Explore the Family Name Kwon
The meaning of Kwon
1. Korean (Kwŏn): written 권, in Chinese characters 權, meaning ‘authority’. This is the only Chinese character for the surname Kwŏn. Some sources list as many as 56 clans, but only two are documented. One of these, the Andong Kwŏn clan, was founded by a Shilla aristocrat named Kim Shin who helped Wang Kŏn, the founder of the Koryŏ kingdom, establish himself as ruler in 918. The new king bestowed upon Kim Shin a new surname: Kwŏn, meaning ‘authority’. The Andong Kwŏn clan has one of the oldest extant printed genealogies in Korea. The Yech’ŏn Kwŏn clan’s original surname was Hŭn. However, the name Hŭn was chosen for the Koryŏ king Myŏngjong’s posthumous name in 1197. To avoid having living people using a king’s posthumous name, the Hŭn family were directed to change their name to Kwŏn. The head of the Hŭn clan at this time became Kwŏn Sŏ, the founding ancestor of the Yech’ŏn Kwŏn clan. Approximately two thirds of all present-day Kwŏn clan members live in the Kyŏngsang provinces. Compare Kwan 2 and Quon 1. 2. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surnames 關, 管, and 官, see Guan 1–3. Some characteristic forenames: Korean Young, Yong, Soon, Oh, Jung, Sang, Sung, Hyuk, Sun, Hee, Kyung, Suk, Byung, Chang, Young Hwa, Chong, Chung, Hak, Moon, Seok, Sung Hee, Hyong, Taek, Wook.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Kwon in the United States?
The surname Kwon has seen a substantial rise in popularity, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. In the year 2000, it was ranked 3,472nd most common surname in the United States, but by 2010, it had risen to the 2,721st position, showing an increase of 21.63%. The count of individuals with this surname also rose significantly from 9,405 in 2000 to 13,235 in 2010, marking a 40.72% increase. Furthermore, the proportion of people named Kwon per 100,000 people increased by 28.65%, moving from 3.49 in 2000 to 4.49 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,472 | #2,721 | 21.63% |
| Count | 9,405 | 13,235 | 40.72% |
| Proportion per 100k | 3.49 | 4.49 | 28.65% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Kwon
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that the vast majority of Kwons identify as Asian/Pacific Islander, with 96.37% in 2000 and slightly less at 96.30% in 2010. This represents a marginal decrease of 0.07%. Among other ethnic identities, there was a slight decrease in those identifying as two or more races, down 11.11% from 1.62% to 1.44%. White identifiers saw a small increase of 4% from 1.50% to 1.56%, while Hispanic identifiers increased by 28.57% from 0.35% to 0.45%. The data for Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native remained unchanged at 0% for both years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 96.37% | 96.3% | -0.07% |
| White | 1.5% | 1.56% | 4% |
| Two or More Races | 1.62% | 1.44% | -11.11% |
| Hispanic | 0.35% | 0.45% | 28.57% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Kwon 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 Kwon is Korean, which comprises 91.4% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Chinese (2.2%) and British & Irish (1.7%). Additional ancestries include French & German, Filipino & Austronesian, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Spanish & Portuguese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Korean | 91.4% |
| Chinese | 2.2% |
| British & Irish | 1.7% |
| Other | 4.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Kwon
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 Kwon have recent ancestry locations in South Korea and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Seoul, South Korea | 92.50% |
| Busan, South Korea | 61.70% |
| Daegu, South Korea | 53.70% |
| Gyeongsangnam Do, South Korea | 47.80% |
| Jeollabuk Do, South Korea | 42.80% |
What Kwon 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 Kwon is O-CTS52, which is predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Haplogroup O-CTS52 is descended from haplogroup O-M1359. Other common haplogroups include O-M307.1 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: Yuen, Hwang, Xiao, Kim, Park, Fan, Jung, Lee, Nunnally, Nygaard.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Kwon surname are: D5a, 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 the Han Chinese
Haplogroup O1a is a branch of O-M119, also called O1a. O-M119 and its branches are present in both northern and southern Han Chinese men at low to moderate frequencies, but are most common among the Jiangsu, Shanghai, and Zhejiang southern Han groups. 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. Members of O-M119 belong to a group that has helped to shape the culture of the world's largest ethnic group.
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 Kwon 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.
"Kwon" Surname 30.9%
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.
"Kwon" Surname 20.8%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Kwon" Surname 16.4%
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.
"Kwon" Surname 10.7%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Kwon?
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 Kwon are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition