Korean Surnames
김
金
How it's spelled in English
- Gim(official)
- Kim
Usual hanja
金 — gold, metal
Well-known clans (bongwan)
김해 김씨 · 경주 김씨
A bongwan is the ancestral home of a clan — two Kims from different bongwan are different families.
Population
- 김(金) 10,689,959 people, 21.5% of the population
Statistics Korea, 2015 Population and Housing Census
About it
Korea's most common surname. The character 金 is normally read 금 (gold), but as a surname it's read 김.
Frequently asked questions
How do you spell the Korean surname 김 in English?
The official romanization of 김 (金) is Gim; in everyday use it is written Kim.
What does the Korean surname 김 mean?
The surname 김 is usually written with the character 金, meaning “gold, metal.”
How many people in Korea have the surname 김?
The 2015 Korean census by Statistics Korea counted 10,689,959 people registered as 김(金) (21.5% of the population).
What are the main clans (bon-gwan) of the 김 surname?
Well-known bon-gwan (clan seats) of 김 include 김해 김씨, 경주 김씨.
What should you know about the surname 김 (Kim)?
Korea's most common surname. The character 金 is normally read 금 (gold), but as a surname it's read 김.