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

Namkoong, 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 Namkoong surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Namkoong in America

Namkoong is the 93125th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Namkoong surname appeared 197 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 Namkoong.

We can also compare 2010 data for Namkoong to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Namkoong

The surname NAMKOONG has its origins in Korea, and is believed to have been derived from the name of a town or village located in the Gyeongsang province in the southeastern part of the Korean peninsula. The name is thought to date back to the Goryeo dynasty, which ruled over Korea from 918 to 1392 AD.

While the exact meaning of the name NAMKOONG is not entirely clear, some scholars suggest that it may have been derived from the Korean words "nam" meaning south, and "koong" meaning either a wide or open space, or possibly a fortress or stronghold. This could indicate that the name may have originated from a town or village located in a southern region or surrounded by open fields or fortifications.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the NAMKOONG name can be found in the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, a historical record that documents the reign of the Korean kings from 1392 to 1897. These annals mention several individuals bearing the NAMKOONG surname, though exact dates and details are not always provided.

In more recent history, some notable figures with the NAMKOONG surname include:

1. NAMKOONG Jin (1899-1976), a Korean politician and diplomat who served as the first Ambassador of South Korea to the United States from 1949 to 1951.

2. NAMKOONG Eun (1923-1988), a renowned Korean novelist and playwright known for works such as "A Blazing Sun" and "The Scent of Ink."

3. NAMKOONG Young (1935-2015), a South Korean film director and screenwriter whose notable works include "The Flames of Desire" and "The Chaser."

4. NAMKOONG Min (born 1957), a South Korean actor best known for his roles in popular television dramas like "Dae Jang Geum" and "The Fugitive: Plan B."

5. NAMKOONG Yeon (born 1981), a South Korean singer and member of the popular K-pop group SHINee.

While the NAMKOONG surname may not be as widely recognized outside of Korea, it has a rich history and heritage deeply rooted in the culture and traditions of the Korean people.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Namkoong

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

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 Namkoong 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.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Namkoong has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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 Namkoong was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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