Lee is the typical romanization of the common South Korean surname I (Hangul 이), North Korean surname Ri (리). The name is written identically to the
Li or Lee ([lì]; Chinese: 李; pinyin: Lǐ) is a common Chinese surname, it is the 4th name listed in the famous Hundred Family Surnames. Li is one of the most common surnames in Asia, shared by 92.76 million people in China, and more than 100 million in Asia.
The surname Lee has a number of different roots. Lee is internationally seen in names from Asia (particularly Korea), but in the English-Speaking world it most often derives from the Old English word 'leah' (a forest clearing or meadow), and would be given to someone who lives at or near one of these geographical ...
Lee, I, or Yi (이) is the second-most-common surname in Korea, behind Kim (김).
LEE means "plum tree" in Chinese. Lee was the royal surname during the Tang dynasty. LEE may be a "place" surname taken from any of the various towns or villages named Lee or Leigh.
Li (丽). Li is one of the top Chinese girl names that mean “pretty.” This sweet name is pronounced LEE.
Lee is a common last name found among Overseas Chinese communities around the world. In fact, "Lee" is the transliteration of several different Chinese surnames. Its meaning varies depending on how it is spelled in Chinese, and which dialect it is pronounced in.
Because family names such as Lee and Kim were among those used by royalty in ancient Korea, they were preferred by provincial elites and, later, by commoners when plumping for a last name.
2. Lee (or Yi) (이)
The name Lee means “plum” or “plum tree.” In 2015, 7.3 million Koreans — or 14.7% of the population — had this surname.
Lee or I (이) is the second most common surname, or family name, in Korea.
Li (李) – 'Lee' or 'Lei' in Cantonese and Hakka – means plum or plum tree and the name is connected to the Tang dynasty (618-906 AD), a period when the surname rose in popularity.
💡 The Lee surname has European origins, with connections to geographic features and names in England, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland. 💡 The Chinese roots of the Li/Lee surname can be traced back to the Zhou dynasty and have a connection to ancient royalty.
In Chinese, the name Lee is a common surname and is written as 李. It is the second most common surname in China and is also found in Korea and Vietnam. In addition, the name Lee has been used as a first name in many English-speaking countries, including the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
Lee is the second most common surname in Korea. As of 2015, there are 7.3 million Lees, accounting for 14.7% of the population, after Kims at 21.5%. Although less common, Lee can be used as a first name too. There are 113 children born on or after 2008 with Lee as the first name.
We have to understand a bit of Korean history. Influenced by the culture of China, the royal family and noblemen started adapting last names. King Taejo Wang Geon, gave family clans and last names to the ruling classes. The last names were assigned by region.
For example, those with the surname Kim, 10.69 million individuals, comprised 21.5 percent of the country's entire population, so about one among four Koreans is a Kim. Second and third place on the list are Lee (14.7%) and Park (8.4%).
This is because Asian “Lee” and European “Lee” are different names that happen to be spelled the same way. It's the same story with Asian “Lang” and European “Lang.” Though it is a little more complex. “Lee” is a Chinese name meaning “plum” that spread to Korea and Vietnam.
Kim is Korea's most common surname and is also widely found amongst the ethnic Koreans in China.
Lee is a common surname in English-speaking countries. In Canada, "Lee" was the 4th-most-common surname outside of Quebec. In the United States during the 2000 census, "Lee" was the 22nd-most-common surname.
Popularity: Lee was once extremely popular in the United States. While it remains fairly common, it no longer ranks highly. It was number 768 in 2020.
Origin: The name Lee comes from English word laye, which means “clearing in the woods” or “meadow”. Gender: Lee is currently most commonly used as a boy name although it was often used as a girl name as well.
Yet there's no doubt about which surname is the most popular in the world: Wang. More than 106 million people have the surname Wang, a Mandarin term for prince or king. It's not too surprising that the top surname is Chinese, as China has the world's largest population.