Yoo (Korean surname)
Yu (also spelled Yoo or You, or sometimes Ryu or Ryoo) is the English transcription of several Korean surnames written as 유 or 류 in Hangul. Some of the family names written as Yoo are derived from the Chinese surnames 劉 or 柳 (Liu) and 兪 (Yu). As of 2000, roughly a million people are surnamed Yoo in South Korea, making up approximately 2% of the population. Of those, the most common is Ryu (Hanja:柳, Hangul:류),[1] with more than six hundred thousand holders, whereas Yu (Hanja:兪, Hangul:유) accounts for about one hundred thousand.
| Yu or Ryu | |
| Hangul | 유 or 류 |
|---|---|
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Yu or Ryu |
| McCune–Reischauer | Yu or Ryu |
The family name Yoo can be represented by any of the four Hanja: 柳(류), 劉, 兪 and 庾, each with a different meaning. In Korean, only the character 柳 specifically refers to 류 (Ryu) or 유 (Yoo), whereas the characters 劉, 兪 and 庾 refers to 유 (Yu) and is spelled as such; because of its First Initial Sound Rule (두음 법칙).
Notable 柳 (Ryu) clans include the Munhwa Ryu clan and the Pungsan Ryoo.
History
According to Chinese legend, Yoo is an ancient Chinese surname. The ancestors of the surname were closely linked with the ancient sage-king named Yu Shun. In Korea, the Yoo lineage traces to the Xia, Han, and Joseon dynasties. Holders of the surname Yu or Yoo had a reputation for charity and diligence. Some sources indicate the existence of as many as 230 clans, but only about twenty have been be positively documented, several of Chinese origin.
The largest Ryu clan, the Munhwa Ryu, was founded by a man named Ch’a Tal. Ch’a's fifth great-grandfather had been involved in an attempt to overthrow the Silla king. To avoid prosecution, the ancestor fled to Munhwa and changed his surname, first to that of his maternal grandmother, Yang, and then to Ryoo. Many years later, Ch’a Tal assisted Wang Kŏn to establish the Koryŏ Kingdom. Ch’a was recognized for his support and was rewarded accordingly. However, the historic claims that the Ch'a clans are derived from the same progenitor as Ryu Ch'a-dal have been disproven. The Munhwa Ryoo clan, along with the Andong Kwŏn clan, possess one of Korea's oldest clan genealogies. Only the character 柳 is commonly pronounced Ryu or Ryoo (류). (See Munhwa Ryoo) The surname "Ryoo" comes from the character meaning willow tree. Hence, the lineage is also sometimes called "willow Ryoo" (버들 류씨).
Notable individuals
Historic
- Ryu Cha-dal (b. circa 880)
- Ryu Seong-won (d. 1456), one of the Six martyred ministers during the Joseon period.
- Yu Eung-bu (d. 1456), of the Gigye Yoo clan originally from Pohang, one of the Six martyred ministers during the Joseon period.
- Ryu Seong-ryong (1542–1607). Well known for his JingBiRok.
- Yu Hyeong-won (1622–1673). He was an early silhak scholar.
- Yu Deuk-gong (1749–1807), historian about Balhae.
- Yu Kil-chun ((1856–1914), of the Gigye Yoo clan originally from Pohang. Independence activist.
- Il-han New (유일한, 1895–1971). Independence activist.
- Ryu Gwan-sun (1902–1920). She was a Korean independence activist.
Modern
- Yoo Ah-in (stage name), an actor
- Yu Anjin, Korean poet
- Yoo Ara, an actress and singer, former leader of Hello Venus
- Yoo Chae-yeong (stage name), an actress and singer
- Yoo Chang-hyun (better known as Ricky), a member of Teen Top
- Yoo Dong-geun, an actor
- Yoo Dongju, member of South Korean girl group Neon Punch
- Yoo Hae-jin, an actor
- Yoo Ho-jeong, an actress
- Yoo Hyun-young (better known as Hyun Young), an actress
- Yoo Hwe-seung, member of the South Korean group N.Flying
- Yoo In-na, an actress
- Yoo In-young, an actress
- Yoo Jae-ha, South Korean singer-songwriter
- Yoo Jae-suk, a TV presenter, Host of Running Man, Happy Together and Host-in-chief of Infinite Challenge
- Yoo Jeong-ahn (better known as Daisy), a singer and former member of Momoland
- Yoo Jeong-yeon (better known as Jeong-yeon), of the Gigye Yoo clan originally from Pohang, a singer and Twice (band) member
- Yoo Ji-ae (better known as Jiae), a singer, a member of Lovelyz
- Yoo Ji-tae, an actor and director
- Yoo Jun-sang, an actor
- Yoo Kang-min, member of South Korean boy group VERIVERY
- Yoo Ki-hyun, South Korean singer, member of Monsta X (몬스타엑스)
- Yoo Min-hyeon (born 1994), South Korean curler
- Yoo Myung-hee (born 1967), South Korean trade minister
- Yoo Taeyang, South Korean Idol, member of SF9
- Yoo Sang-Chul, a soccer player
- Yoo Seung-ho, of the Gigye Yoo clan originally from Pohang, an actor
- Yoo Seung-yeon (better known as Gong Seung-yeon), of the Gigye Yoo clan originally from Pohang, an actress
- Yoo Seung-woo, singer-songwriter and guitarist
- Yoo Nam-kyu, table tennis player
- Ryu Han-na, table tennis player
- Yoo Si-ah (better known as YooA), a member of girl group Oh My Girl
- Yoo Soo-Young (also known as "Shoo"), a singer and actress
- Yoo So-young (stage name), an actress and former After School member
- Yoo Yeon-jung, of the Gigye Yoo clan originally from Pohang, member of South Korean girl groups I.O.I and Cosmic Girls
- Yoo Yeon-seok (stage name), an actor
- Yoo Yeon-soo (better known as Ha Yeon-soo), an actress
- Yoo Yong-sung, a badminton player
- Yoo Yong-ha, leader of South Korean boy band 1THE9
- Yoo Young-chul, South Korean serial killer, rapist, and cannibal
- Yoo Young-ho, sculptor
- Yoo Young-jae, a member of South Korean band B.A.P
- Yoo Hee-do, rapper, a member of South Korean band B.I.G
- Yoo Young-jin, songwriter
- You Hee-yeol, singer-songwriter
- Yu In-chon, actor and politician
- Ryoo Ryong, a scientist
- Ryoo Seung-bum, an actor
- Ryoo Seung-wan, a director
- Ryu Deok-hwan, an actor
- Ryu Hwayoung, an actress and former member of T-ARA
- Ryu Hyoyoung, an actress and former member of F-ve Dolls
- Ryu Hye-young, an actress
- Hyun-Jin Ryu, South Korean baseball player
- Ryu Hyun-kyung, an actress
- Ryu Jun-yeol, actor
- Ryu Sera, singer, former member of Nine Muses
- Ryu Seung-Min, professional table tennis player
- Ryu Seung-ryong, actor
- Ryu Seung-soo, an actor and writer
- Ryu Seung-Woo, soccer player
- Ryu Shikun, professional Go player
- Ryu Si-won, actor and singer
- Ryu So-yeon, professional golfer
- Ryu Soo-young (stage name), actor
- Ryu Su-jeong (better known as Sujeong), a singer, member of Lovelyz
- Yoo Eun-chong, a table tennis player
- Ryu Jin (stage name), actor
- Rhyu Si-min, a politician, 2007 presidential candidate of the UNDP Primary
- Jae Kuk Ryu, a professional baseball pitcher for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
- Aaron Yoo, Korean-American actor
- Amalia Yoo, American actress
- Barom "Rome" Yu, Korean-Australian member of South Korean band C-Clown
- Christopher Yoo, professor of Law, Communication, and Computer and Information Science at the University of Pennsylvania Law School
- John Yoo, a professor of law at the University of California, Berkeley, best known for his work from 2001 to 2003 in the U.S. Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel
- Yoo Gun Hyung, songwriter who co-wrote "Gangnam Style"
- Naul (singer), Korean Singer. His surname is Yoo.
- Scott Yoo, American conductor and violinist
See also
References
- rank 19th with 603,084 people, KOSTAT(Korea National Statistical Office), 2000.