Kim () is the most common

surname In many societies, a surname, family name, or last name is the mostly hereditary portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family. It is typically combined with a given name to form the full name of a person, although several give ...

in Korea. As of the 2015 South Korean census, there were 10,689,959 people by this name in

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...

or 21.5% of the population. Although the surname is always pronounced the same, dozens of different family clans () use it. The clan system in Korea is unique from the surname systems of other countries. Kim is written as () in both

North North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating Direction (geometry), direction or geography. Etymology T ...

and South Korea. The hanja for Kim, , can also be transliterated as () which means 'gold, metal, iron'. While

romanized In linguistics, romanization is the conversion of text from a different writing system to the Roman (Latin) script, or a system for doing so. Methods of romanization include transliteration, for representing written text, and transcription, ...

as Kim by 99.3% of the population, other rare variant romanizations such as Gim, Ghim, and Kin make up the remaining 0.7%.

Origin

The first historical document that records the surname dates to 636 and references it as the surname of Korean King

Jinheung of Silla Jinheung (534–576; reign 540–576) was the 24th monarch of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He followed King Beopheung (r. 514–540) and was followed by King Jinji (r. 576–579). Jinheung was the nephew / grandson of King Beo ...

(526–576). In the

Silla Silla (; Old Korean: wikt:徐羅伐#Old Korean, 徐羅伐, Yale romanization of Korean, Yale: Syerapel, Revised Romanization of Korean, RR: ''Seorabeol''; International Phonetic Alphabet, IPA: ) was a Korean kingdom that existed between ...

kingdom (57 BCE935 CE)—which variously battled and allied with other states on the Korean peninsula and ultimately unified most of the country in 668—Kim was the name of a family that rose to prominence and became the rulers of Silla for 586 years. Many scholars have suggested that

Kim Al-chi Kim Al-chi (; unknown–?), was a historical figure in Korean history. His descendants formed the Gyeongju Kim, Kim royal clan of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. His legendary birth is said to have occurred during the reign of Silla' ...

(Alti) may have been the chief of a "gold" (''altin'') clan of Korea and

Manchuria Manchuria is a historical region in northeast Asia encompassing the entirety of present-day northeast China and parts of the modern-day Russian Far East south of the Uda (Khabarovsk Krai), Uda River and the Tukuringra-Dzhagdy Ranges. The exact ...

, whose story is similar to the legend of Alji Geo-seo-khan.

Clans

Distribution of South Korean family names

As with other Korean surnames, different clans, known as , are inherited from a father to his children. These designate the region of Korea or paternal ancestor from which they claim to originate. The 2000 South Korean census listed 348 extant Kim lineages.

Major clans

Uiseong

The Uiseong Kim () clan traces its lineage back to Kim Seok, also known as Kim Jung-seok, the son of

Gyeongsun of Silla Gyeongsun (897–978), personal name Kim Pu, was the 56th and final ruler of the Korean kingdom of Silla. Biography A sixth-generation descendant of King Munseong, he was the son of Kim Hyo-Jong by Princess Gyea, who was the daughter of Kin ...

Andong

The Andong Kim clan () consists of two separate clans, distinguished as Gu () and Shin (), that have two separate progenitors. Some notable Gu Andong Kim clan members were General

Kim Si-min Kim Simin (; 1554–1592) was a prominent Korean general during the Joseon period. He is most famous for having defended Siege of Jinju, Jinju Castle against the Japanese invaders during the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598), Seven Years ...

and Prime Minister Kim Sa-hyeong, who was involved with the Gangnido map, as well as Royal Noble Consort Hwi who was banished for witchcraft. The Shin Andong Kim clan조선왕조실록, 정조 대왕 행장, Joseon Annals, King Jeongjo's life history record after death. c. 1800 was one of the powerful clans that dominated the later part of

Joseon Joseon ( ; ; also romanized as ''Chosun''), officially Great Joseon (), was a dynastic kingdom of Korea that existed for 505 years. It was founded by Taejo of Joseon in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom w ...

. One of the most powerful members from the clan was

Kim Jo-sun Kim Jo-Sun (, born June 13, 1975) is a female South Korean archer and Olympic champion. She competed at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, where she won a gold medal with the South Korean archery team (with Kim Kyung-wook and Yoon Hye-youn ...

, who was the father-in-law to

Sunjo of Joseon Sunjo (; 29 July 1790 – 13 December 1834), personal name Yi Gong (), was a Korean royal who was the 23rd monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. He was the second son of King Jeongjo by his concubine, Royal Noble Consort Su of the Bannam P ...

. Kim Josun's daughter was

Queen Sunwon Queen Sunwon (; 8 June 1789 – 21 September 1857), of the Andong Kim clan was the queen consort and wife of Sunjo of Joseon. She was known as Queen Dowager Myeonggyeong () after her husband's death in 1834. She served as regent between 1834 and ...

Gimhae (Kimhae)

The origin of the clan traces back to

Suro of Geumgwan Gaya Suro (), posthumous name Sureung (; died 199), commonly called Kim Suro, was the legendary founder and Hero King of Geumgwan Gaya (43–532), in southeastern Korea.Geumgwan Gaya Geumgwan Gaya (), also known as Bongaya () or Garakguk (), was the ruling city-state of the Gaya confederacy that existed from 43 to 532 CE, during the Three Kingdoms period, in Korea. It is believed to have been located around the modern-day city ...

, the capital of which was in present-day

Gimhae Gimhae (, ) is a Administrative divisions of South Korea, city in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea, situated near the Nakdong River. It is the seat of the large Gimhae Kim clan, one of the largest Kim (Korean name), Kim clans in Korea, cla ...

. Famous ancient members of this clan, aside from the kings of Geumgwan Gaya, include the Silla general

Kim Yu-sin Kim Yu-sin (; 595 – 21 August 673) was a Korean military general and politician in 7th-century Silla. He led the unification of the Korean Peninsula by Silla under the reign of King Muyeol and King Munmu. He is said to have been the great ...

. In

Later Silla Unified Silla, or Late Silla, is the name often applied to the historical period of the Korean kingdom of Silla after its conquest of Goguryeo in 668 AD, which marked the end of the Three Kingdoms period. In the 7th century, a Silla–Tang all ...

, members of the Gimhae Kim family were admitted to all but the highest level of the Silla

bone rank system The bone-rank system () was the system of Aristocracy, aristocratic rank used in the ancient Korean kingdom of Silla. It was used to segregate society, and particularly the layers of the aristocracy, on the basis of their hereditary proximity to ...

. This clan is by far the most populous of all Korean clans. According to the 2015 South Korean census, there were 4,456,700 Gimhae Kim clan members in South Korea.

Gyeongju

The

Gyeongju Gyeongju (, ), historically known as Seorabeol (, ), is a coastal city in the far southeastern corner of North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. It is the second largest city by area in the province after Andong, covering with a population of ...

Kims () trace their descent from the ruling family of Silla. The founder of this clan is said to have been

, an orphan adopted by King

Talhae of Silla Talhae (5 BC –80 AD, r. 57–80) was the fourth king of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He is commonly called Talhae Isageum, ''isageum'' being the royal title in early Silla. Also known by his personal name as Seok Tal-hae (昔� ...

in the 1st century CE. Alji's seventh-generation descendant was the first member of the clan to take the throne, as King

Michu of Silla Michu was the thirteenth ruler of the Korean state of Silla (r. 262–284). He was the first king of the Kim clan to sit on the Silla throne; this clan would hold the throne for most of Silla's later history. He was the son of Gudo, a lea ...

in the year 262. According to the South Korean census of 2015, there were 1,800,853 Gyeongju Kims in South Korea.

Nagan

The Nagan Kim clan () is small. Its progenitor, Kim Sujing (), was a descendant of the last king of Silla and established their ancestral home in

Suncheon Suncheon (; ) is the largest city in South Jeolla Province, South Korea, with a population of 280,719 as of 2022. It is located in the southeast of the province and is a scenic agricultural and industrial city, known for tourist attractions, suc ...

. In the South Korean census of 2000, less than 10,000 citizens claimed to be Nagan Kims.

Hamchang

The

Hamchang Hamchang is an ''eup'' in Sangju City, North Gyeongsang province, South Korea. It comprises 30 distinct ''ri'' (the smallest South Korean administrative division), and has a population of 8,427 (from 2003 registration figures). There are two e ...

Kim clan () trace their origin to the founder of the little-known

Gaya confederacy Gaya (; ) was a Korean confederacy of territorial polities in the Nakdong River basin of southern Korea, growing out of the Byeonhan confederacy of the Samhan period. The traditional period used by historians for Gaya chronology is AD 42– ...

state of Goryeong Gaya, King Taejo. His alleged tomb, rediscovered in the sixteenth century, is still preserved by the modern-day members of the clan. This clan numbered only 26,300 members in the 2000 South Korean census.

Gwangsan

The

Gwangsan Kim clan The Gwangsan Kim clan () is a Korean clan with its bon-gwan located in Gwangsan, present-day Gwangju. The members of the Gwangsan Kim clan are the descendants of Kim Hŭng-gwang (), the third son of Sinmu of Silla, King Sinmu of Silla, the 45th ...

() was one of the most prominent clans during Joseon. The Gwangsan Kims are the descendants of Kim Heung-gwang (김흥광, 金興光), who was the third prince of

Sinmu of Silla Sinmu (died 839), personal name Kim U-jing, was the 45th monarch of the Korean kingdom of Silla. His reign was the briefest in the state's history, lasting only from the fourth to the seventh lunar month of 839. Sinmu was the son of the '' Sa ...

, its 45th monarch.

Yaseong

The Yaseong Kim clan () is from

Yeongdeok County Yeongdeok County () is a Administrative divisions of South Korea, county in North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. It is well known for Chionoecetes, snow crabs. Administrative divisions Yeongdeok County is divided into 1 eup and 8 myeon. F ...

. The name Yeongdeok replaced an earlier name, Yaseong, which means 'city in the wilderness', and dates its origins back to Silla.

Cheongpung

The Cheongpung Kim clan () was one of the aristocratic families during the Joseon. Two queens were from this clan during that period. Several members of the clan also became prime ministers.

Yonan

The

Yonan Yŏnan County is a county in South Hwanghae Province, North Korea. History Yonan County was formed from regions traditionally associated with the name Yonan, a region during the Joseon era where it was adjacent to Paechon in the east, Pyongsan in ...

Kim clan was an aristocratic family clan that had members in high government positions during the Joseon era. Six members of the clan were prime ministers. The founder of the Yonan Kim clan was Kim Sŏm-han (), a descendant of

Gangneung

The Gangneung Kim clan () originated from

Gangneung Gangneung (; ) is a list of cities in South Korea, municipal city in Gangwon, South Korea, Gangwon province, on the east coast of South Korea. It has a population of 213,658 (as of 2017).Gangneung City (2003)Population & Households. Retrieved Ja ...

in Gangwon Province. The progenitor was Kim Chu-wŏn, who was a descendant of

Muyeol of Silla King Taejong Muyeol (603–661), born Kim Ch'un-ch'u, was the List of monarchs of Korea, 29th ruler of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He is credited for leading the unification of Korea's Three Kingdoms. Background King Taejong Muy ...

Sangsan

The Sangsan Kim clan () originated from

Sangju Sangju (; ) is a Administrative divisions of South Korea, city in North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. Although Sangju is rather rural, it is very old and was once a key city. Along with Gyeongju, it gives rise to half of the name of the Gye ...

North Gyeongsang Province North Gyeongsang Province (, ) is a province in eastern South Korea, and with an area of , it is the largest province in the Korean peninsula. The province was formed in 1896 from the northern half of the former Gyeongsang province, and remaine ...

. The progenitor was Kim Su () and the clan had members that participated in the Joseon government.

Ulsan

The Ulsan Kim clan () originated from

Ulsan Ulsan (; ), officially the Ulsan Metropolitan City, is South Korea's seventh-largest metropolitan city and the eighth-largest city overall, with a population of over 1.1 million inhabitants. It is located in the south-east of the country, neighbo ...

Yeongnam Yeongnam (, ; literally "south of the ridge") is a region that coincides with the former Gyeongsang Province, one of the ancient Eight Provinces, in what is now South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a countr ...

. One of the members of this clan, Kim Inhu, was one of the 18 Sages of Korea and honored as a

Munmyo Munmyo (), also called Seoul Munmyo or Seonggyungwan Munmyo, is Korea's primary temple of Confucius. It is located in central Seoul, South Korea, on the campus of Sungkyunkwan University. Munmyo houses a shrine to Confucius known as Daeseongjeo ...

Bae-hyang ().

Seoheung

The Seoheung Kim clan () was one of the smaller Kim clans during the Joseon. The progenitor was Kim Bo () and one of the members was

Kim Gwoeng-pil Kim may refer to: People and fictional characters * Kim (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Kim (surname), a list of people and fictional characters ** Kim (Korean surname) *** Kim dynasty (disambiguation), several dynas ...

(), who was one of the 18 Sages of Korea and honored as Munmyo Bae-hyang ().

Wonju

The

Wonju Wonju (; ) is the most populous Administrative divisions of South Korea, city in Gangwon Province, South Korea, with a population of 364,860 as of 2023. The city is located approximately east of Seoul. History During the time of Joseon, Gr ...

Kim clan () might be one of the smallest Kim clans during the Joseon. They had two members that became prime ministers during that period.

Jeonju

According to the South Korean census of 2015, there were 56,989 members of the Jeonju Kim clan in South Korea. Its progenitor, Kim T'ae-sŏ, was descended from the last king of Silla, Gyeongsun of Silla. South Korean artist

Kim Hee-chul Kim Hee-chul (; born July 10, 1983), better known mononymously as Heechul, is a South Korean singer, songwriter, presenter, and actor. He is a member of the South Korean boy band Super Junior and has further participated in its subgroup Su ...

is from the Jeonju clan, as are the

North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu River, Yalu (Amnok) an ...

n leaders

Kim Il Sung Kim Il Sung (born Kim Song Ju; 15 April 1912 – 8 July 1994) was a North Korean politician and the founder of North Korea, which he led as its first Supreme Leader (North Korean title), supreme leader from North Korea#Founding, its establishm ...

Kim Jong Il Kim Jong Il (born Yuri Kim; 16 February 1941 or 1942 – 17 December 2011) was a North Korean politician who was the second Supreme Leader (North Korean title), supreme leader of North Korea from Death and state funeral of Kim Il Sung, the de ...

, and

Kim Jong Un Kim Jong Un (born 8 January 1983 or 1984) is a North Korean politician and dictator who has served as supreme leader of North Korea since 2011 and general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) since 2012. He is the third son of Kim ...

Other clans

* Ansan Kim, * Bu-an Kim, * Cheongdo Kim, * Cheongju Kim, * Daegu Kim, * Dogang Kim, (Gangjin Kim, ) * Eon-yang Kim, * Gaeseong Kim, * Geumsan Kim, * Gimnyeong Kim, * Gongju Kim, * Go-ryeong Kim, * Go-seong Kim, * Gwangju Kim, * Gyeongseong Kim, * Hanyang Kim, (Korean adoptees) * Jinju Kim, * Joong-hwa Kim, * Naju Kim, * Pungcheon Kim, * Pungsan Kim, * Samcheok Kim, * Seoha Kim, * Seonsan Kim, * Suncheon Kim, * Suwon Kim, * Ye-an Kim, * Yeongdong Kim, (Yeongsan Kim, ) * Yeong-gwang Kim,

Notable people

References

{{Authority control Surnames of Korean origin Kim