Heo
Heo is a family name in Korea.
It is also often spelled as Hur or Huh, or less commonly as Her. In South Korea in 1985, out of a population of between roughly 40 and 45 million, there were approximately 264,000 people surnamed Heo. The name is al ...
clan () is one of the
Korean clans
Bon-gwan (or Bongwan) is the concept of clan in Korea, which is used to distinguish clans that happen to share the same family name (clan name). Since Korea has been traditionally a Confucian country, this clan system is similar to ancient Chinese ...
. This clan traces their origin to King Suro and his legendary Queen
Heo Hwang-ok
A commemorative Rs. 25.00 postage stamp on Princess Suriratna (Queen Heo Hwang-ok ) was issued by India in 2019.
A commemorative Rs. 5.00 postage stamp on Queen Heo Hwang-ok (Suriratna) was issued by India in 2019.
Heo Hwang-ok, also known a ...
, who are mentioned in the 13th-century Korean chronicle ''
Samguk Yusa
''Samguk yusa'' () or ''Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms'' is a collection of legends, folktales and historical accounts relating to the Three Kingdoms of Korea (Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla), as well as to other periods and states before, duri ...
''.
Times of India
''The Times of India'', also known by its abbreviation ''TOI'', is an Indian English language, English-language daily newspaper and digital news media owned and managed by The Times Group. It is the List of newspapers in India by circulation, t ...
, Jul 19, 2016. King Suro was the founder of
Gaya confederacy
Gaya (, ) was a Korean confederacy of territorial polities in the Nakdong River basin of southern Korea, growing out of the Byeonhan confederacy of the Samhan period.
The traditional period used by historians for Gaya chronology is AD 42–53 ...
, and his descendant
Gim Yu-sin
Gim Yu-sin (sometimes romanized Kim Yu-shin, Gim Yu-sin, or Gim Yu-shin) (595 – 18 August 673) was a Korean military general and politician in 7th-century Silla. He led the unification of the Korean Peninsula by Silla under the reign of King ...
is renowned for unifying the
Silla
Silla or Shilla (57 BCE – 935 CE) ( , Old Korean: Syera, Old Japanese: Siraki2) was a Korean kingdom located on the southern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula. Silla, along with Baekje and Goguryeo, formed the Three Kingdoms of K ...
polity. According to a 2015 survey, the population of Gimhae Heo clan is 1,340,688.
The founder of Gimhae Heo clan, a 35th descendant of Queen Heo Hwang-ok and King Suro, was who served in the court of King Munjong of
Goryeo
Goryeo (; ) was a Korean kingdom founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korean Peninsula until 1392. Goryeo achieved what has been called a "true national unificati ...
. He was appointed as the Prince of Garak / Gaya ().
More than six million present day Koreans, especially from
Gimhae Kim
The Gimhae Kim clan () is one of the Korean clans. This clan traces their origin to Suro of Geumgwan Gaya. King Suro was the founder of Gaya confederacy, and his descendant, Gim Yu-sin, Kim Yu-sin is renowned for unifying the Silla polity. It was ...
, Gimhae Heo clan and Lee (Yi) clans associate their
Bon-gwan
Bon-gwan (or Bongwan) is the concept of clan in Korea, which is used to distinguish clans that happen to share the same family name (clan name). Since Korea has been traditionally a Confucian country, this clan system is similar to ancient Chinese ...
(geo-biological lineage roots) to
Gimhae
Gimhae () is a city in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. It is the seat of the large Gimhae Kim clan, one of the largest Kim clans in Korea. The Gimhae Kims claim descent from the ancient royal house of Geumgwan Gaya, which was based in Gim ...
in
South Gyeongsang Province
South Gyeongsang Province ( ko, 경상남도, translit=Gyeongsangnam-do, ) is a province in the southeast of South Korea. The provincial capital is at Changwon. It is adjacent to the major metropolitan center and port of Busan. The UNESCO World ...
of Korea, and these clans place restrictions on marriage with each other due to the shared ancestors. Today, the Gimhae Gim clan is the largest clan group among them.
The Gimhae Heo clan and Gimhae Gim clan, descended from the two sons of King Suro who used their mother's Queen Heo Hwang-ok's surname, instead of their father's. According to ''Samguk Yusa,'' Queen Heo Hwang-ok became the wife of King
Suro of Geumgwan Gaya
Suro (수로) or Sureung (posthumous name: 수릉, 首陵, 42?–199), commonly called Gim Suro, was the legendary founder and Hero King of Geumgwan Gaya (43–532), in southeastern Korea. No. 2039《三國遺事》CBETA 電子佛典 V1.21 普及版 '', Taisho Tripitaka Vol. 49, CBETA Chinese Electronic Tripitaka V1.21, Normalized Version, T49n2039_p0983b14(07)Kim Choong Soon, 2011, Voices of Foreign Brides: The Roots and Development of Multiculturalism in Korea, AltairaPress, USA, Page 30-35. making her the first queen of
Geumgwan Gaya
Geumgwan Gaya (43–532), also known as Bon-Gaya (본가야, 本伽倻, "original Gaya") or Garakguk (가락국, "Garak State"), was the ruling city-state of the Gaya confederacy during the Three Kingdoms of Korea, Three Kingdoms Period in Korea. ...
. Her native kingdom is believed to be located in India by some, there is however no mention of her in any pre-modern Indian sources. There is a tomb in
Gimhae
Gimhae () is a city in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. It is the seat of the large Gimhae Kim clan, one of the largest Kim clans in Korea. The Gimhae Kims claim descent from the ancient royal house of Geumgwan Gaya, which was based in Gim ...
in Korea, that are believed by some to be of King Suro and Queen Heo, and a memorial of Queen Heo Hwang-ok in Hindu holy city of
Ayodhya
Ayodhya (; ) is a city situated on the banks of holy river Saryu in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.
Ayodhya, also known as Sāketa, Saketa, is an ancient city of India, the birthplace of Rama and ...