Find out how popular the last name Byeon is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Byeon.

Byeon, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Byeon surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Byeon in America

Byeon is the 123064th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Byeon surname appeared 140 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Byeon.

The history of the last name Byeon

The surname BYEON has its origins in Korea, tracing back to the 7th century during the Three Kingdoms period. It is derived from the Old Korean word "byeon," which means "to be on the other side" or "to cross over." This name was likely given to families who lived near borders or mountain passes, signifying their role as guardians or guides for those traversing these areas.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the BYEON name can be found in the Samguk Sagi, a historical record of the Three Kingdoms period compiled in 1145 by the scholar Kim Busik. This text mentions a BYEON clan that held significant influence in the Silla Kingdom, particularly in the region around present-day Gyeongju.

During the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392), the BYEON family continued to hold prominence, with several members serving as high-ranking officials and military commanders. BYEON Hui (1020-1087) was a renowned scholar-official who played a crucial role in the establishment of the Goryeo civil service examination system.

In the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897), the BYEON lineage produced numerous notable figures, including BYEON Gye-ryang (1530-1604), a revered Confucian scholar and calligrapher. His works are preserved in the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty and are regarded as masterpieces of Korean calligraphy.

Another prominent BYEON was BYEON Sun-bae (1737-1801), a celebrated painter and scholar of the late Joseon period. His paintings, which often depicted landscapes and natural scenes, are highly regarded for their delicate brushwork and mastery of composition.

BYEON Hee-jeong (1809-1863) was a respected scholar and educator who played a significant role in the late Joseon era's intellectual and cultural renaissance. He established several private academies and advocated for the study of practical sciences alongside traditional Confucian teachings.

During the Korean Empire (1897-1910), BYEON Yeong-hu (1861-1920) was a prominent political figure and reformist who advocated for modernization and the adoption of Western technologies and systems. He served as the Minister of Education and played a crucial role in establishing Korea's first modern educational institutions.

These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals who have carried the BYEON surname throughout Korean history, reflecting the lineage's enduring legacy and contributions to various fields, from scholarship and the arts to politics and education.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Byeon

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Byeon.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Byeon was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Byeon was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Byeon, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!