Surname · Korean origin
Lim
Meaning
The surname Lim means Forest (林).
Origin
Korean
Type
clan name
U.S. rank (2010)
#1,170
U.S. bearers (2010)
27,433
How common is it?
Lim ranks #1,170 among U.S. surnames (2010 U.S. Census), recorded for about 27,433 people.
The origin of the surname Lim
Lim is written with the hanja 林, “forest.”
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
- Im
Frequently asked questions
What does the surname Lim mean?
The surname Lim means Forest (林). Lim is written with the hanja 林, “forest.”
Where does the surname Lim come from?
Lim is a surname of Korean origin.
What kind of surname is Lim?
Lim is a clan name surname.
How common is the surname Lim in the United States?
Lim ranks #1,170 among U.S. surnames (2010 U.S. Census), recorded for about 27,433 people.