Kim (Family Name, Last Name, Surname)

The surname Kim (金) is one of the representative and most widespread family names in East Asia, found across the Chinese cultural sphere including China, Taiwan, and especially the Korean Peninsula. In Korea, Kim is the most common family name—used by approximately 21.51% of the total population. Interestingly, in Seongju-gun and a few surrounding areas in the northern part of Gyeongsangbuk-do, the surname Lee (이) slightly surpasses Kim in prevalence.

According to the 2015 Population and Housing Census, there were about 10,689,959 individuals in Korea with this surname—roughly 10.69 million people—solidly maintaining Kim’s position as the most common surname in the nation.

Origins and Meaning

The Chinese character 金 (Geum, meaning “gold”) represents wealth, brightness, and purity. Historically, families bearing the Kim surname often traced their ancestry to rulers, nobility, or officials in ancient Korean kingdoms such as Silla, where the royal house itself bore the surname Kim. The symbol’s meaning has made it an enduring emblem of prestige and long lineage across East Asia.

The earliest recorded uses of the Kim family name date back to the first millennium CE, with various branches forming in regions such as Gyeongju, Gimhae, and Andong. Over time, these regional clans diversified but continued to share the prestigious 金 character in their family name, reinforcing cultural continuity and ancestral reverence.

Regional Distribution and Clans

Among numerous Kim clans, the Gimhae Kim and Gyeongju Kim are the most historically significant and populous. Both trace their origins to distinguished figures of the Silla Kingdom. The Gimhae Kim clan is said to descend from King Suro, the founder of the ancient Gaya Confederacy, while the Gyeongju Kim lineage descends from King Kim Alji, a semi-legendary ancestor of the Silla royal family.

Today, individuals with the Kim surname are widely distributed throughout Korea and numerous diaspora communities around the world. Despite different regional origins, the shared surname continues to symbolize deep cultural roots and familial identity that transcends geography.