Kang (Korean surname)

All together, the holders of this name number are 1,176,847 in South Korea, according to the 2015 national census, ranking 6th largest Korean family name.

[1] While the name "Kang" can actually represent 5 different hanja, or Chinese characters, the great majority (more than 1 million) bear the surname 姜.

The majority belong to the Jinju Kang clan (ko) (진주 강씨; 晉州 姜氏) is said to be descended from Goguryeo commander Kang I-sik.

The Geumcheon Kang clan (ko) (금천 강씨; 衿川 姜氏) is descended from an ancestor whose ancestral seat was Geumcheon, now part of Seoul.

The Sincheon Kang clan is further subdivided into Goksan (ko) (곡산 강씨; 谷山 康氏) and Jaeryeong (재령 강씨; 載寧 康氏).