창녕 조씨(昌寧 曺氏) — The Changnyeong Cho clan (昌寧 曺氏) takes Changnyeong in South Gyeongsang Province as its ancestral seat and is regarded as the principal lineage of the Cho (曺) surname. Its founder is Jo Gye-ryong (曺繼龍), said to have been a son-in-law of King Jinpyeong of Silla, and its mid-founder is Jo Gyeom (曺謙), who married Princess Deokgong, a daughter of King Taejo of Goryeo. Since the ten or so other Cho (曺) seats, such as Neungseong and Nampyeong, are generally held to have branched off from Changnyeong, the surname is effectively treated as having a single seat. The 2015 census counted 366,798 members.
The Changnyeong Cho clan (昌寧 曺氏) takes Changnyeong in South Gyeongsang Province as its ancestral seat and is regarded as the principal lineage of the Cho (曺) surname. Its founder is Jo Gye-ryong (曺繼龍), said to have been a son-in-law of King Jinpyeong of Silla, and its mid-founder is Jo Gyeom (曺謙), who married Princess Deokgong, a daughter of King Taejo of Goryeo. Since the ten or so other Cho (曺) seats, such as Neungseong and Nampyeong, are generally held to have branched off from Changnyeong, the surname is effectively treated as having a single seat. The 2015 census counted 366,798 members. In the 2015 Census the 창녕 조씨 clan numbered about 366,798 people, one of Korea's major surnames and clans. Even among people surnamed 조, a different clan seat (bon-gwan, 창녕) means a different lineage. New to these terms? See the bon-gwan, pa & hangnyeol guide.
The Changnyeong Cho clan (昌寧 曺氏) is regarded as the principal lineage of the Cho (曺) surname, with Changnyeong as its ancestral seat. Its founder, Jo Gye-ryong (曺繼龍), is said to have been a son-in-law of King Jinpyeong of Silla. He is said to have been enfeoffed as Prince Changseong (Changseong Buwongun) and to have served in posts such as Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince. His courtesy name is given as Ingyeong (鱗卿).
A legend explains how the clan received its surname. Ye-hyang, daughter of the Hallim scholar Yi Gwang-ok, prayed at the Dragon Pond (Yongji) on Hwawangsan and then gave birth to a son. Because the character '曺' appeared under the child's arm, the king granted him a surname and a given name. The tale is recorded in the Yeoji doseo (1760s), the Gyeongsang-do eupji (1832) and the Yeongnam eupji (1895).
No genealogy survives for the generations after Jo Gye-ryong. The clan therefore counts as its first generation the mid-founder Jo Gyeom (曺謙), who served as Agan Sijung in late Silla and married Princess Deokgong, a daughter of King Taejo of Goryeo. During Goryeo, eight successive generations beginning with Jo Gyeom's grandson Jo Yeon-u are said to have held the office of Munha Pyeongjangsa. For the clan-wide generation names, the count starts from the 'Samsong' (三松) brothers Jo Song-mu, Jo Song-gun and Jo Song-hak, thirteenth-generation descendants of Jo Gyeom.
The Cho (曺) surname has ten or so other seats, such as Neungseong and Nampyeong. The prevailing view is that all of them branched off from Changnyeong, so the surname is effectively treated as having Changnyeong as its only seat.
The Korean Wikipedia article on the clan lists about 48 branches. The branches whose founders have been confirmed are as follows.
The list also includes the Sauigong, Daesaheongong, Munjanggong, Munjeonggong, Chungjeonggong, Chungganggong and Taebokgyeonggong branches, among others. Some branch names match the posthumous titles of clan figures: Munjang (Jo Wi), Chunggan (Jo Seok-mun), Munjeong (Jo Sik) and Chungjeong (Jo Sang-chi and Jo Gye-sang). It has not been confirmed, however, that these figures founded the branches. The founders of the Gamsagong, Sanghogungong, Jwasijunggong and Saengwongong branches have not been confirmed either. The Taehogong branch, listed previously, could not be found in the Wikipedia branch list and has been removed.
Other clan villages are found in Gimcheon, Sancheong, Damyang and Boseong.
The 2015 Statistics Korea census counted 366,798 members of the clan. In 2000 there were 338,222 members in 105,282 households, ranking 28th among surnames. In 1985 there were 299,669 members in 72,213 households. The largest concentrations are in South Gyeongsang Province and Busan.
The clan is represented by the Changnyeong Cho Clan Association. Its website is listed as www.chocy.co.kr, but we have not been able to confirm that the site is still online. The association also runs a Daum café (cafe.daum.net/chocy). A café post title says Jo Gyu-wan became head of the Changnyeong Cho Central Hwasuhoe in 2023; this has not been verified.
Namuwiki lists the following standard generation characters, confirmed by the clan association in 2017.
The generation characters are said to have been unified at the time of the 1880 Gapsul Daedongbo genealogy, but this has not been confirmed.
Bujehak-gong-pa, Gamsa-gong-pa, Sanghogun-gong-pa, Jwasijung-gong-pa, Yangpyeong-gong-pa, Saengwon-gong-pa, Taeho-gong-pa, Seungjigong-pa, Changsangun-pa, Taebokgyeonggong-pa, Busajikgong-pa
The Bujehak-gong branch descends from Jo Sang-chi (曺尙治, pen name Jeongjae), who served as deputy director of the Hall of Worthies (jiphyeonjeon bujehak) under King Danjong. A grandson of the late Goryeo left state councillor Jo Ik-cheong and a disciple of Gil Jae (吉再), he placed first in the special civil examination of 1419.
After King Sejo took the throne he was appointed vice minister of rites but resigned and lived in retirement, becoming known for his loyalty; in 1791 he was enshrined at Jangneung, King Danjong's tomb. His posthumous title is Chungjeong (忠貞). His great-grandson Jo Gye-sang (曺繼商) became a merit subject of the 1506 restoration and rose to second state councillor, and his descendants formed the Chungjeong-gong line.
The Gamsa-gong branch descends from Jo Hang (曺沆), who served as a provincial governor (gamsa). He was the son of Jo Gyeong-su (曺敬修), a younger brother of the late Goryeo chancellor Jo Min-su.
Jo Hang's son Jo Seok-mun (曺錫文, 1413-1477) was named a first-rank merit subject for suppressing Yi Si-ae's rebellion under King Sejo, rose to chief state councillor and was enfeoffed as Prince Changnyeong; his posthumous title is Chunggan (忠簡). The branch has settlements in places such as Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province.
The Sanghogun-gong branch descends from Jo Seung-dal (曺承達, pen name Soong), a senior general (sanghogun) of late Goryeo. He was a grandson of Jo Ik-cheong (Yangpyeong-gong), left state councillor under King Gongmin.
Tradition holds that he opposed Yi Seong-gye's accession and withdrew to Johyeon-ri below Yongmunsan in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province, and that his son Jo Eok-gi (曺億基) followed him into retirement and declined the offices offered by the Joseon court.
The Jwasijung-gong branch descends from Jo Min-su (曺敏修, ?-1390), chancellor (munha sijung) in late Goryeo. He distinguished himself against the Red Turban invaders and Japanese pirates, became chancellor in 1383 and was enfeoffed as Prince Changseong.
In the 1388 Liaodong campaign he commanded the Left Army and, together with Right Army commander Yi Seong-gye, turned back at Wihwa Island. He later opposed the land reform, was impeached by Jo Jun and others, exiled to Changnyeong, and died there in 1390.
The Yangpyeong-gong branch descends from Jo Ik-cheong (曺益淸), a late Goryeo military official, and takes its name from his posthumous title Yangpyeong (襄平). He served as a general under Kings Chungsuk and Chunghye, and in 1352 was named a first-rank merit subject for attending King Gongmin during his stay in the Yuan capital.
He then rose to left state councillor, was enfeoffed as Prince Haseong, and in 1376 was enshrined in King Gongmin's royal shrine. Deputy director Jo Sang-chi and senior general Jo Seung-dal were his grandsons.
The Saengwon-gong branch is said to descend from Jo An-seup (曺安習), a licentiate (saengwon). He was the great-grandfather of the scholar Jo Sik (曺植, 1501-1572, pen name Nammyeong), and it was in his time that the family settled at Panhyeon in Samga County, Gyeongsang Province.
Jo Sik never took office and devoted himself to learning and teaching; his students included Kim Hyo-won, Jeong In-hong, Jeong Tak, Choe Yeong-gyeong and Gwak Jae-u. His posthumous title is Munjeong (文貞).
The Taeho-gong branch (太湖公派) centers on Jo Haeng-rip (曺行立), art name Taeho (太湖), said to be a 7th-generation descendant of Jo Sang-chi, the deputy director of the Hall of Worthies; his descendants are called the Taeho-gong branch. It is sometimes called or written "Taeo-gong-pa", so search finds it under either name.
Settlement — His father Jo Gi-seo is said to have left office just before the Imjin War and moved to Yeongam in Jeolla Province; when the war broke out in 1592, Jo Haeng-rip took his mother and family to take refuge at Gurim village in Yeongam, where his mother's family lived, and the settlement opened the era of the Taeho-gong head house.
Gurim Daedonggye and family motto — The branch is known to have played a central role in maintaining and developing the Gurim Daedonggye (village covenant), which helped rebuild rural communities devastated by the Imjin and Byeongja wars and is sometimes regarded as a pioneering model of local self-government. The head house's motto is "Ain" (我忍, "I endure"), expressing a spirit of coexistence in which one's own patience keeps peace with neighbors and the community.
Related site — Seohosa shrine (西湖祠) in Seoho-myeon, Yeongam-gun, South Jeolla, is known as a center where ancestors of the branch are enshrined and learning was pursued.
* This summarizes accounts handed down in the clan; generations and details may differ by document and lineage, so please confirm in your own jokbo.
The Seungjigong branch (承旨公派) of the Changnyeong Cho clan was founded by Jo Sang-myeong.
According to the Digital Seongju Cultural Encyclopedia, Jo Seok-cha, the first member of the clan to settle in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province, belonged to this branch.
The Changsangun branch is said to have been founded by Jo Gye-eun (曺繼殷).
The Chinese characters of the branch name and the details of the founder's career have not been confirmed.
The Taebokgyeonggong branch appears in the branch list of the Korean Wikipedia article on the Changnyeong Cho clan.
According to Wikipedia, its clan villages include Songgok-ri, Dasan-myeon, Goryeong, North Gyeongsang Province, and Myosan-myeon, Hapcheon, South Gyeongsang Province. Its founder has not been confirmed.
Namuwiki lists the Busajikgong branch as founded by a clan member named Ju. The Chinese characters of the founder's name have not been confirmed.
According to Wikipedia, its clan villages include Deokbong-ri, Ssangchaek-myeon, Hapcheon, South Gyeongsang Province.
Branch divisions vary by lineage and jokbo; confirm your own branch in your family's records.
조계룡(founder of the Changnyeong Cho clan, Prince Changseong), 조민수(late-Goryeo Chief Minister, left army commander at the Wihwado retreat), 조익청(late-Goryeo Left Chancellor, Prince Haseong, founder of the Yangpyeonggong branch), 조상치(Associate Director of Jiphyeonjeon under King Danjong, founder of the Bujehakgong branch), 조석문(Chief State Councillor under King Sejo, Prince Changnyeong), 조위(author of Maegyejip and 'Manbunga', Royal Secretary), 조계상(Jeongguk merit subject of the Jungjong Restoration, great-grandson of Jo Sang-chi), 조식(pen name Nammyeong, 1501–1572), 조호익(pupil of Toegye, righteous-army leader in the Imjin and Jeongyu wars), 조만식(1883–1950, listed in the Dictionary of Independence Activists), 조봉암(1898 or 1899–1959, first Minister of Agriculture and Forestry), 조훈현(born 1953, baduk 9 dan), 조국(politician, born 1965), 조희대(17th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court)
Tap a name for the full profile (life, career, grave, descendants).
창녕 조씨 figures recognized as independence patriots (National Independence Hall / Gonghun public data). Tap a name for the citation.
The following figures appear in the list of notable people in the Korean Wikipedia article on the Changnyeong Cho clan. Their ancestral seat has not been cross-checked against their individual articles.
The same list also includes Jo Yun-hyeong, Jo Hae-nyeong, Jo Hui-yeon and Jo Il-hwan.
The 창녕 조씨 clan association can be found in the Korean E-Jokbo Library clan-association directory.
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