강릉 함씨(江陵 咸氏) — Regarded as the principal line of the Ham clan whose ancestral seat is Gangneung.
Regarded as the principal line of the Ham clan whose ancestral seat is Gangneung. In the 2015 Census the 강릉 함씨 clan numbered about 80,659 people, one of Korea's major surnames and clans. Even among people surnamed 함, a different clan seat (bon-gwan, 강릉) means a different lineage. New to these terms? See the bon-gwan, pa & hangnyeol guide.
Jeongpyeong-gong-pa, Chilbong-gong-pa, Yepan-gong-pa
The Jeongpyeong-gong branch descends from Ham Bu-rim (咸傅霖, 1360-1410, pen name Nangye), a founding merit subject of Joseon, and takes its name from his posthumous title Jeongpyeong (定平). The son of Ham Seung-gyeong (咸承慶), an honorary academician of the Royal Secretariat, he passed the civil examination in 1385.
He took part in elevating Yi Seong-gye to the throne in 1392, was named a third-rank founding merit subject and enfeoffed as Lord Myeongseong, and served as governor of several provinces, inspector-general and minister of punishments. His son Ham U-chi (咸禹治) likewise served as provincial governor and inspector-general.
The Chilbong-gong branch descends from Ham Heon (咸軒, 1508-?, pen name Chilbong), a mid-Joseon official and fifth-generation descendant of Ham Bu-rim (Jeongpyeong-gong). He passed the special civil examination in 1534 and served as magistrate of Ganseong, director of the Office of Guest Reception and magistrate of Samcheok.
Returning from Ming China in 1552 as secretary of the winter-solstice embassy, he brought back a portrait of Confucius, and while serving as instructor in Gangneung he led local Confucian scholars in founding Obong Seowon in 1566. A genealogy of the branch, the Gangneung Hamssi Chilbong-gongpa bo, survives.
The Yepan-gong branch descends from Ham Bu-sil (咸傅實), who served as a chiliarch (cheonho) of Hanwon in late Goryeo. He is described as a member of the local gentry of Gangneung and, after the founding of Joseon, was posthumously named minister of rites, from which the branch takes its name.
He is said to belong to the same generation as Ham Bu-rim (Jeongpyeong-gong).
Branch divisions vary by lineage and jokbo; confirm your own branch in your family's records.
Ham Bu-rim, Ham Tae-young, Ham Seok-heon, Ham Se-woong
Tap a name for the full profile (life, career, grave, descendants).
The 강릉 함씨 clan association can be found in the Korean E-Jokbo Library clan-association directory.
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