Jeong
A Korean surname most often written Jeong in the Latin alphabet, representing several hanja lineages with different meanings and histories.
The #6,315 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 57,133 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Jeong is a Korean family name usually written with the Hangul 정 and romanized as Jeong. It can represent more than one Chinese character (hanja), so the surname does not have a single literal meaning; different Jeong clans trace themselves to different ancestral lineages and characters. In English-language usage, the spelling Jeong is a standard modern romanization rather than an older inherited surname form.
History
Jeong is one of the major Korean surnames and has been borne by numerous clan lineages in Korea. In diaspora communities, the spelling Jeong has become especially common under the Revised Romanization system, though older forms such as Chung, Jung, and Chong also appear depending on family preference and romanization history. In the United States, the name’s visibility has grown with recent Korean immigration and with public figures who use the Jeong spelling.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Several different Korean surnames can look similar in Roman letters, but Jeong is one of the spellings that most directly reflects the modern official romanization of 정.