'Last names' is a concept common to almost all parts of the world. The concept of last names, also known as surnames or family names, helps to identify individuals' family and lineage by passing down the father’s family name down to each generation.

Although last names are indeed common to all parts of the world, the rules that govern them in each country, town, tribe, and more differ. For instance, in Nigeria, where I am from, a person can decide to choose his father’s personal name as his/her surname while neglecting the family name passed down.

However, in Korea, things are a bit different because different clans and families might be using the same surname, but this doesn’t mean they are families, and no one is allowed to change their family name to suit themselves because they are all registered on the family register.

There are hundreds of family names in Korea, but some are more common and most used. So here are 5 most common family names in Korea and some of our beloved celebrities with the name.

Kim (김)

Just by watching k-dramas, you should be able to guess that ‘Kim’ is the most common name in Korea. This last name accounts for almost 22% of the Korean population, which is above 10,000,00 (Ten Million) people. There are numerous clans and families that use this name, such as the Andong Kim clan, the Gyeongju Kim, the Hamchang, and many more clans. Some of the Korean celebrities with this last name are Kim Tae Ri, Kim Min Kyu, Kim Yoo Jung, Kim Yoon Hye, and many more.

Lee (이)

The surname ‘Lee’ is the second most common last name in Korea, accounting for almost 15% of the population, which is estimated to be above 7,000,000 (seven million) people. Some clans with the ‘Lee’ family name are the Gyeongju clan, Jinwi clan, Deoksu clan, Jinbo clan, and many more. Korean celebrities with the Lee surname include Lee Dong Wook, Lee Bo Young, Lee Min Ki, Lee Min Ho, etc.

Park (박)

The third most common Korean family is ‘Park.’ Some clans with this family name are the Miryang clan, Hamyang clan, Bannam clan, and more. This family name is also pronounced as ‘Pak’ or ‘Bak’ and it carries over 8% of the Korean population, which includes over 4,000,000 (four million) people. Celebrities with the Park surname include Park Min Young, Park Bo Gum, Park Bo Young, Park Seo Joon and more.

Choi (최)

Following the ‘Park’ surname in rank is the ‘Choi’ family name, which takes the fourth place in popularity. This surname accounts for almost 5% of the Korean population, which is estimated to be above 2,000,000 (two million) people. Clans with the family name include the Gyeongju clan, Jeonju clan, Hwasun clan, Tamjin clan and others. Some celebrities with this last name are Choi Hyun Wook, Choi Won Young, Choi Deok Moon, Choi Dae Chul and many more.

Jung / Jeong (정)

The fifth most Korean family name is ‘Jung’ also known as ‘Jeong or Chung.’ over 4% of the Korean population bears the family name ‘Jung’ and this percentage is slightly above 2,000,000 (two million) people but not up to the people with the ‘Choi’ surname. There are three lineages with different clans associating with this family name. They include, Nara Jeong clan, Gomurae Jeong clan and Hando Jeong clan. Korean celebrities with the name are Jung Woong-in, Jung Jin Young, Jung II Woo, Jung Hae-in, etc.

The statistics used above are according to the last conducted South Korean Census in 2015, which means although these family names are still the top 5 Korean surnames, the numbers and percentages might vary slightly by now (2024).

There are 288 family names in Korea altogether, but these names top the list.

Quick question; if you had a Korean surname, what would it be? Let me know in the comments!