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Lee is the common English spelling of 이 (pronounced [iː]), a common Korean family name. 이 (李) is the second most common (after Kim) in Korea, 이 (異) and 이 (伊) being relatively rare. The name is sometimes also transliterated as Yi, Ri, Rhie, or Rhee. The pronunciation of 李 as 리 is still common in North Korea. The hanja 李 literally means "plum" or "judge."
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Clans
As with all Korean family names, the holders of the Lee surname are divided into different patrilineal clans, or lineages, known in Korean as bon-gwan, based on their ancestral seat. Most such clans trace their lineage back to a specific founder. This system was at its height under the yangban aristocracy of the Joseon Dynasty, but it remains in use today. There are approximately 241 such clans claimed by South Koreans.
Deoksu clan
The founder of this clan was Yi Dong-su, an official of the Goryeo period. This was a prominent yangban clan during the Joseon Dynasty, producing figures including the admiral Yi Sun-sin and the philosopher Yulgok Yi I. The clan seat, Deoksu, corresponds to Deoksu-hyeon, an old division of what is now Kaep'ung-gun in Kaesong city, North Korea.
Yongin clan
The founder of Yonhin clan was Kil-kwon who helped to found Goryeo.
Gyeongju clan
The founder of this clan was Yi Al-pyeong, one of the original village headmen of Silla, who chose Bak Hyeokgeose as the first king. According to the Samguk Sagi, the Yi name was officially bestowed on the family by King Yuri around 9 CE. Prominent members include the Silla general Yi Sa-bu and the Choson-era scholar Yi Hwang, as well as Yi Oh-sung, one of the "Oh-sung and Han-um" scholar pair from the Choson era.
Yeoju clan
Prominent members of this clan include the Joseon Dynasty philosopher Seongho Yi Ik.
Jeonju clan
The founder of this clan was Yi Han, a high official of Silla. His 22nd-generation descendant, Yi Seonggye, went on to found the Joseon(Chosun) Dynasty. Famous members of this clan include King Sejong the Great and the first president of modern Korea, Syngman Rhee
Danyang clan
The founder of this clan was Jeong Dojeon, who was the first Prime Minister of Joseon and had close relations to King Yi Seonggye. He bestowed upon him the right to start his clan, a right only a yangban could ask, thus Jeong Dojeon created a new yangban clan. The clan's ancestral seat is Danyang.
Yangsan clan
The founder is Yi Man-young, an internal minister in Korea following the fall of the Koryo dynasty. He died of strangulation near an isolated mountain.
Su Ahn clan
About 38 generations before were the original Chinese. Su Ahn, located in North Korea is also a prominent clan. Born in 1910, Lee, Ki Young, a member of his clan was a former CEO of one of Korea's first and biggest construction company, a feat so prestigious that he was one of the 200 most successful people in Korea at his time.
Seongju clan
The founder of this clan was Soon Yu (Korean:순유, Traditional Chinese:純由), a prominent official of late Silla. His 12th-generation descendant Jang Kyung (Korean:장경, Traditional Chinese:長庚) was also a prominent official of the Koryeo dynasty. Eight generations of Jang Kyung's descendants yielded 75 civil examination qualifiers. As of a 2000 census conducted by the ROK, 186,188 Koreans of the Seongju Yi clan live in South Korea.
List
Famous Koreans with this family name:
- Tandari Lee
- Lee Bong-Jo, marathon runner
- Lee Beom Suk, first Prime Minister of South Korea (1948–1950)
- Lee Beom Suk, former Foreign Minister of South Korea (1982–1983)
- Lee Byung-Hun, actor
- Lee Chang-dong, film director and writer
- Lee Chang-ho, go player
- Lee Chul Woo, government official
- Lee Chun-Soo, football player
- Lee, Dae Hyuk
- Lee, Dae Sung, master of taekwondo
- Lee Da Hae, actress, model
- Lee Donghae, singer (member of Super Junior)
- Lee Dong-soo, badminton player
- Lee Eui-geun, politician
- Lee Eun-ju, actress
- Lee Dong-gun, actor
- Lee Hae Chan, former Prime Minister of South Korea (2004–2006)
- Lee Heejin of Baby VOX, pop singer
- Lee Hoi-chang, politician
- Lee, Hong Chan, socialite
- Lee Hyo-jung, badminton player
- Lee Hyori of Fin KL, pop singer
- Lee Hyukjae (Eunhyuk), singer (member of Super Junior)
- Lee Hyun-il, badminton player
- Lee Hyung-taik, most successful South Korean male tennis player to date
- Lee Ji-Hoon, actor, model
- Lee Jong-wook, Director-General of the World Health Organisation (2003–2006)
- Lee Joon-ki, actor, model
- Lee Jung-hyun, pop singer and actress
- Lee Jung-Youl, football player
- Lee, Ki-baek, historian
- Lee, Ki Young, construction CEO in South Korea, one of 200 most prominent person in his time
- Lee Kun-hee, businessman
- Lee Kyung Hae, farmer and political activist
- Lee Kyung-won, badminton player
- Lee Kyoung Rok, CEO, mall owner in California, son of Lee Ki Young, pro table tennis player
- Lee Min Woo of Shinhwa, singer
- Lee Myung-bak,17th President of South Korea (2008-)
- Lee Na-young, actress
- Lee Pa-ni, model
- Lee Sa-bi (Lee Eon-jeong), model
- Lee Sae-Eun, model/actor
- Lee Sedol, go player
- Lee Seung-jae, film producer
- Lee Seung Gi, a singer
- Lee Seung Hyun A member of a Korean hip hop group Big Bang. Stage name is Seung Ri.
- Lee Seung-Yeop, baseball player
- Lee Sung-Hi, model
- Lee Sung-Jin, archer
- Lee Sungmin, singer (member of Super Junior)
- Lee Young Ae, actress
- Lee Young-Pyo, football player
- Miyavi, Japanese rock musician and third-generation Zainichi Korean
- Rhee Chong Chul, Father of Australian Taekwondo, and one of the original masters of taekwondo
- Rhee Chong Hyup, one of the original masters of taekwondo
- Rhee Jhoon Goo (Jhoon Rhee), Father of American Taekwondo
- Rhee Ki Ha, Father of British Taekwondo, and one of the original masters of taekwondo
- Rhee Syngman, first President of South Korea (1948–1960)
- Yi, Alex (Yi Hyun), American football player of Korean descent
- Yi Chung, member of the former Imperial Family of Korea
- Yi Eon-jeok, 16th century government official
- Yi Gae, 15th century government official and scholar
- Yi Gang (Prince Imperial Ui), Korean royalty
- Yi Gu (Prince Imperial Hoeun), Korean royalty
- Yi Hong, model and descendant of Korean royalty
- Yi Hwang (Toegye), 16th century Confucian scholar
- Yi I (Yulgok), 16th century Confucian scholar
- Yi Ik (Seongho), 18th century philosopher
- Yi Ja-chun, 14th century government official
- Yi Jong Mu, 15th century general
- Yi Mae-chang, 16th century musician and artist
- Yi, Natasha, model and actress
- Yi Ok-gi, 16th century naval commander
- Yi Saek, 14th century philosopher and poet
- Yi Sang, 20th century writer
- Yi Won (Hereditary Prince Imperial of Korea), Korean royalty
- Yi Sun-sin, 16th century admiral
- Rhie Wonbok
- All the kings of the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910)
