Tracing Korean ancestry: jokbo, bon-gwan and family registers explained
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If you have Korean heritage and want to trace your family history, the records and traditions you will meet are quite different from those in Europe or North America. Korean families have long recorded their lineage in genealogy books called jokbo, organised around clans identified by both surname and place of origin. The state's own family records also changed fundamentally in 2008. This guide explains the basics for international readers.
Surname and bon-gwan: why "Kim" is not enough
A small number of surnames, such as Kim, Lee (Yi) and Park, are shared by a large share of the population. On its own, a surname tells you little about which family you belong to. What distinguishes lineages is the bon-gwan (본관), the clan's ancestral seat or place of origin, usually a place associated with the founding ancestor.
For example, the Gimhae Kim and the Gyeongju Kim share a surname but are regarded as different clans, with different founding ancestors. Within a large clan there are also branches, often called pa (파), descended from particular notable ancestors.
Your first step is to find out your family's surname and bon-gwan. Older relatives usually know it, and it is often written on family documents. Without the bon-gwan, finding the right jokbo is very difficult.
A historical footnote: for a long time Korean law prohibited marriage between people sharing both surname and bon-gwan. The Constitutional Court found that provision incompatible with the constitution in 1997, and it no longer applies in that form, but it explains why the bon-gwan mattered so much in daily life.
Jokbo: Korean family genealogy books
A jokbo (족보) is a genealogy compiled by a clan or branch, tracing descent from the founding ancestor. Typical features:
- They are organised by generation, often using generation names, where members of the same generation share a common syllable in their given names.
- Traditionally they were written in Chinese characters (hanja), which can make them hard to read without help.
- From around the mid-Joseon period they increasingly recorded the male line; daughters often appear only briefly or through their husbands' names, if at all.
- Clans revise and republish them from time to time, so several editions may exist.
How to find your jokbo
- Ask family: many families keep a copy, or know a relative who does.
- Contact the clan association (종친회): many clans and branches have associations that maintain the jokbo and may help descendants, including those overseas.
- Libraries: major Korean libraries hold large collections of jokbo; check their catalogues and any online access.
- Get help with hanja: a Korean speaker familiar with classical characters, or a family history group, can help you read entries.
Treat jokbo with the same care as any source. They were compiled for family and social reasons, and some entries, especially for distant ancestors, may reflect tradition rather than documented fact.
Government family registers: hoju to the family relationship register
For more recent generations, government records are the main source.
- Under the old hojeok (호적) system, families were registered as a household under a male head of family (hoju).
- That system was abolished on 1 January 2008, when the Act on the Registration of Family Relationships came into force. It replaced the household register with the family relationship register (가족관계등록부), which records each person individually.
- The old household registers were closed and kept as jejeokbu (제적부, removed or closed registers). Copies of these older records can still be issued and are important for tracing earlier generations.
Certificates from the current system, such as the family relationship certificate and basic certificate, and copies of closed registers, are issued through the courts' electronic family registration system and in person at local offices. Who may request records about another person is restricted, generally to the person themselves and certain close relatives, and the rules and procedures for overseas Koreans and foreign nationals have their own requirements. Check the official electronic family registration service or a Korean consulate for current rules before applying, as details are revised over time.
Practical tips for international readers
- Collect Korean spellings of names in hangul and, if possible, hanja. Romanised spellings vary widely: Lee, Yi, Rhee and Ri can all be the same name.
- Record places in Korean too, as old place names and administrative boundaries have changed.
- Ask relatives about the clan, branch and generation name.
- Be aware that the Korean War and migration disrupted many families, and some records were lost.
- If your family emigrated, look for immigration, naturalisation and church records in the destination country as well.
Are you tracing Korean roots from abroad? Share your clan, your questions or what helped you in the comments.