Mo (모) is an uncommon
Korean surname. It originated from either of two
hanja (
牟 or
毛), which are also used respectively to write the Chinese surnames
Móu or
Máo. The 2000 South Korean census found a total of 19,834 people and 6,110 households with these surnames.[3] The surname is spelled Mo in all standard
methods of romanizing the Korean language. In a study by the
National Institute of the Korean Language based on 2007 application data for
South Korean passports, all the applicants spelled this surname as Mo.[4] The alternative spelling Moh is occasionally seen.
More common lineage
Bori Mo (보리 모; 牟;
lit. "barley"), also called so uneun sori Mo (소 우는 소리 모; 牟;
lit. "the sound that a cow makes"), is the more common of the two hanja used to write the surname Mo. This character was originally used to write a
Chinese surname now pronounced
Móu in Mandarin. In 1960 it was the 92nd-most common surname in South Korea, falling to 93rd by 1985.[1] The 2000 South Korean census found 18,955 people with this family name, and 5,838 households.[3] The surviving bon-gwan (origin of a clan
lineages, not necessarily the current residence of clan members) at that time included:
Jinju, South Gyeongsang: 972 people and 285 households.[3] They are likely a branch of the Hampyeong Mo clan. They claim descent from Mo Sun (모순; 牟恂), an official during the reign of
Taejo of Joseon.[6][7]
Naju, South Jeolla: Two people and zero households.[3]
Other or unknown: 34 people and seven households.[3]
Less common lineage
Teoreok Mo (터럭 모; 毛;
lit. "hair") is the less common of the two hanja used to write the surname Mo. This character was originally used to write a Chinese surname now pronounced
Máo in Mandarin. In 1960 it was the 146th-most common surname in South Korea, falling to 164th by 1985.[2] The 2000 South Korean census found 879 people with this family name, and 272 households.[3] The surviving bon-gwan at that time included:
Gongju, South Chungcheong: 352 people and 114 households.[3] The founding ancestor of the clan is not known.[8]
Gimhae, South Gyeongsang: 101 people and 28 households.[3]
Seosan, South Chungcheong: 91 people and 26 households.[3]
Other or unknown: 26 people and nine households. "Other" includes people listing their bon-gwan as
Jeonju, North Jeolla;
Papyeong, Gyeonggi;
Pyeonghae, North Gyeongsang;
Hamyeol [
ko], North Jeolla; and
Haepyeong [
ko], North Gyeongsang.[3]
People
People with this surname include:
Moh Youn-sook (모윤숙; 毛允淑; 1910–1990), South Korean poet
Mo Myeong-hui (모명희; 牟明姬; born 1963), South Korean sprinter
Mo Ji-soo (모지수; 牟智洙; born 1969), South Korean speed skater
Mo Joong-kyung (모중경; 牟重炅; born 1971), South Korean golfer
Mo Chang-min (모창민; 牟唱民; born 1985), South Korean baseball player
Mo Tae-bum (모태범; 牟太釩; born 1989), South Korean speed skater
^
abcdefghijkl"행정구역(구시군)/성씨·본관별 가구 및 인구" [Family names by administrative region (district, city, county): separated by bon-gwan, households and individuals]. Korean Statistical Information Service. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
^성씨 로마자 표기 방안: 마련을 위한 토론회 [Plan for romanisation of surnames: a preparatory discussion]. National Institute of the Korean Language. 25 June 2009. p. 64. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
^모(牟) [Mo]. Daejeon: Jokbo Museum. Retrieved 1 March 2018. Which cites 김진우 [Kim Jin-u] (2009). 한국인 의 역사 [The History of Koreans]. 春秋筆法 [Chunchu Pilbeop].
OCLC502157619.