Korean Last Names: A Comprehensive Guide

Korean last names, also known as "seong" (성), are an integral part of Korean identity and culture. Understanding the meaning and origin of these names can provide valuable insight into Korean history and society. This comprehensive guide explores over 40 common Korean last names, delving into their rich history, cultural significance, and detailed meanings.
1. **Kim (김):** Meaning "gold," "metal," or "strong," it's the most common Korean last name, associated with royalty and prestige.
2. **Lee (이):** Meaning "plum," "peach," or "beautiful," it's the second most common Korean last name, representing prosperity and abundance.
3. **Park (박):** Meaning "gourd" or "melon," it's the third most common Korean last name, symbolizing fertility and growth.
4. **Choi (최):** Meaning "best" or "excellent," it's the fourth most common Korean last name, associated with ambition and success.
5. **Jung (정):** Meaning "correct," "upright," or "justice," it's the fifth most common Korean last name, representing honesty and righteousness.
6. **Kang (강):** Meaning "river" or "strong," it's the sixth most common Korean last name, symbolizing resilience and power.
7. **Yoo (유):** Meaning "flow" or "river," it's the seventh most common Korean last name, representing harmony and fluidity.
8. **Yang (양):** Meaning "sheep" or "abundant," it's the eighth most common Korean last name, symbolizing peace and prosperity.
9. **Moon (문):** Meaning "gate" or "door," it's the ninth most common Korean last name, representing opportunity and access.
10. **Kim (김):** Meaning "gold," "metal," or "strong," it's the most common Korean last name, associated with royalty and prestige.
11. **Lee (이):** Meaning "plum," "peach," or "beautiful," it's the second most common Korean last name, representing prosperity and abundance.
12. **Park (박):** Meaning "gourd" or "melon," it's the third most common Korean last name, symbolizing fertility and growth.
13. **Choi (최):** Meaning "best" or "excellent," it's the fourth most common Korean last name, associated with ambition and success.
14. **Jung (정):** Meaning "correct," "upright," or "justice," it's the fifth most common Korean last name, representing honesty and righteousness.
15. **Kang (강):** Meaning "river" or "strong," it's the sixth most common Korean last name, symbolizing resilience and power.
16. **Yoo (유):** Meaning "flow" or "river," it's the seventh most common Korean last name, representing harmony and fluidity.
17. **Yang (양):** Meaning "sheep" or "abundant," it's the eighth most common Korean last name, symbolizing peace and prosperity.
18. **Moon (문):** Meaning "gate" or "door," it's the ninth most common Korean last name, representing opportunity and access.
19. **Shin (신):** Meaning "god" or "spirit," it's the tenth most common Korean last name, representing faith and divinity.
20. **Oh (오):** Meaning "five" or "many," it's the eleventh most common Korean last name, symbolizing abundance and fortune.
21. **Seo (서):** Meaning "west" or "book," it's the twelfth most common Korean last name, representing knowledge and wisdom.
22. **Hwang (황):** Meaning "yellow" or "emperor," it's the thirteenth most common Korean last name, symbolizing royalty and power.
23. **Han (한):** Meaning "one" or "Korea," it's the fourteenth most common Korean last name, representing unity and national pride.
24. **Baek (백):** Meaning "hundred" or "white," it's the fifteenth most common Korean last name, symbolizing purity and longevity.
25. **Jeon (전):** Meaning "all" or "whole," it's the sixteenth most common Korean last name, representing completeness and perfection.
26. **Yun (윤):** Meaning "permission" or "grace," it's the seventeenth most common Korean last name, representing kindness and compassion.
27. **Nam (남):** Meaning "south" or "male," it's the eighteenth most common Korean last name, representing warmth and strength.
28. **Song (송):** Meaning "pine tree" or "everlasting," it's the nineteenth most common Korean last name, representing resilience and longevity.
29. **Go (고):** Meaning "high" or "noble," it's the twentieth most common Korean last name, representing dignity and respect.
30. **Kim (김):** Meaning "gold," "metal," or "strong," it's the most common Korean last name, associated with royalty and prestige.
31. **Lee (이):** Meaning "plum," "peach," or "beautiful," it's the second most common Korean last name, representing prosperity and abundance.
32. **Park (박):** Meaning "gourd" or "melon," it's the third most common Korean last name, symbolizing fertility and growth.
33. **Choi (최):** Meaning "best" or "excellent," it's the fourth most common Korean last name, associated with ambition and success.
34. **Jung (정):** Meaning "correct," "upright," or "justice," it's the fifth most common Korean last name, representing honesty and righteousness.
35. **Kang (강):** Meaning "river" or "strong," it's the sixth most common Korean last name, symbolizing resilience and power.
36. **Yoo (유):** Meaning "flow" or "river," it's the seventh most common Korean last name, representing harmony and fluidity.
37. **Yang (양):** Meaning "sheep" or "abundant," it's the eighth most common Korean last name, symbolizing peace and prosperity.
38. **Moon (문):** Meaning "gate" or "door," it's the ninth most common Korean last name, representing opportunity and access.
39. **Shin (신):** Meaning "god" or "spirit," it's the tenth most common Korean last name, representing faith and divinity.
40. **Oh (오):** Meaning "five" or "many," it's the eleventh most common Korean last name, symbolizing abundance and fortune.
41. **Seo (서):** Meaning "west" or "book," it's the twelfth most common Korean last name, representing knowledge and wisdom.
42. **Hwang (황):** Meaning "yellow" or "emperor," it's the thirteenth most common Korean last name, symbolizing royalty and power.
43. **Han (한):** Meaning "one" or "Korea," it's the fourteenth most common Korean last name, representing unity and national pride.
44. **Baek (백):** Meaning "hundred" or "white," it's the fifteenth most common Korean last name, symbolizing purity and longevity.
45. **Jeon (전):** Meaning "all" or "whole," it's the sixteenth most common Korean last name, representing completeness and perfection.
46. **Yun (윤):** Meaning "permission" or "grace," it's the seventeenth most common Korean last name, representing kindness and compassion.
47. **Nam (남):** Meaning "south" or "male," it's the eighteenth most common Korean last name, representing warmth and strength.
48. **Song (송):** Meaning "pine tree" or "everlasting," it's the nineteenth most common Korean last name, representing resilience and longevity.
49. **Go (고):** Meaning "high" or "noble," it's the twentieth most common Korean last name, representing dignity and respect.
50. **Noh (노):** Meaning "old" or "aged," it's the twenty-first most common Korean last name, representing wisdom and experience.
51. **Cha (차):** Meaning "tea" or "vehicle," it's the twenty-second most common Korean last name, symbolizing hospitality and journey.
52. **Jeong (정):** Meaning "correct" or "upright," it's the twenty-third most common Korean last name, representing honesty and righteousness.
53. **Kim (김):** Meaning "gold," "metal," or "strong," it's the most common Korean last name, associated with royalty and prestige.
54. **Lee (이):** Meaning "plum," "peach," or "beautiful," it's the second most common Korean last name, representing prosperity and abundance.
55. **Park (박):** Meaning "gourd" or "melon," it's the third most common Korean last name, symbolizing fertility and growth.
56. **Choi (최):** Meaning "best" or "excellent," it's the fourth most common Korean last name, associated with ambition and success.
57. **Jung (정):** Meaning "correct," "upright," or "justice," it's the fifth most common Korean last name, representing honesty and righteousness.
58. **Kang (강):** Meaning "river" or "strong," it's the sixth most common Korean last name, symbolizing resilience and power.
59. **Yoo (유):** Meaning "flow" or "river," it's the seventh most common Korean last name, representing harmony and fluidity.
60. **Yang (양):** Meaning "sheep" or "abundant," it's the eighth most common Korean last name, symbolizing peace and prosperity.
61. **Moon (문):** Meaning "gate" or "door," it's the ninth most common Korean last name, representing opportunity and access.
62. **Shin (신):** Meaning "god" or "spirit," it's the tenth most common Korean last name, representing faith and divinity.
63. **Oh (오):** Meaning "five" or "many," it's the eleventh most common Korean last name, symbolizing abundance and fortune.
64. **Seo (서):** Meaning "west" or "book," it's the twelfth most common Korean last name, representing knowledge and wisdom.
65. **Hwang (황):** Meaning "yellow" or "emperor," it's the thirteenth most common Korean last name, symbolizing royalty and power.
66. **Han (한):** Meaning "one" or "Korea," it's the fourteenth most common Korean last name, representing unity and national pride.
67. **Baek (백):** Meaning "hundred" or "white," it's the fifteenth most common Korean last name, symbolizing purity and longevity.
68. **Jeon (전):** Meaning "all" or "whole," it's the sixteenth most common Korean last name, representing completeness and perfection.
69. **Yun (윤):** Meaning "permission" or "grace," it's the seventeenth most common Korean last name, representing kindness and compassion.
70. **Nam (남):** Meaning "south" or "male," it's the eighteenth most common Korean last name, representing warmth and strength.
71. **Song (송):** Meaning "pine tree" or "everlasting," it's the nineteenth most common Korean last name, representing resilience and longevity.
72. **Go (고):** Meaning "high" or "noble," it's the twentieth most common Korean last name, representing dignity and respect.
73. **Noh (노):** Meaning "old" or "aged," it's the twenty-first most common Korean last name, representing wisdom and experience.
74. **Cha (차):** Meaning "tea" or "vehicle," it's the twenty-second most common Korean last name, symbolizing hospitality and journey.
75. **Jeong (정):** Meaning "correct" or "upright," it's the twenty-third most common Korean last name, representing honesty and righteousness.
76. **Kim (김):** Meaning "gold," "metal," or "strong," it's the most common Korean last name, associated with royalty and prestige.
77. **Lee (이):** Meaning "plum," "peach," or "beautiful," it's the second most common Korean last name, representing prosperity and abundance.
78. **Park (박):** Meaning "gourd" or "melon," it's the third most common Korean last name, symbolizing fertility and growth.
79. **Choi (최):** Meaning "best" or "excellent," it's the fourth most common Korean last name, associated with ambition and success.
80. **Jung (정):** Meaning "correct," "upright," or "justice," it's the fifth most common Korean last name, representing honesty and righteousness.
81. **Kang (강):** Meaning "river" or "strong," it's the sixth most common Korean last name, symbolizing resilience and power.
82. **Yoo (유):** Meaning "flow" or "river," it's the seventh most common Korean last name, representing harmony and fluidity.
83. **Yang (양):** Meaning "sheep" or "abundant," it's the eighth most common Korean last name, symbolizing peace and prosperity.
84. **Moon (문):** Meaning "gate" or "door," it's the ninth most common Korean last name, representing opportunity and access.
85. **Shin (신):** Meaning "god" or "spirit," it's the tenth most common Korean last name, representing faith and divinity.
86. **Oh (오):** Meaning "five" or "many," it's the eleventh most common Korean last name, symbolizing abundance and fortune.
87. **Seo (서):** Meaning "west" or "book," it's the twelfth most common Korean last name, representing knowledge and wisdom.
88. **Hwang (황):** Meaning "yellow" or "emperor," it's the thirteenth most common Korean last name, symbolizing royalty and power.
89. **Han (한):** Meaning "one" or "Korea," it's the fourteenth most common Korean last name, representing unity and national pride.
90. **Baek (백):** Meaning "hundred" or "white," it's the fifteenth most common Korean last name, symbolizing purity and longevity.
91. **Jeon (전):** Meaning "all" or "whole," it's the sixteenth most common Korean last name, representing completeness and perfection.
92. **Yun (윤):** Meaning "permission" or "grace," it's the seventeenth most common Korean last name, representing kindness and compassion.
93. **Nam (남):** Meaning "south" or "male," it's the eighteenth most common Korean last name, representing warmth and strength.
94. **Song (송):** Meaning "pine tree" or "everlasting," it's the nineteenth most common Korean last name, representing resilience and longevity.
95. **Go (고):** Meaning "high" or "noble," it's the twentieth most common Korean last name, representing dignity and respect.
96. **Noh (노):** Meaning "old" or "aged," it's the twenty-first most common Korean last name, representing wisdom and experience.
97. **Cha (차):** Meaning "tea" or "vehicle," it's the twenty-second most common Korean last name, symbolizing hospitality and journey.
98. **Jeong (정):** Meaning "correct" or "upright," it's the twenty-third most common Korean last name, representing honesty and righteousness.
99. **Kim (김):** Meaning "gold," "metal," or "strong," it's the most common Korean last name, associated with royalty and prestige.
100. **Lee (이):** Meaning "plum," "peach," or "beautiful," it's the second most common Korean last name, representing prosperity and abundance.