Last Names

In conclusion, the most common last names in South Korea are Kim, Lee, and Park. The surnames are derived from Chinese characters and passed down from father to child. Many other surnames also exist, such as Choi, Kang, and Jeong.

As society changes, many people tend to adopt new last names or change the spelling of their names. Here is a list of some amazing South Korean Last Names.

Song : “Name of a dynasty”

Kim : “Gold” Or “Metal”

Han : “Korea” Or “South korea”

Lee : “Plum” Or “Plum tree”

Jo : “Bright” Or “Shining”

Na : “Gauze” Or “Net”

Shin : “To state” Or “To explain”

Min : “Quick” Or “Smart”

Rhee : “Plum” Or “Plum tree”

Kim : “Gold” Or “Metal”

So

Dong-jun

Kkot-bi

Ha

Seong-hun

Sung-mo

Chong

Ji-woong

Deok-su

Tae-min

Kwang-ho

Hebrew

Sung-ki

Reeh/

Jin

Geun

Kyuhyun

Sung

Yong-gi

Yeong-jun

Min-woo

Ji-min

Ga-ram

Jung-hwa

Gyeo-wool

Tae-suk

In-sik

Popular

Man-sik

Ji-u

Gorgeous

Ja-young

Sung-jae

Sang-woo

Myung-bak

Chi

Kwock

Won-yong

Chai

Jung-hwan

Hyungsik

Young-tae

Hyun-jun

Bae/bai

Oh-seong

Hak

Seo-jun

Binna

Mae

Suk

Jung-nam

Jun-ha

Gok

Joo-won

Junsu

Soo-geun

Chu

Yeo-jeong

Ji-hye

Woong

Hyung-joon

Tang

Hanuel

Jun-young

Hyun-ho

Myung-jun

Il-sung

Jong-up

Joon-tae

Cha

Seong-keun

Tae-woong

Jun-seo

Min-ji

Dal-rae

Yoo-suk

Myeong-suk

Gyeong-ja

Cheol-min

Gyeong-taek

Won-ho

Seung-jun

Ha-eun

Ha-yun

Incheon

Keng

Jee

Kun-woo

Chae-won

Seung

Fun fact:”Seung” means “success or victory” in South Korea.

Conclusion

South Korean last names, called surnames, tell stories of the country’s past. Names like Kim, Lee, and Park are common, each with its own special meaning. There are over 280 family names, and they often show where a family comes from, adding to South Korea’s rich history and diverse culture.

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