Distribution of Korean Family Names

TL;DR

This study analyzes the distribution and growth patterns of Korean family names, considering regional origins, and compares these patterns with those in other countries, revealing that smaller families tend to grow faster.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of Korean family name distribution including regional origins and challenges previous assumptions about family growth rates.

Findings

Family name distribution varies with regional origins.

Smaller families exhibit higher growth rates.

Compared Korean data with other countries' family name patterns.

Abstract

The family name distribution in Korea is investigated in comparison with previous studies in other countries. In Korea, both the family name and its birthplace, where the ancestor of the family originated, are commonly used to distinguish one family name from the others. The family name distributions with and without the information of the regional origins are analyzed by using different data sets of various sizes, and compared with previous studies performed in other countries. The growth rate of the family is empirically obtained. Contrary to commonly used assumptions, the growth rate is found to be higher for the smaller family.