Explore the Family Name Ko
The meaning of Ko
1. Chinese: alternative Mandarin form of the surname 柯, see Ke 1. 2. Chinese: variant Mandarin Romanization of the surname 葛, see Ge 1. 3. Chinese: Cantonese form and alternative Mandarin Romanization of the surname 戈, see Ge 2. 4. Chinese: Cantonese form of the surnames 高 and 郜, see Gao 1 and 2. 5. Chinese: variant Mandarin Romanization of the surnames 郭, 國, and 過, see Guo 1–3. 6. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 許, possibly based on their Teochew, Hokkien, or Taiwanese pronunciation. See Xu 2. 7. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surnames 古, 顧, and 辜. See Gu 1–3. 8. Korean: written 고, in Chinese characters 高, meaning ‘high’. This is the only Chinese character for the surname Ko. There are ten different Ko clans, but they are all descended from the Ko clan of Cheju Island. There is no historical information regarding the founder of this clan, but there is a legend which tells of three men who appeared from a cave on the north side of Cheju Island’s Halla Mountain. These three men were the founders of the Yang clan, the Pu clan, and the Ko clan, the latter being named Ko Ŭl-la (高 乙那). Some days after the three men emerged from the cave, a box was washed up on the shore of the island. In the box were three women, horses, cows, and agricultural seed. From these beginnings, the three established Cheju Island’s T’amnaguk kingdom and ruled peacefully. Ko is a common surname found throughout the Korean peninsula. Approximately 10 percent of Cheju Island’s present-day population consists of members of the Ko family. Compare Goe 1. 9. Burmese: from a form of address for a young man, akin to English ‘mister’, used as part of the male name proper; its literal meaning is ‘elder brother’. See also Koko. — Note: Since Burmese do not have hereditary surnames, this name was registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US. 10. Hungarian (Kő): from kő ‘stone’, a word from the ancient Finno-Ugric word stock of Hungarian (cognate with Finnish kivi, Estonian kivi), hence a topographic name for someone who lived on stony ground or by a notable outcrop of rock, or alternatively a metonymic occupational name for a mason or stonecutter. Some characteristic forenames: Chinese Young, Kwang, Yong, Sung, Jae, Eun, Hyun, Myung, Jung, Kyong, Sang, Wing. Korean Chang, Chong, Chung, Byung, Byung Soo, Hak, Jeong, Kwang Soo, Min, Myong, Pak, Sinae.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Ko in the United States?
According to data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname "Ko" has seen a significant increase in the United States. In 2000, it was ranked as the 3,152nd most common surname, but by 2010 it had risen to 2,708th, marking an impressive 14.09% rise. The census also reported that the number of individuals with the Ko surname increased by nearly 27%, growing from 10,483 in 2000 to 13,312 in 2010. This led to an increase in the proportion per 100,000 people from 3.89 to 4.51.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,152 | #2,708 | 14.09% |
| Count | 10,483 | 13,312 | 26.99% |
| Proportion per 100k | 3.89 | 4.51 | 15.94% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Ko
As per the ethnic identities associated with the surname Ko, the Decennial U.S. Census data suggests that it is predominantly tied to individuals of Asian or Pacific Islander descent. In both 2000 and 2010, over 93% of those carrying the Ko surname identified as Asian or Pacific Islander, with a slight increase of 0.1% over the decade. Other ethnicities associated with the surname include people identifying as two or more races (increased by 1.26%), white (decreased by 7.72%), and Hispanic (increased by 11.84%). Notably, no individuals with the Ko surname identified as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native in 2010, unlike in 2000 when each of these groups made up 0.10% of the Ko population.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 93.54% | 93.63% | 0.1% |
| White | 3.11% | 2.87% | -7.72% |
| Two or More Races | 2.38% | 2.41% | 1.26% |
| Hispanic | 0.76% | 0.85% | 11.84% |
| Black | 0.1% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.1% | 0% | 0% |
Ko ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Ko is Chinese, which comprises 44.6% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Korean (34.9%) and Eastern European (3.7%). Additional ancestries include Chinese Dai, British & Irish, Filipino & Austronesian, French & German, and Japanese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 44.6% |
| Korean | 34.9% |
| Eastern European | 3.7% |
| Other | 16.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Ko
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Ko have recent ancestry locations in China and South Korea.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Guangdong, China | 43.00% |
| Fujian, China | 41.40% |
| Shanghai, China | 41.40% |
| Shandong, China | 41.10% |
| Jiangsu, China | 41.10% |
What Ko haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Ko is O-F11, which is predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Haplogroup O-F11 is descended from haplogroup O-M1359. Other common haplogroups include N-L665 and O-CTS723, which are predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American and East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Song, He, Chang, Yu, Du, Xie, Jiang, Cao, Lai, Chung.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Ko surname are: H, D4, M7b. These most commonly trace back to individuals of East Asian & Indigenous American and European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins O-M1359
Your paternal lineage may be linked to many of the Massim groups of Papua New Guinea
Haplogroup O2a is prevalent among Massim ethnic groups, including the populations of Airara, Nomanby, the eastern tip of the mainland, the Trobriand Islands, Gawa, Woodlark, the Laughland Islands, and western Calvados. While Papua New Guinea has been inhabited for over 50,000 years, the Massim may have arrived in the last 2,000 years. Today, these populations remain connected through a traditional island trading system called the Kula Ring. Under this exchange system, residents ensure that goods that are only available on some islands, but that are vitally needed in other islands, are shared among the island populations. Only Massim men participate in the Kula exchange system, and it is common for men to be away from home for months at a time when trading with men from other islands.
Your maternal lineage may be linked to the Han
Members of haplogroup D are found in both northern and southern Han Chinese populations at low to moderate frequencies. The Han people, who all share the same language and similar cultural practices, are the largest ethnic group in the world, with about 1.2 billion people. Historical evidence shows that Han people are descendants of the ancient Huaxia tribes that come from northern China, and Han language and culture only expanded into southern China in the last 2,000 years. The spread of Han people and culture from northern to southern China was likely driven by warfare and famine in the north.
What do people with the surname Ko have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Ko" Surname 31.2%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Ko" Surname 15.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Ko" Surname 19.3%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Ko" Surname 10.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Ko?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Ko are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition