Jang

Jang is the most common Korean surname, derived from the Sino-Korean characters 張 (jang) and several other hanja. It corresponds to the Chinese surnames Zhang, Chang, and others, but is more frequent per capita in Korea. The character 張 originally meant 'to stretch, extend' and may have referred to a bow maker who stretched bow wood, though this etymology is distant from everyday use in Korea today.

Historically, the Jang clan system in Korea (本貫, bongwan) identifies dozens of distinct clan lineages, each tracing its origin to a specific founder and locality. The largest is the Jang of Indong, and Jangs are widely distributed across the peninsula. The surname was borne by many officials and scholars under the Joseon Dynasty, including the statesman Jang Yeong-sil, a 15th-century inventor and engineer who devised astronomical instruments.

Notable Bearers

In modern times, notable Jangs include Jang Dong-gun, actor; Jang Jin-sung, North Korean poet; and Jang Mi-ran, weightlifter and Olympic medalist. In the West, Mickey Rooney Jr.'s stage name was Teddy Jang Yoo-mi a misattribution—actually actors and musicians globally bear the name, thanks to the Korean diaspora.

Statistics and Immigration

In the United States, the 2010 Census recorded 9,125 bearers—ranked 3,890th overall. Among them, 93.91% were Asian or Pacific Islander, reflecting primarily Korean-American heritage. The alternative spelling Chang is more common globally, but often represents the Cantonese form Cheung or Chinese non-standard romanization.

• Meaning: 'willow branches, to stretch'; Korean adaptation of Chinese Zhang
• Origin: Sino-Korean, with cognates in Chinese (張, 章, 莊, etc.)
• Type: Surname (Korean clan name)
• Usage regions: Korea, United States (Korean diaspora)