100 Korean Last Names – Korean Surnames

Andrew Kreeger

3 years ago

Korean last names are different than others because they actually appear first. That’s right, surnames are put in the front spot as Korean culture deeply values family. Further, these names are almost always a single syllable as it is preferred for a full name to consist of the surname and two first names (no middle name necessary, thank you) for a total of three syllables in the moniker.

It’s a very unique naming structure that is completely different from many other cultures’ practices. Another interesting aspect of the naming culture is that last names are shared on a larger scale than in the United States. The three most widely used surnames, Kim, Lee, and Pak represent over half of the ethnic Korean last names in use today (in South Korea). That’s not to say there is not variety in bon-gwan, which are clan names used to determine family names.

Check Out These 100 Korean Last Names!

Korean Last Names – Botanical Meanings

Lee – Hangul: 이, Meaning: Plum Tree
Park/Bak – Hangul: 박, Meaning: Gourd
Yoo – Hangul: 요, Meaning: Willow Tree
Bae/Bai – Hangul: 배, Meaning: Pear
Keng – Hangul: 넓은, Meaning: Ginger

Korean Last Names – Botanicals Continued

Im – Hangul: 임, Meaning: Forest
Jeon – Hangul: 전, Meaning: Field
Ryu – Hangul: 유, Meaning: Willow Tree
Ki – Hangul: 기, Meaning: Tree, Wood
Ok – Hangul: 옥, Meaning: Oak Tree, Jade

Korean Last Names – Animal Meanings

Hak – Hangul: 학, Meaning: Crane, Learning
Mae – Hangul: 매, Meaning: Hawk, Falcon
Gae – Hangul: 개, Meaning: Dog

Korean Last Names – More Natural Meanings

Kim – Hangul: 김, Meaning: Gold, Iron, Metal
Gim – Hangul: 김, Meaning: Gold
Choi – Hangul: 최, Meaning: Mountain, Pinnacle, Overseer
Seok – Hangul: 石, Meaning: Stone, Tin

Korean Last Names – Other Natural Meanings

Noe – Hangul: 뇌, Meaning: Thunder
No – Hangul: 노, Meaning: Wilderness, Field
Do – Hangul: 도, Meaning: A Path, Roadway
Pan – Hangul: 판, Meaning: Water That Rinsed Rice, A Stream

Korean Last Names – Conceptual Meanings

Man – Hangul: 만, Meaning: Just, Only
Yang – Hangul: 양, Meaning: Amount, Sheet, Positive
Bu – Hangul: 부, Meaning: Part, Wealth, Fortune
An – Hangul: 안, Meaning: Inside, Within, Back
Jin – Hangul: 진, Meaning: Camp, True, Lost, Dragon Sign
Dang – Hangul: 당, Meaning: Park, Justice, Sugar

Korean Last Names – Conceptual Meanings Continued

Seong – Hangul: 성, Meaning: Accomplish, Succeed
Han – Hangul: 한, Meaning: One, Leader, Country
Pung – Hangul: 풍, Meaning: Wind
Nam – Hangul: 남, Meaning: Man, South
Cho – Hangul: 초, Meaning: Second, Candle, Beginning
Wang – Hangul: 왕, Meaning: King

Korean Last Names – Conceptual Meanings Continued

Hwang – Hangul: 황, Meaning: Yellow, Reed
Bin – Hangul: 빈, Meaning: Empty, Void, White
Yun – Hangul: 윤, Meaning: Cloud, Luck
Gok – Hangul: 곡, Meaning: Country
Ahn – Hangul: 안, Meaning: Tranquility

Korean Last Names – Conceptual Meanings Continued

Baek – Hangul: 백, Meaning: White
Chang – Hangul: 창, Meaning: Prosperous, Flourishing
Chu – Hangul: 추, Meaning: Vermilion Red, Cinnabar
Goe – Hangul: 좋은, Meaning: High
Ho – Hangul: 호, Meaning: Brave, Fierce

Korean Last Names – Conceptual Meanings Continued

Byun – Hangul: 변, Meaning: Excitable, Impatient
Hahm – Hangul: 흠, Meaning: Seller of Scales
Shin – Hangul: 신, Meaning: Belief
Sa – Hangul: 사, Meaning: Four
Seo – Hangul: 瑞, Meaning: Omen, Auspicious

Korean Last Names – Conceptual Meanings Continued

Seo-Jun – Hangul: 瑞, Meaning: Omen, Auspicious, Open Up, Unfold, Comfortable
Seong – Hangul: 成, Meaning: Completed, Succeeded
Seong-Hun – Hangul: 성훈, Meaning: Rewarding Deed, Rank
Si-u – Hangul: 시우, Meaning: Start
Jang – Hangul: 장, Meaning: Archer, Bowyer