Surname · Korean origin
Kang
Meaning
The surname Kang means Ginger (姜).
Origin
Korean
Type
clan name
U.S. rank (2010)
#1,380
U.S. bearers (2010)
23,565
How common is it?
Kang ranks #1,380 among U.S. surnames (2010 U.S. Census), recorded for about 23,565 people.
The origin of the surname Kang
Kang is written with the hanja 姜, one of the oldest Chinese surnames.
How Korean surnames work
Korean surnames are few in number but shared by huge populations — Kim, Lee (Yi) and Park alone account for a large share of all Koreans. Each is written with a hanja (a Chinese-origin character) and is tied to a clan or lineage identified by an ancestral seat (bongwan). The surname comes first, before the given name, and Korean women traditionally keep their own surname after marriage.
Variants & spellings
- Gang
Frequently asked questions
What does the surname Kang mean?
The surname Kang means Ginger (姜). Kang is written with the hanja 姜, one of the oldest Chinese surnames.
Where does the surname Kang come from?
Kang is a surname of Korean origin.
What kind of surname is Kang?
Kang is a clan name surname.
How common is the surname Kang in the United States?
Kang ranks #1,380 among U.S. surnames (2010 U.S. Census), recorded for about 23,565 people.