능성 구씨(綾城 具氏) — Its seat is Neungju (Neungseong) in Hwasun County, South Jeolla Province. Descended from the founder Gu Jon-yu, it is known as a military family that produced many military examination passers in Joseon; Chief State Councillor Gu Chi-gwan, Left State Councillor Gu In-hu and LG chairmen Koo Bon-moo and Koo Kwang-mo are presented as members.
Its seat is Neungju (Neungseong) in Hwasun County, South Jeolla Province. Descended from the founder Gu Jon-yu, it is known as a military family that produced many military examination passers in Joseon; Chief State Councillor Gu Chi-gwan, Left State Councillor Gu In-hu and LG chairmen Koo Bon-moo and Koo Kwang-mo are presented as members. In the 2015 Census the 능성 구씨 clan numbered about 172,243 people, one of Korea's major surnames and clans. Even among people surnamed 구, a different clan seat (bon-gwan, 능성) means a different lineage. New to these terms? See the bon-gwan, pa & hangnyeol guide.
Jwajeongseung-gong-pa, Pan-andong-gong-pa, Dowonsu-gong-pa, Sirang-gong-pa, Pansa-gong-pa, Nangjang-gong-pa, Gammu-gong-pa, Champan-gong-pa, Muncheon Gunsa-gong-pa
The Jwajeongseung-gong branch descends from seventh-generation Gu Hong (具鴻), son of Myeonseong Prince-Consort Gu Wi (具禕). He is said to have served as left chancellor in late Goryeo, and after the founding of Joseon he withdrew from public life out of loyalty to Goryeo. His posthumous title is Munjeol.
The Neungseong Gu began to divide from the fourth generation and split into twelve branches at the seventh. This branch produced 42 examination passers in the Joseon period and is counted with the Dowonsu-gong and Pan-andong-gong branches as one of the three main branches.
The Pan-andong-gong branch descends from seventh-generation Gu Seong-ryang (具成亮), a son of Gu Wi and brother of Gu Hong. According to the Neungseong Gu historical sourcebook, it produced 72 examination passers in the Joseon period and, with the Dowonsu-gong and Jwajeongseung-gong branches, is one of the three main branches that together account for most of the clan's passers.
The Dowonsu-gong branch descends from seventh-generation Gu Seong-ro (具成老), a son of Gu Wi. According to the Neungseong Gu historical sourcebook, 359 of the clan's 562 Joseon-era examination passers came from this branch.
The Neungseong Gu are known as a military family: military examination passers make up 65% of the total, and until King Yeongjo's reign the clan produced several senior generals such as commanders of the Military Training Command and the Royal Guards. This branch, with the most passers, forms its core.
The Sirang-gong branch descends from seventh-generation Gu Yeong-ryang (具英良), through the line of fourth-generation Gu Cheon-yong (具天容), fifth-generation Gu Sik (具軾) and sixth-generation Gu Rok (具祿). It parted at the fourth generation from the Jwajeongseung, Pan-andong and Dowonsu branches, which descend from Gu Ye (具藝).
Because its generations turned over quickly, it is known for having many members of lower generation numbers (the 32nd to 36th generations) than other branches.
The Pansa-gong branch descends from seventh-generation Gu Hyeon-jwa (具賢佐), of the line running from fourth-generation Gu Ui (具宜) through fifth-generation Gu Hae to sixth-generation Gu Seo-jin (具瑞珍). The Jeonseo-gong branch of his younger brother Gu Hyeon-ro (具賢老) died out.
The Nangjang-gong branch descends from seventh-generation Gu Hyeon-bo (具賢輔), son of sixth-generation Gu Heung (具興), a chancellery deputy. Gu Heung was a son of fifth-generation Gu Yeong-geom (具榮儉), of the same generation as the father of Gu Hong of the Jwajeongseung-gong branch.
The Gammu-gong branch descends from seventh-generation Gu Hyeon-gi (具賢器), another son of sixth-generation Gu Heung; it and the Nangjang-gong branch were founded by brothers.
The Champan-gong branch descends from seventh-generation Gu Seong-mi (具成美), son of sixth-generation Gu Ui (具義), director of the Ministry of Works. Another son of Gu Ui, Gu Won-rip (具爰立), founded the Muncheon Gunsa-gong branch.
The Muncheon Gunsa-gong branch descends from seventh-generation Gu Won-rip (具爰立), a son of sixth-generation Gu Ui (具義). Another son of Gu Ui, Gu Seong-mi, founded the Champan-gong branch.
Branch divisions vary by lineage and jokbo; confirm your own branch in your family's records.
구치관(Chief State Councillor, early Joseon), 구인후(Restoration merit subject, Left State Councillor), 구본무(3rd chairman of LG), 구광모(current chairman of LG), 구사맹(civil official, father of Queen Inheon), 인헌왕후(mother of King Injo), 구선복(late Joseon general)
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The Neungseong Gu clan (綾城 具氏) takes its seat from Neungju-myeon in Hwasun County, South Jeolla Province (formerly Neungju County). The founder is said to be Gu Jon-yu (具存裕), a Goryeo merit subject who held the titles of Byeoksang Samhan Samjung Daegwang and Geomgyo Sanggunggun. The genealogy lists Gu Min-cheom as second generation and Gu Yeon as third.
Neungseong corresponds to the Neungju area of present-day Hwasun; before the 1914 reorganization of districts it was Neungju County. Some accounts say the founder came from China in 1224, but the clan association is known to argue that it is an indigenous Honam clan, citing records of native Gu families in the region before Goryeo. Views differ and the matter cannot be settled definitively.
The 2015 census figure is given as roughly 170,000 (sources variously cite 172,243 or 174,161, depending on whether variant spellings such as Neungju Gu are included). Members are especially concentrated in Neungju-myeon, and clan villages are known in Daegu's Buk District, Ganghwa, Gwangju and Hanam in Gyeonggi, Boeun, Eumseong and Okcheon in North Chungcheong, Gongju and Dangjin in South Chungcheong, Iksan, Gimcheon and Jinju.
Genealogical tradition lists Gu Min-cheom, Gu Yeon, Gu Yeong-geom, Gu Wi, Gu Heung and Gu Hong through the Goryeo period; seventh-generation Gu Hong is said to have withdrawn from public life rather than serve the new Joseon dynasty. In Joseon the clan was known as a military family: according to the clan's historical sourcebook, 363 of 562 examination passers (about 65%) passed the military examination. Notable figures include the civil official Gu Chi-gwan, Chief State Councillor under King Sejo, and Gu In-hu, a merit subject of the 1623 Restoration who rose to Left State Councillor. Queen Inheon, mother of King Injo, is also presented as a member of the clan. It is said that the clan's influence in the military declined after Gu Seon-bok, a Training Command chief, was executed under King Jeongjo in connection with the Imo incident.
The clan began to divide from the fourth generation and split at the seventh into twelve branches: Pansa, Jeonseo, Sirang, Jwajeongseung, Pan-andong, Dowonsu, Jaesin, Nangjang, Gammu, Imcheon Gunsa, Champan and Muncheon Gunsa. About 84% of Joseon examination passers came from the Dowonsu (359), Pan-andong (72) and Jwajeongseung (42) branches, which are counted as the three main ones. Generation characters are fixed from the 24th generation (然) to the 33rd (林), and the common 'Ja' and 'Bon' generation names lead some people to mistake them for the surname.
They include Gu Chi-gwan, early Joseon civil official and Chief State Councillor; Gu In-hu, a Restoration merit subject and Left State Councillor; Gu Sa-maeng, a minister and Left Consultant; and Queen Inheon. In modern times, Koo Bon-moo, third chairman of the LG Group, and the current chairman Koo Kwang-mo are presented as members (Koo Kwang-mo is a son of Koo Bon-neung and was adopted by Koo Bon-moo).
The clan association is the Neungseong Gu Daejonghoe, and an online electronic genealogy is also known to be available. For details of tombs and shrines, consult the individual branch lineages.
For other branch associations, see the Korean E-Jokbo Library clan-association directory.
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