Kim (Korean surname) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kim |
|
|---|---|
| Meaning | Gold, iron |
| Region of origin | Korea |
| Language of origin | Korean |
| Popularity | Behind the Name |
| Wikipedia articles | All pages beginning with Kim |
| Kim | |
| Hangul | |
|---|---|
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Gim |
| McCune–Reischauer | Kim |
Kim or Gim (김) is the most common family name in Korea. Imagine that over 10 million people in South Korea had this name in 2015! That's more than 20% of everyone in the country. It's like having a super popular last name that many, many people share. The Kim family is also the current ruling family in North Korea. This means members of the Kim family hold the highest positions of power in that country.
Contents
What is the Kim Family Name?
The name Kim is a surname, which is another word for a family name or last name. It's the name you share with your parents, grandparents, and other relatives. In Korea, surnames are very important and often tell you about a person's family history.
Why is Kim So Common?
The Kim surname has a long and interesting history. Many centuries ago, during ancient Korean kingdoms, the name Kim was often given to people who were part of royal families or important clans. Over time, as these families grew and spread, so did the name.
Many different "Kim" families exist, each with its own unique history and origin. These are called bon-gwan or "clans." For example, there's the Gyeongju Kim clan, the Gimhae Kim clan, and many others. Even though they all share the name Kim, they come from different founding ancestors and different regions of Korea.
What Does Kim Mean?
The Korean word "Kim" (김) comes from a Chinese character (金). This character can mean "gold" or "iron." So, the name Kim has a strong and valuable meaning, connecting it to precious metals.
Kim in North Korea
In North Korea, the Kim family has been in charge for a long time. This means that the leaders of North Korea have always come from the Kim family. This system is called a dynasty, where power is passed down from one family member to the next.
Different Ways to Write Kim
You might see the name written as "Kim" or "Gim." Both are correct ways to write the Korean name 김 in English. "Kim" is the more traditional and widely known way, while "Gim" is based on a newer system for writing Korean sounds called the Revised Romanization of Korean.
Images for kids
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Distribution of ancestral lines of the Kim surname. (1988)
See also
In Spanish: Kim (apellido) para niños
