Distribution of South Korean family names

Lee, I, or Yi () is the second-most-common surname in Korea, behind

Kim 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 ...

(). As of the South Korean census of 2015, there were 7,306,828 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 14.7% of the population. Historically, was written as Ni () in Korea. The spelling formally changed to I () in 1933 when the initial sound rule () was established. In

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 ...

, it is romanized as Ri () because there is no distinction between the

alveolar Alveolus (; pl. alveoli, adj. alveolar) is a general anatomical term for a concave cavity or pit. Uses in anatomy and zoology * Pulmonary alveolus, an air sac in the lungs ** Alveolar cell or pneumocyte ** Alveolar duct ** Alveolar macrophage * M ...

liquids Liquid is a state of matter with a definite volume but no fixed shape. Liquids adapt to the shape of their container and are nearly incompressible, maintaining their volume even under pressure. The density of a liquid is usually close to th ...

/l/ and /r/ in

modern Korean Korean is the native language for about 81 million people, mostly of Korean descent. It is the national language of both South Korea and North Korea. In the south, the language is known as () and in the north, it is known as (). Since the tur ...

Latin-alphabet spelling

Though the

Revised Romanization Revised Romanization of Korean () is the official Korean language romanization system in South Korea. It was developed by the National Academy of the Korean Language from 1995 and was released to the public on 7 July 2000 by South Korea's Mi ...

spelling of this surname is I, South Korea's

National Institute of the Korean Language The National Institute of Korean Language (NIKL; ) is a language regulator of the Korean language based in Seoul, South Korea. It was created on January 23, 1991, by Presidential Decree No. 13163 (November 14, 1990). It has previously gone by a ...

noted in 2001 that one-letter surnames were quite rare in English and other foreign languages and could cause difficulties when traveling abroad. However, the NIKL still hoped to promote systemic transcriptions for use in passports, and thus recommended that people who bore this surname should spell it Yi in the Roman alphabet. However, the majority of South Koreans with this surname continue to spell it as Lee, because conditions for changing passport names are strict. In a study based on 2007 application data for South Korean passports, it was found that 98.5% of people with this surname spelled it in Latin letters as "Lee" in their passports, while only 1.0% spelled it "Yi". A few people with this surname historically spelled it Ye, as in

Ye Wanyong Yi Wanyong (; 17 July 1858 – 12 February 1926), also spelled Lee Wan-yong or Ye Wan-yong, was a Korean politician who served as the 7th Prime Minister of Korea. He is best remembered for signing the Eulsa Treaty and the Japan–Korea Ann ...

of the

Korean Empire The Korean Empire, officially the Empire of Korea or Imperial Korea, was a Korean monarchical state proclaimed in October 1897 by King Gojong of the Joseon dynasty. The empire lasted until the Japanese annexation of Korea in August 1910. Dur ...

. Rhee has also been used, as in

Syngman Rhee Syngman Rhee (; 26 March 1875 – 19 July 1965), also known by his art name Unam (), was a South Korean politician who served as the first president of South Korea from 1948 to 1960. Rhee was also the first and last president of the Provisiona ...

and

Simon Hang-bock Rhee Simon Hang-bock Rhee (; born October 28, 1954) is a South Korean former chairman of the World Scout Committee, the main executive body of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, and Chairman of its Management Subcommittee. He was first el ...

Clans

Korea-Gyeongju-Monument for the founder of Gyeongju Yi clan-01

As with all Korean family names, the holders of the ''Yi'' surname are divided into

patrilineal Patrilineality, also known as the male line, the spear side or agnatic kinship, is a common kinship system in which an individual's family membership derives from and is recorded through their father's lineage. It generally involves the inheritanc ...

clans, or lineages, known in Korean as ''

bon-gwan Korean clans are groups of Koreans, Korean people that share the same Patrilineality, paternal ancestor. They are indicated by the combination of a ''bongwan'' () and a family name. Korean clans distinguish clans that happen to share the same fam ...

'', based on their ancestral seat. Most such clans trace their lineage back to a specific founder, and are generally not related to one another. This system was at its height under the ''

yangban The ''yangban'' () were part of the traditional ruling class or gentry of dynastic Korea during the Joseon period. The ''yangban'' were mainly composed of highly educated civil officials and military officers—landed or unlanded aristocrats wh ...

'' aristocracy 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 ...

, but it remains in use today. There are approximately 241 such clans claimed by South Koreans, with most people in Korea with the surname Yi () belonging to either the

Jeonju Jeonju (, , ) is the capital and List of cities in South Korea, largest city of North Jeolla Province, South Korea. It is both urban and rural due to the closeness of Wanju County which almost entirely surrounds Jeonju (Wanju County has many resi ...

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 ...

clans. Surnames Yi () and Yi () each have their own clans.

Jeonju clan

The founder of this clan was , a native of

Baekje Baekje or Paekche (; ) was a Korean kingdom located in southwestern Korea from 18 BCE to 660 CE. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla. While the three kingdoms were in separate existence, Baekje had the h ...

who later married a

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 ...

princess and became a high-ranking official in Silla. His 22nd-generation descendant,

Yi Seong-gye Taejo (; 4 November 1335 – 27 June 1408), personal name Yi Seong-gye (), later Yi Dan (), was the founder and first monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. After overthrowing the Goryeo dynasty, he ascended to the throne in 1392 and abdi ...

, went on to found the Joseon Dynasty. The

House of Yi The House of Yi, also called the Yi dynasty (also transcribed as the Lee dynasty), was the royal family of the Joseon dynasty and later the imperial family of the Korean Empire, descended from the Joseon founder Yi Seong-gye. All of his descendan ...

ruled the country for 518 years (between 1392 and 1910) and established many of the cultural, artistic and linguistic foundations for modern-day Korea. Jeonju Lee clan family seal

During its reign, the House of Yi consolidated its effective rule over the territory of current Korea, which encouraged the entrenchment of

Confucian Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China, and is variously described as a tradition, philosophy, religion, theory of government, or way of life. Founded by Confucius ...

ideals and doctrines in Korean society, imported and adapted Chinese culture, and promoted classical Korean culture, trade, science, literature, and technology. , the pretender to the Joseon throne is

Yi Seok Yi Seok (; born 3 August 1941) is a South Korean entrepreneur. He is a member of the House of Yi, the royal house of Joseon and Korean Empire. He is the 10th son of Prince Yi Kang, the fifth son of Emperor Gojong, and one of his concubines, L ...

.A Prince Nestled Once More in Korea's Embrace
, ''The New York Times'', May 20, 2006. Members of the different branches of Jeonju Yi survived until the formation of the current Republic of Korea. Many families claim membership in the

, but few actually descend from this lineage. South Korea's first president,

, claims descent from the lineage.

Gyeongju clan

The founder of the

clan was Yi Al-pyeong (), one of the

village head A village head, village headman or village chief is the community leader of a village or a small town. Usage Brunei In Brunei, village head is called or in the Malay language. It is an administrative post which leads the community of a ...

men who chose Park Hyeokgeose as the first King of

. According to the ''

Samguk Sagi ''Samguk sagi'' () is a historical record of the Three Kingdoms of Korea: Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla. Completed in 1145, it is well-known in Korea as the oldest surviving chronicle of Korean history. The ''Samguk sagi'' is written in Classical ...

'', the Yi name was officially bestowed on the family by

King Yuri King Yuri ( 38 BC – 18 AD, r. 19 BC – 18 AD) was the second ruler of Goguryeo, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He was the eldest son of the kingdom's founder Jumong. As with many other early Korean rulers, the events of h ...

around 9 CE. The Gyeongju Yi clan, according to the 2000 South Korean census, numbered over 1.4 million individuals, making it the most numerous of the clans that bear the surname Yi.

Jinwi clan

The Jinwi Lee clan is based on the old names of Jinwi-gun, the current

Gyeonggi Province Gyeonggi Province (, ) is the most populous province in South Korea. Seoul, the nation's largest city and capital, is in the heart of the area but has been separately administered as a provincial-level ''special city'' since 1946. Incheon, ...

Pyeongtaek-si Pyeongtaek (; ) is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Located in the southwestern part of the province, Pyeongtaek was founded as a union of two districts in 1940. It was elevated to city status in 1986 and is home to a South Korean naval b ...

, and Jinwi-myeon. The Jinwi Lee clan involved in political education for the royal family and served as an adviser to the king and teacher to the crown prince for generations of

Goryeo Dynasty Goryeo (; ) was a Korean state founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korea, Korean Peninsula until the establishment of Joseon in 1392. Goryeo achieved what has b ...

. The Jinwi clan is a family that turned out six queens during the Joseon Dynasty. Lee Bang, who served as an adviser to the king and a teacher to the crown prince in the early Goryeo Dynasty, is the founder. Lee Bang's ancestors are the descendant of Lee Geomyeong, an ancestor of Gyeongju Lee Clan.

Pyeongchang clan

The founder of the

Pyeongchang Pyeongchang ( , ; in full, ''Pyeongchang-gun'' ) is a county in the province of Gangwon-do, South Korea, located in the Taebaek Mountains region. It is home to several Buddhist temples, including Woljeongsa. It is about east southeast of Seo ...

clan was Yi Gwang, an official and military commander during the Joseon Dynasty.

Yi Seung-hun Yi Seung-Hun (also Ni-Seoung-Houn and baptized as Peter; 1756 – April 8, 1801) was a Korean Catholic missionary known as one of the first Christians, missionaries and martyrs in Korea. Biography He was born in 1756 in Seoul. His father was ...

, who was the first person that brought Catholicism to Korea, was a member of this clan. This was a ''yangban'' clan, founded somewhere between 1580 and 1607.

Deoksu clan

The founder of this clan was Yi Dong-su, an official of the Goryeo period. This was a prominent ''yangban'' clan during the Joseon Dynasty, producing figures including the legendary admiral

Yi Sun-sin Yi Sun-sin (; ; April 28, 1545 – December 16, 1598) was a Korean admiral and military general known for his victories against the Japanese navy during the Imjin War in the Joseon period. Yi's courtesy name was Yŏhae (여해), and he was po ...

and the highly influential government official and philosopher

Yi I Yi I (; 1536–1584) was a Korean philosopher, writer, and Confucian scholar of the Joseon period. Yi is often referred to by his art name Yulgok ("Chestnut valley"). He was also a politiciantaekwondo forms named in their honor. The clan seat, corresponds to Deoksu-''

hyeon Korea has had administrative districts that can be considered provinces since the 7th century. These divisions were initially called ''ju'' () in Unified Silla and Later Baekje, and there were nine in total. After Goryeo conquered these states in t ...

'', an old division of what is now

Kaepung County Kaep'ung-guyŏk is a district of Kaesong Special city in North Korea. Formerly part of the Kaesong urban area, the county was merged with North Hwanghae when Kaesong was demoted in 2003. However, it was returned to Kaesong Special City in October ...

, North Korea.

Jinbo clan

The Jinbo Yi clan was known for the famous Joseon scholar

Yi Hwang Yi Hwang (; 1501–1570) was a Korean philosopher, writer, and Confucian scholar of the Joseon period. He is considered the most important philosopher of Korea - he is honored by printing his portrait on the 1000 South Korean won banknote, on ...

, who founded the Yeongnam School and started a private

academy. He also became one of the 18 Sages of Korea ().Joseon Annals, September 15, 1604. No. 4 The progenitor of this clan was Yi Seok of the Goryeo Dynasty.

Seongju clan

The founder of this clan was Yi Sun-yu, a prominent official of

late 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 alli ...

. His 12th-generation descendant, Yi Jang-gyeong, was also a prominent official during the Goryeo Dynasty. Eight generations of Jang Kyung's descendants yielded 75 civil examination qualifiers. As of the 2000 census, 186,188 Koreans of the Seongju Yi clan live in South Korea.

Hongju clan

The founder of the Hongju Yi clan was Yi Yu-seong, a member of the King's inner circle during late Goryeo. The clan's ancestral seat was bestowed when his 9th generation descendant, Yi Gi-jong, was titled. Hongyang/Hongju is located in present-day

Hongseong County Hongseong County () is a county in South Korea, and the capital of South Chungcheong Province. The current governor is Lee Yong-log. The original name of the city is ''Hongju''. Symbols * The flag represents the Joyang Gate along with the west c ...

South Chungcheong Province South Chungcheong Province (), informally called Chungnam, is a Administrative divisions of South Korea, province of South Korea in the Hoseo region in the southwest of the Korean Peninsula. South Chungcheong borders the provinces of Gyeonggi to ...

. Especially during the late Goryeo and early Joseon Dynasties, the Hongju Yi clan produced many influential people, including

Yi Jong-jang Yi Jong-jang (; 1544–1592) was a Korean magistrate and military official who fought at the Battle of Chungju during the first of the Japanese Invasions of Korea in 1592. Biography Yi Jong-jang was born in 1544. His family, the Hongju Lee ...

Yeonan clan

The Yeonan Yi clan were aristocrats during the Joseon Dynasty. Several members were Chief State Councillors. The clan also had a high number of Chief Scholars during that period. The progenitor was Yi Mu, who came from

Tang China The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, c=唐朝), or the Tang Empire, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907, with an Wu Zhou, interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed ...

Hansan clan

It is based in Hansan-'' myeon'',

Seocheon County Seocheon County () is a county in Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea. It is famous for its seafood and location near the mouth of the Geum River. Administrative divisions Seocheon county has two major centers, Janghang-eup and Seocheon-eup. Seocheo ...

, South Chungcheong Province. There are two different branches (Hojanggong family and Kwonjigong family). The founder of this clan is Yi Yoon-kyung. One member of the clan is

Yi Saek Yi Saek (, June 17, 1328 – June 17, 1396), also known by his art name Mogŭn (), was a Korean writer and poet. His family belonged to the Hansan Yi clan. Yi Saek played a crucial role in the introduction and localisation of philosophy of Zhu ...

, a Confucian scholar during late Goryeo. He founded an academy that educated the founders of Joseon. The Hansan Yi clan also produced many scholars in the Joseon Dynasty such as

Yi San-hae Yi Sanhae (; 20 July 1539 – 1609) was a Korean politician, scholar, writer and poet of the Joseon period who came from the Hansan Yi clan. He served as the Chief State Councilor of Joseon from 1590 to 1592 and 1600. Yi was a member of the pol ...

. Modern figures belonging to Hansan Yi clan include Yi Sang-jae, an independence activist during the Japanese occupation.

People with the surname

Notes

References

{{Authority control Korean-language surnames Surnames of Korean origin Lee clans it:Lee (cognome) vi:Lý (họ)