Familiennamen in Korea

Abstract

In the system of names in Korea, family names have started to be in use since the era of Three Kingdoms. Koguryo was the first Kingdom to use family names around A.D. 1st century, followed by Paekche and Shilla which started to use them from A.D. 4th and 5th century. The number of family names used in those days were approximately 20 to 30 (Ko, Yo, Lee, etc), and the use was mainly limited to the royal family. As interaction with China had become closer, family names widely spread to the upper class such as the aristocracy, scholars and students studying in China. In the Koryo dynasty, the classical examination system for the Government service, Kwa-go, was introduced for which only persons who have family names could apply. During the Japanese occupation, which fol1owed the Modemization Period of the late 19th century, a national register was created in which a citizen's first name and family name were recorded in Chinese characters, and passed on until the present.