Choi is a common Korean family name. In English speaking countries, it is most often anglicized Choi, and sometimes also Choe. Ethnic Koreans in the former USSR prefer the form Tsoi (Tsoy) especially as a transcription of the Cyrillic Цой.
According to Samguk Sagi, the Gyeongju clan originates from chief Sobeoldori (소벌도리, 蘇伐都利) of Goheochon (고허촌, 高墟村), one of six villages that united to found Silla; The Gyeongju clan traces their origin back to Choi Chiwon (857–10th century), a noted Korean scholar, philosopher, and poet of the late Unified Silla period (668–935).The Haeju clan is an offshoot of the Gyeongju clan; one theory of origin suggests that Haeju clan's progenitor Choi Choong (최충, 崔沖, 984–1068) was given the surname 崔 during the reign of Goryeo king Mokjong.The progenitor of the Chungju clan is General Choi Seung (최승, 崔陞), also known as Choi Woo (최우, 崔偶), of Silla (known as Cui Sheng in Tang Dynasty)The progenitor of the Nangju clan is Choi Heun (최흔, 崔昕) of Silla who was a native of Yeongam (Nangju) of the southern Jeolla region.Choi Ri (최리, 崔理) was the leader of the Lelang Commandery of the Han Dynasty.There are roughly 160 clans of Chois. Most of these are quite small. However, Choi is the 4th most common surname in Korea. The largest by far is the Gyeongju Choi clan, with a 2000 South Korean population of 976,820. The Gyeongju Choe claim the Silla scholar Choe Chi-won as their founder.
Gyeongju clan - Choe ChiwonJeonju clan - Choe BuDongju clanHaeju clanSaknyeong clan - Choe Hang, Choi Byung Ju (founding member modern era Korean Supreme Court)Gangneung clanHwasun clanGanghwa clanYeongcheon clanTamjin clanUbong clan - Choe HangSuwaon clanYeongheung clanSuseong clanChungju clanGoesan clan - Choe SejinHeunghae clanYeongam clanChoi (Hangul: 최) is written with the Hanja character 崔, meaning "a governor who oversees the land and the mountain". The surname Choi also means mountain or pinnacle.
Choi (崔), originally written in Hanja, is derived from the combination of 2 ancient Chinese characters:
山 is a pictogram symbolizing the mountains;隹 is a pictogram symbolizing a bird.In Korean, 최 is usually pronounced [tɕʰwe] except by some older speakers who pronounce it [tɕʰø] (this vowel sound is similar to the German ö [ø]). In English, it is most often pronounced /ˈtʃɔɪ/ "Choy".
崔 is Romanized as Cuī and pronounced [tsʰwéi] in Mandarin Chinese. It is Cheuī [tsʰɵ́y] in Cantonese and Chhui [tsʰuí] in Hokkien.
Anita Tsoi (Choi Hae-soo), Russian pop singer, wife of Sergey TsoyAshley Choi (Choi Bi-na, Stage name: Ashley), member and leader of South Korean girl group Ladies' CodeChoi Cheol-han, South Korean professional Go playerChoi Chol-su, North Korean boxerChoe Chung-heon, military dictator of the Goryeo periodDan Choi, American LGBT rights activist and former American officerDavid Choi, Korean-American singer popular in YouTubeChoi Dong-wook, stage name Se7en, South Korean singerChoi Eun-hee, South Korean actress once abducted to the NorthChoi Eun-kyung, South Korean speedskaterChoi Eun-kyung, South Korean field hockey playerChoi Gee-sung, high-ranking Samsung executiveGina Choi, stage name G.NA, Korean-Canadian K-pop singerChoi Han, South Korean voice actorChoi Han-bit, South Korean modelHansol Vernon Choi, rapper of South Korean boy group Seventeen (band)Choi Hee-seop, a South Korean baseball playerChoi Hong Hi, South Korean general considered the principal founder of taekwondoChoi Hong-man, South Korean kickboxerChoi Hwee-sung, stage name Wheesung, South Korean singerJay Pil Choi, American economistJennifer Choi, American violinistJenny Choi, American singer and cellistChoi Ji-woo, South Korean actressChoi Jin-cheul, K-League footballerChoi Jin-ri, stage name Sulli, actress and former member of South Korean girl group f(x)Choi Jin-sil (1968–2008), South Korean actress, nicknamed "The Nation's Actress"Choi Jong-hoon, member of South Korean rock band F.T. IslandChoe Jun (1884–1970), businessman and philanthropistChoi Jun-hong, stage name Zelo, member of South Korean boy band B.A.PChoi Jung-won, South Korean actressChoi Jung-won, South Korean singerChoi Jung-won, South Korean speed skaterChoi Jung-yoon, South Korean actressKenneth Choi, American actorChoi Kwang Jo Creator of Choi Kwang DoChoi Kyoung-hwan, South Korean politicianK. J. Choi (Choi Kyung-ju), professional golferChoi Kyu-hah (1919–2006), transitional President of South Korea following the assassination of Park Chung-heeChoe Manri, an early critic of hangulChoi Minho, member of South Korean boy band SHINeeChoi Min-hwan, drummer and member of South Korean band F.T. IslandChoi Minki, stage name Ren, member of South Korean boy band NU'ESTChoi Min-sik, South Korean actorChoe Mu-seon, 14th-century Korean inventorChoe Myong-ho, North Korean football playerChoi Myung-hoon, South Korean professional Go playerChoe Nam-seon (1890–1957), Korean historian and independence activistChoi Na-yeon, South Korean female professional golferChoi Sang-ki, South Korean voice actorChoe Sejin, 15th-century linguistChoi Seong-woo, South Korean voice actorSergey Tsoy (Choi Yong-eun), Russian politicianChoi Seung-hyun, stage name T.O.P, actor and member of South Korean boy band Big BangChoi Seung-cheol, stage name S.Coups, leader and rapper of South Korean boy group Seventeen (band)Choi Siwon, actor and member of South Korean boy band Super JuniorChoi Soo-jin, South Korean voice actressChoi Sooyoung, actress and member of South Korean girl group Girls' GenerationChoi Sook-bin (1670–1718), concubine of Sukjong and mother of Yeongjo of JoseonSteven Choi, American politicianChoe Sung-chol, former vice chairman of the DPRK Asia-Pacific Peace Committee; as of 2008, he was purged and is undergoing “severe” communist training at a North Korean chicken farmChoi Sungmin, member of South Korean boy band SpeedChoi Sung-hee, stage name Bada, singer and musical theatre actressChoi Sung-kuk, K-League footballerChoi Sung-yong, K-League footballerSusan Choi, American novelistChoi Tae-uk, J-League footballerChoe U (d. 1249), military dictator of the Goryeo periodViсtor Tsoi, Soviet rock musician, leader of rock band KinoChoi Won-hyeong, South Korean voice actorChoi Won-jong, Korean international archerChoi Won-kwon, K-league footballerChoi Woo-hyuk, South Korean actorChoi Woo-hyuk, South Korean actorChoi Woo-shik, South Korean actorChoi Yang-il, a.k.a. Yoichi Sai, Japanese film directorChoi Yeon-sung, professional StarCraft playerChoe Yeong (1316–1388), a.k.a. Choi Young, military general under King Gongmin of GoryeoChoe Yeong-ui, founder of Kyokushin karate, better known as Masutatsu OyamaChoi Ye-won, stage name Arin, member of South Korean girl group Oh My GirlChoi Yong-kun (1903-1972), high-ranking North Korean officialChoi Yong-soo, J-League footballerChoi Yong-soo, South Korean boxerChoi Yong-sool, founder of hapkidoChoi Young-jae, or Youngjae, member of South Korean boy group Got7Choi Yoojin, member of South Korean girl group CLCChoi Yuna, stage name Yuju, member of the South Korean girl group GFriendChoi Yun-kyum, football coachCui (Choi) Jian, Chinese rock musicianChoi Song, Hawaii Marketer 
