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Why do so many Koreans share the same Surename?

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Why do so many Koreans share the same Surename?

As a Korean, I will answer using my historical knowledge to the best of my knowledge.

.

.

Western and asian countries, both sides, the wealthy aristocrats/royalty only had last names, while the poor/working class didn’t.

When the aristocrats dissolved as industry revolution came, people started taking last names (jobs for the westerners (as an example), last name of their owner’s etc in Korea’s case).

That’s why prestigious families have a well known family tree book called Jok-bo in Korea, which states your name from your ancestor.

My family has one of those as well, so if they say they are from the Lee or Kim family, they would as which city (equivalent to clan back in the day for the white folk), and who their first ancestor be (Royalty, it would be Prince X etc).

And if someone claims they’re Prince X’s decendent and doesn’t have their record in the family tree archives, it would typically mean either they’re faking it, or they bought a false one to make it look like they’re from that family clan

Typically a peasant or some no-family history wealthy merchant during Japanese-colony, end of Chosun period would purchase such family tree books to be made into that family.

source: https://www.threads.com/@cailinkeenaghan/post/DOXXgaWExnc?hl=ko

During the Goryeo (918-1392) and Joseon (1392-1910) eras, commoners gained the opportunity to acquire surnames, particularly after devastating wars or when governments needed to raise funds by selling official positions and aristocratic status.

Adopting Prestigious Names:

Because of social consciousness and the desire to connect with high status, many commoners adopted the surnames of the royal families and noble clans, such as Kim, Lee, and Park.

The result is a small number of surnames, with a few names like Kim, Lee, and Park, used by over half of the Korean population.

Surnames of the ruling class of the Korean Peninsula 1,500 years ago

Goguryeo Royal Surname – Go

Baekje Royal Surname – Buyeo

Silla Royal Surname – Park / Kim / Seok (three ruling families)

Geumgwan Gaya Royal Surname – Kim / Heo (Gaya: a confederation of six small states)

Surnames given by King Yuri, the third king of Silla, to the leaders of six villages

(These six village leaders were descendants of Gojoseon)

Son / Seol / Bae / Jeong / Choi / Lee

Finally,

these are the names of commoners engraved on steles erected during the Silla period. They comprised the majority of the population. Surnames were not used. 1,500 years ago, only given names were used.

(Only the royal family, which comprised less than 0.1% of the population, and a very small number of nobles, had surnames.)

The names of commoners who lived on the Korean Peninsula 1,500 years ago.

503 AD

During the reign of the 22nd king of Silla

(They wrote down issues regarding property disputes and inheritance on stone monuments)

Jolgeori

Asano

Sano

Malchu

Sasinji

501 AD

During the reign of the 22nd king of Silla

Modanbol

551 AD

During the reign of the 24th king of Silla

Yaicha (Goguryeo residents)

Badoru

Dogi

Oryehye

Dodugi

Mulgiji

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