Korean clans


Korean clans are groups of Korean people that share the same paternal ancestor. They are indicated by the combination of a bongwan and a family name.
Korean clans distinguish clans that happen to share the same family name. The bongwan identifies descent groups by geographic place of origin. For example, the Gyeongju Kim and the Gimhae Kim are considered different clans, even though they happen to share the same family name Kim. In this case, Gyeongju and Gimhae are the respective bongwan of these clans. However, a clan name is not treated as a part of a Korean person's name. The bongwan and the family name are passed on from a father to his children, thus ensuring that person in the same paternal lineage sharing the same combination of the bongwan and the family name. A bongwan does not change by marriage or adoption.
Different family names sharing the same bongwan sometimes trace their origin to a common paternal ancestor, e.g. the Gimhae Kim clan and the Gimhae Heo clan share Suro of Geumgwan Gaya as their common paternal ancestor, though such cases are exceptional.
According to the population and housing census of 2000 conducted by Statistics Korea, there are a total of 286 surnames and 4,179 clans. The 2015 census reported that a total of 36,744 family clans exist among the 1,507 surnames extant in South Korea.

History

The Korean bongwan system was created from an adaptation of the Chinese family clan system. It is assumed to have been created around the late Silla and early Goryeo period as a result of Silla's sinicization policies. Taejo of Goryeo promoted the bongwan system to stably distribute a growing population and create a basis for tax revenue, whilst putting an end to the obsolete bone-rank system.
Numerous clans were created throughout local administrations of all sizes and statuses. Almost all Koreans, including the Yangmin and Cheonmin caste, identified with a bongwan from the early Goryeo to the Joseon period. A bongwan affiliated with a prosperous region was widely seen as a source of personal pride, while members from a lesser or impoverished bongwan often sought to escape their genealogical status. Changes in administrative divisions profoundly influenced the merging or creation of various clans.
During the mid-to-late Joseon Dynasty, poor Koreans acquired surnames by purchasing the right to adopt them. Some even fabricated family trees to claim ancestry from prestigious clans. This phenomenon was influenced by government policies related to slaves and a desire to elevate their social status. By the time that the Joseon class system was officially abolished in 1894, nearly all Koreans had a surname.

Restrictions on marriage and adoption

Traditionally, a man and a woman in the same clan could not marry, so the combination of the bongwan and the family name of a husband had to differ from that of a wife. Until 1997, this was also the law, but this was ruled as unconstitutional.
When adopting a child, the adoptive father and the adopted child must share the same combination of the bongwan and the family name. However, in exceptional circumstances, adoptive parents can change an adopted child's family name for the adopted child's welfare. In this case, the adoptive parents must visit a family court to request permission to change the family name.

List

SurnameSealEnglishHangulHanjaProgenitor
Population in South Korea Ref.
KimGimhae Kim clan김해 김씨金海 金氏Suro of Gaya 4,456,700
KimGyeongju Kim clan경주 김씨慶州 金氏Kim Alchi 1,800,853
KimGwangsan Kim clan광산 김씨光山 金氏Kim Hŭngkwang 926,316
KimAndong Kim clan안동 김씨安東 金氏Kim Suksŭng
Kim Sŏnp'yŏng		 519,719
Kim김녕 김씨金寧 金氏Kim Sihŭng577,793
Kim의성 김씨義城 金氏Kim Sŏk287,469
KimGangneung Kim clan강릉 김씨江陵 金氏Kim Chuwŏn179,593
Kim선산 김씨善山 金氏138,819
Kim청풍 김씨淸風金氏Kim Taeyu110,815
KimYeonan Kim clan연안 김씨延安 金氏Kim Sŏmhan93,382
Kim삼척 김씨三陟 金氏Kim Ch'u92,671
Kim상산 김씨商山 金氏Kim Su91,558
Kim청도 김씨淸道 金氏91,293
YiJeonju Yi clan전주 이씨全州 李氏 2,631,643
Yi경주 이씨慶州 李氏 1,391,867
Yi성주 이씨星州 李氏Yi Sunyu203,703
Yi광주 이씨廣州 李氏Yi Chasŏng181,377
Yi전의 이씨全義 李氏Yi To164,189
YiYeonan Yi clan연안 이씨延安 李氏Yi Mu164,036
Yi한산 이씨韓山 李氏Yi Yunkyŏng156,861
Yi함평 이씨咸平 李氏Yi Ŏn138,550
Yi영천 이씨寧川 李氏Yi Munhan135,612
Yi합천 이씨陜川 李氏Yi Kae121,416
Yi성산 이씨星山 李氏Yi Nŭngil113,087
Yi벽진 이씨碧珍 李氏109,267
Yi덕수 이씨德水 李氏Yi Tonsu 58,513
ParkMilyang Park clan밀양 박씨密陽 朴氏Pak Ŏnch'im 3,103,942
Park함양 박씨咸陽 朴氏Pak Ŏnsin163,610
Park반남 박씨潘南 朴氏Pak Ŭngchu160,964
Park순천 박씨順天 朴氏Pak Yŏngkyu105,208
ChoiGyeongju Choi clan경주 최씨慶州 崔氏Ch'oe Ch'i-wŏn 945,005
Choi전주 최씨全州 崔氏Ch'oe Sunchak
Ch'oe Kyun
Ch'oe Kunok
Ch'oe A		 458,191
Choi해주 최씨海州 崔氏Ch'oe On201,625
ChoiGangneung Choi clan강릉 최씨江陵 崔氏Ch'oe Hŭnpong
Ch'oe P'iltal
Ch'oe Munhan		145,335
Jung동래 정씨東萊 鄭氏Chŏng Hoemun 474,506
Jung경주 정씨慶州 鄭氏 350,587
Jung연일 정씨延日 鄭氏Chŏng Chongŭn284,290
Jung진주 정씨晉州 鄭氏Chŏng Ye
Chŏng Chau
Chŏng Chang
Chŏng Hŏn		324,521
Jung하동 정씨河東 鄭氏Chŏng Tochŏng187,152
Jung초계 정씨草溪 鄭氏Chŏng Paekŏl104,155
Jung해주 정씨海州 鄭氏Chŏng Suk45,101
Kang진주 강씨晉州 姜氏Kang I-sik 1,161,326
Jo창녕 조씨昌寧 曺氏Cho Kyeryong 366,798
Jo한양 조씨漢陽 趙氏Cho Chisu 332,580
JoHaman Jo clan함안 조씨咸安 趙氏Cho Chŏng282,890
JoPungyang Jo clan풍양 조씨豐壤 趙氏Cho Maeng124,262
Yoon파평 윤씨坡平 尹氏Yun Sintal 770,932
JangIndong Jang clan인동 장씨仁同 張氏Chang Kŭmyong 666,652
Im나주 임씨羅州 林氏277,699
ImPyeongtaek Im clan평택 임씨平澤 林氏Im P'alkŭp225,872
ImPungcheon Im clan풍천 임씨豊川 任氏Im On 143,881
HanCheongju Han clan청주 한씨淸州 韓氏Han Ran 752,689
OhHaeju Oh clan해주 오씨海州 吳氏O Inyu 462,704
Seo달성 서씨達城 徐氏Sŏ Chin 407,431
SeoIcheon Seo clan이천 서씨利川 徐氏Sŏ Sinil199,792
Seo대구 서씨大丘 徐氏Sŏ Han97,866
ShinPyeongsan Shin clan평산 신씨平山申氏Sin Sung-gyŏm 563,375
Shin고령 신씨高靈 申氏Sin Sŏngyong129,718
ShinYeongsan Shin clan영산 신씨靈山 辛氏Sin Kyŏng 98,759
Gwon안동 권씨安東 權氏 696,317
HwangChangwon Hwang clan창원 황씨昌原 黃氏 271,986
HwangJangsu Hwang clan장수 황씨長水 黃氏Hwang Kyŏng170,988
HwangPyeonghae Hwang clan평해 황씨平海 黃氏Hwang Onin168,374
AhnSunheung Ahn clan순흥 안씨順興 安氏An Chami 520,384
SongYeosan Song clan여산 송씨礪山 宋氏Song Yuik294,788
SongEunjin Song clan은진 송씨恩津 宋氏Song Taewŏn226,050
Jeon천안 전씨天安 全氏Chŏn Sŏp
Chŏn Nak		176,239
Jeon정선 전씨旌善 全氏Chŏn Sŏp
Chŏn Sŏn		166,965
Jeon담양 전씨潭陽 田氏Chŏn Tŭksi155,018
HongNamyang Hong clan남양 홍씨南陽 洪氏Hong Ch'ŏnha
Hong Sŏnhaeng		 487,488
Ko제주 고씨濟州 髙氏 310,542
Moon남평 문씨南平 文氏Mun Tasŏng 445,946
Yang남원 양씨南原 梁氏Yang Uryang307,724
Yang제주 양씨濟州 梁氏142,211
YangCheongju Yang clan청주 양씨淸州 楊氏Yang Ki38 161
Son밀양 손씨密陽 孫氏Son Sun306,895
Son경주 손씨慶州 孫氏Son Sun 68,486
Bae성주 배씨星州 裵氏Pae Wichun 148,672
BaekSuwon Baek clan수원 백씨水原 白氏Paek Ukyŏng 354,428
HeoYangcheon Heo clan양천 허씨陽川 許氏Hŏ Sŏnmun 149,505
NamYeongyang Nam clan영양 남씨英陽 南氏Kim Ch'ung 82,272
GwakHyeonpung Gwak clan현풍 곽씨玄風 郭氏Kwak Kyŏng 166,608
MinYeoheung Min clan여흥 민씨驪興 閔氏Min Ch'ingto139,073
YooMunhwa Yoo clan문화 류씨文化 柳氏Ryu Ch'atal237,314
YooJeonju Yoo clan전주 류씨全州 柳氏Ryu Seup
YooGangneung Yoo clan강릉 유씨江陵 劉氏Yu Chŏn
Yu Sŭngpi		236,871
Yoo기계 유씨杞溪 兪氏Yu Samchae139,073
JinYeoyang Jin clan여양 진씨驪陽 陳氏Chin Ch'onghu110,403
MoHampyeong Mo clan함평 모씨咸平 牟氏Mo Kyŏng 20,644
Kyung청주 경씨淸州 慶氏12,474
Bok면천 복씨沔川 卜氏Pok Chikyŏm 9,538
Gyeon황간 견씨黃澗 甄氏Ajagae 1,251