Korean surnames: a list of beautiful and popular surnames and their meanings, features of the Korean name

Knowledge of Korea begins with a study of its history and local mentality. Of particular interest to study are Korean surnames and first names. The Republic of Korea is a country of namesakes where 60% of the population has only 14 names, but there are an infinite number of names - it is practically impossible to meet your namesake.

List of Korean last names and their meanings

The list of Korean surnames includes not only beautiful, popular, but also forgotten ones.

Beautiful

Korean male surnames consist of one character (hieroglyph). Despite the small number of surnames, all of them due to bonnets are very different from each other and carry a diverse meaning.

Popular

Most Korean surnames have a very ancient history and originated about 2 thousand years ago. But as in those distant times, and now there are relatively few surnames in Korea - only about 300. Each of them is of paramount importance over the name and carries the heritage of ancestors. Thus, as mentioned earlier, the Republic of Korea is rightfully called the country of namesakes.

The most common surnames are the following:

• Kim (in translation - "gold");
• Lee
• Pack;
• Chen (Jung);
• Tsoi (in translation - "highly born").

Naturally, this causes certain difficulties in some life situations, for example, when it is simply necessary to find a specific addressee.

Other, no less common, last names are Kang, Cho, Yoon, Chan, Lim, Sen, Khan, Sim, So. The owners of these 9 names are about 60% of the population of the whole country.

Rare and forgotten

Many people in Korea envy their fellow citizens with rare surnames, since at the moment there are not so many of them left, and their owners stand out clearly from the rest.

In the remote corners of Korea, you can still meet residents with such rare Korean surnames as the following:

• Jin-Ho - in translation - “precious lake”;
• Monkut - the “crown”;
• Jung - “love”;
• Hong - “rose”;
• Trey - “oyster”;
• Hanyl - “sky”;
• Dung - “brave”;
• Tea - "pearl";
• Isl - "purity";
• An - "internal";
• Tu - "starry";
• Kwon - “fist”;
• Khan - "master";
• Sleep is a "star."

Many newly made parents in modern realities also sometimes opt for old names, but, unfortunately, it is not possible to take the same rare surname.

Most common last name

The most common surname in the Republic of Korea is the surname Kim, which in Korean means "golden". This surname is carried by approximately 22% of the total population of Korea (almost an entire clan).

In order to eliminate the appearance of confusion and confusion, in addition to surnames, the so-called system of toponymic names - “bonds” is also used to individualize the person. Koreans have an ancient tradition, according to which each genus must maintain its genealogical tree and mark the places of residence of its ancestors on it (bonds). An unspoken rule is also the publication of this information once every 30 years. All this is done not only as a worship of traditions and customs, but also to prevent accidental incest, by marriage of persons with the same surnames and from one boom. Upon marriage, a woman retains her maiden name and bon, but the children inherit all of the above from his father. Thus, women's surnames do not change upon marriage, unlike most other countries in the world in which a woman is obliged to take her husband's surname upon entering into marriage.

Thus, all citizens differ from each other in bonuses: there are Kimi from Gyeongju, Kima from Kwangsan, Kima from Gimhae, etc. Therefore, even popular surnames differ from each other.

Interesting ideas for social networks

This issue must be considered from the perspective of dividing a single republic into two states: North Korea and South Korea.

In South Korea, Cyword remained the most widespread social network until recently. Next in the list of popularity are Kakao - (this network is even in the Russian version), Band - a Korean network that has an English version.

Most users, because of their “sameness”, came up with interesting, rare and recognizable nicknames.

For example, many owners of social pages added several names to one or added to their character a hieroglyph indicating a natural phenomenon, animal or plant:

• goyang-i (고양이) - “cat”;
• dolgolae (돌고래) - “dolphin”;
• dogsuli (독수리) - “eagle”;
• 국화 - "chrysanthemum";
• 모란꽃 - “peony”, etc.

As for North Korea, due to the state structure and party regime existing there, the Internet in the country is practically prohibited, and computers are only in single families. For this reason, there are no social networks in the country. The list of persons who have the right to access the Internet (reliable public servants, a few wealthy people, representatives of universities) is approved by the leader personally, and all their work on the Internet is strictly monitored by controlling state bodies.In total, out of the 25 million people, only about one and a half thousand citizens have access to the World Wide Web.

Features of the Korean name

Korea is a state with an incredibly small number of surnames, but with the names the situation is absolutely the opposite. To make a complete list of the names of Korean citizens is practically not possible, since the name in the Korean Republic is a random summation of two characters (hieroglyphs), which have a beautiful combination.

In addition, the country has virtually no border between the names of men and women. However, there are characters that are used mainly in female names. All of them symbolize beauty, purity, tenderness and love.

For example:

• “Mi” - in translation - “beauty”;
• “Bitch” - “purity”, “chastity”;
• “Hva” - “flower.

There are also characters that serve the formation of male names. They mean strength, courage, courage and protection.

For example:

• “Ho” - in translation - “tiger”;
• “Juice” is “stone”.

At the same time, there are hieroglyphs that are actively used both as part of female and male name forms.

For example:

• “Syn” - in translation - “reliability”;
• "In" - "humanity";
• “Hen” is “wisdom.”

Applying exclusively by name is possible only to very close people of equal age.

To communicate with other persons, there are many additional nuances that should always be considered:

1. when adults of the same social status communicate with each other, the suffix “ssi” is added to the person’s name;
2. when communicating with a person who has any official status or is in the line of duty, you should always contact him by that status (for example, director, manager, etc.), using the suffix meaning respect - “him” . If the name is still mentioned, it is considered that the person who has the request has a higher social position;
3. a woman in marriage is very often addressed by the name of her child, for example, the eldest son. This phenomenon is called "technonymy";
4. close relatives and children can contact each other simply by their own name, however, more often communication occurs by indicating the degree of relationship (mother, father, older brother, sister's husband, etc.);
5. “Appa” is a suffix used when a young child addresses his father. Also, a husband can be called a young spouse after the appearance of a child in the family;
6. “Ebos” - a suffix used in communication between young spouses and meaning “dear” or “dear” when translated into Russian;
7. “Yang” and “kun” are suffixes used when referring to young girls and young people.

Beautiful surnames in Korea are not uncommon, especially if you look at their meaning. And in this situation it does not matter at all that several million people are namesakes.