경주 석씨(慶州 昔氏) — A Seok clan that honors Seok Tal-hae, fourth king of Silla, as founder; also called the Wolseong Seok, it is said to descend from the eight Seok kings of Silla.
A Seok clan that honors Seok Tal-hae, fourth king of Silla, as founder; also called the Wolseong Seok, it is said to descend from the eight Seok kings of Silla. In the 2015 Census the 경주 석씨 clan numbered about 11,355 people, one of Korea's major surnames and clans. Even among people surnamed 석, a different clan seat (bon-gwan, 경주) means a different lineage. New to these terms? See the bon-gwan, pa & hangnyeol guide.
The Gyeongju Seok (慶州 昔氏), also called the Wolseong Seok, takes Gyeongju in North Gyeongsang as its ancestral seat. The 2015 census counted 11,355 members, and it is presented as a single-seat surname with only the Wolseong line. It is a separate surname from the Seok written 石, such as the Chungju Seok, in both character and founder, so the two should not be confused.
The founder is the fourth king of Silla, Seok Tal-hae (昔脫解). The Samguk sagi says he arrived in a chest set adrift at Ajinpo in Jinhan, while the Samguk yusa says he came from Yongseong and contended with Kim Suro of Gaya for the throne. Enthroned in 57, he is said to have found Kim Al-ji in the Sirim forest in 65 and renamed it Gyerim. The Seok line went on to give eight kings in all, Beolhyu, Nae-hae, Jobun, Cheomhae, Yurye, Girim and Heulhae among them, who together held the throne for 171 years.
The lineage after Talhae was lost, so today's Gyeongju (Wolseong) Seok is said to continue from Seok Jae-heung (昔載興), a Goryeo gyoseorang described as Talhae's 23rd-generation descendant, as 1st-generation mid-founder. Some sources say 22nd generation and some question his genealogy, so generation counts and lineage differ by source.
The Seok descend from a Silla royal house but did not flourish as the Bak and Kim did, and few well-known figures are noted. After Heulhae the throne passed to the Kim line.
The lineage after Seok Tal-hae and the mid-founder's generation count may differ by clan record, so please confirm with your own family's jokbo.
No distinct branches are confirmed in the sources; the clan is said to continue its lineage from Seok Jae-heung, a Goryeo gyoseorang described as Seok Tal-hae's 23rd-generation descendant, as mid-founder.
Branch divisions vary by lineage and jokbo; confirm your own branch in your family's records.
석탈해(4th king of Silla, founder of the Gyeongju Seok clan), 석벌휴(9th king Beolhyu), 석내해(10th king Naehae), 석조분(11th king Jobun), 석우로(Seobulhan and general), 석흘해(16th king Heulhae), 석재흥(mid-founder, Goryeo gyoseorang)
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The surname Seok (昔) is said to originate with Talhae. Wikipedia's Wolseong Seok entry gives the tale that a magpie (鵲) accompanied his chest at sea, from which his name was drawn, and notes that Silla had eight Seok kings. Accounts of his origin differ: Dapana, Yongseong, India, and Baekje are all proposed.
The Royal Tomb of King Talhae at San 17 Dongcheon-dong, Gyeongju (Historic Site No. 174, designated 1969) is a round earthen mound about 4.5 m high and 14.3 m across, traditionally held to be Seok Tal-hae's tomb. Wikipedia notes that the Sungsinjeon shrine was moved in front of it in 1980. Ritual dates and visiting hours were not confirmed here, so check with Gyeongju City.
The 2015 census counted 11,355. Wikipedia reports for 1985 3,749 Wolseong Seok plus 3,970 Gyeongju Seok, 7,719 in all, and for 2000 1,522 plus 7,996, 9,518 in all (counted under two names at the time).
Generation characters are given from the 59th to the 70th generation as 基/圭, 鎭/鉦, 源/渶, 東/楨, 榮/炯 and 喆/培. Actual use varies by lineage, so check against your genealogy.
The name and contact details of a clan association were not confirmed here. Only the 1939 Wolseong Seokssi Sebo appears in genealogy catalogues; for clan news, ask Seok families in the Gyeongju area.
The 경주 석씨 clan association can be found in the Korean E-Jokbo Library clan-association directory.
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