Hangul 홍 Revised Romanization Hong | Hanja 洪 McCune–Reischauer Hong | |
Hong is the common English spelling of 홍, in Korean and Chinese it means "wide" or "big".
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Clans
As with all Korean family names, the holders of the Hong surname are divided into different patrilineal clans, or lineages, based on their ancestral seat. Most such clans trace their lineage back to a specific founder. This system was at its height under the yangban aristocracy of the Joseon Dynasty, but it remains in use today. There are approximately 241 such clans claimed by South Koreans. Historically, there had been 10 clans known but currently there are four clans remained. Hong clan is composed including Namyang, Pungsan, Bugye and Hongju clan.
Namyang clan
The biggest clan is Namyang clan (Hangul: 남양 홍씨; Hanja: 南陽 洪氏; RR: Namyang Hongssi) whose founder was Hong Eun-yeol in Goryeo Dynasty. Another founder in this clan was Hong Seon-haeng. Thus, the Namyang Hong clan is unique among Korean surnames in that it includes two separate unrelated family lines. The former, named "Tang Hong" because it claims to have descended from the Chinese who took refuge in Korea following the fall of Tang Dynasty, consists of 80 percent of the clan.
Pungsan clan
All ancestry of Andong's Pungsan Hong (Hangul: 풍산 홍씨; Hanja: 豊山 洪氏; RR: Pungsan Hongssi) may be traced to the Goryeo dynasty's Hong Ji-gyeong later known as a great master of Korean classical verse in the Joseon Dynasty. The Pungsan Hong were known as yangban among yangbans. Hong Jin was a direct descendant of Hong Ji-gyeong.
List
Famous Koreans with this family name: