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 also found in North Korea. The character used for the name (許) means to permit or advocate.

The Heos traditionally trace their ancestry to Queen Heo Hwang-ok, the wife of King Suro of Geumgwan Gaya, one of ancient kingdoms in Korea. Her native kingdom is believed to be located in India. She bore ten sons, two of whom retained the Queen's name. The Heos are traditionally considered distant kins of the Gimhae Kim clan, who trace their ancestry to the other sons of King Suro.

Clans
As with most other Korean family names, there are many Heo clans, including the Gimhae clan and the Yangchon clan. Each clan consists of individual Heo families. Even within each clan, people in different families are not necessarily related to each other. These distinctions are important, since Korean law used to prohibit intermarriage in the same clan, no matter how remote the relationship; now, however, only those in a relationship of second cousins or closer may not marry.

As with other Korean family names, the Heo clans are distinguished by the place from which they claim to originate.


 * Yangcheon Heo clan
 * Hayang Heo clan
 * Gimhae Heo clan
 * Taein Heo clan
 * Hamchang clan
 * Suwon clan
 * Yangju clan

People with the surname

 * Heo Hwang-ok (32-189), Queen of Geumgwan Gaya, clan ancestress
 * Ben Huh – South Korean-American internet entrepreneur
 * Heo Jun (1539-1615), Joseon-era court physician
 * Heo Nanseolheon (1563-1589), Joseon-era painter and poet
 * Heo Gyun (1569-1618), Joseon-era writer
 * Heo Im (1570-1647), Joseon-era physician
 * Heo Jeok (1610-1680), Prime Minister of South Korea during Joseon Dynasty
 * Heo Jeong (1896-1988), South Korean politician and Korean independence activist
 * Heo Jang-kang (1925-1975), South Korean actor
 * Huh Chin-kyu (born 1940), South Korean businessman, founder and chairman of ILJIN Group
 * Huh Young-man (born 1947), South Korean manhwa artist
 * Huh Kyung-young (1947), South Korean politician, chief of the Democratic Republican Party
 * Huh Chang-soo (born 1948), South Korean businessman, chairman of GS Group and FC Seoul
 * Hur Nam-sik (born 1949), South Korean politician, 33rd, 34th,and 35th mayor of Busan city
 * Huh Jung-moo (born 1955), South Korean footballer and manager
 * Hur Jin-ho (born 1963), South Korean film director
 * Young Soon Hue (born 1963), South Korean ballet choreographer
 * Heo Joon-ho (born 1965), South Korean actor
 * Hur Jae (born 1965), South Korean basketball coach and former player
 * Heo Yong-mo (1965), South Korean boxer
 * Aram Hur (born 1971), South Korean educator
 * Heo Hyeon-seok (1971), South Korean dancer and musician (better known as Hyun Jin-young)
 * Hur Seung-wook (born 1972), South Korean alpine skier
 * Robert K. Hur (born 1973), Korean-American attorney
 * Hur Suk-ho (born 1973), South Korean golfer
 * Huh Young-Sook (born 1975), South Korean handball player
 * Huh Soon-Young (born 1975), South Korean women's handball player
 * Heo Sung-tae (born 1977), South Korean actor
 * Heo Jae-won (born 1984), South Korean football player
 * Huh Gak (born 1984), South Korean singer and winner of the second season of Superstar K
 * Heo Young-ho (born 1986), South Korean professional Go player
 * Heo Young-saeng (born 1986), South Korean singer and member of boy band SS501
 * Huh E-jae (born 1987), South Korean actress
 * Heo Jun (born 1988), South Korean foil fencer
 * M. J. Hur (born 1989), South Korean golfer
 * Heo Sol-ji (born 1989), South Korean singer and member of girl group EXID
 * Heo Ga-yoon (born 1990), South Korean singer and member of girl group 4Minute
 * John Huh (born 1990), American golfer
 * Heo Seung (born 1991), South Korean rapper
 * Huh Chan-mi (born 1992), South Korean singer, former member of co-ed group Co-Ed School and girl group F-ve Dolls
 * Heo Ung (born 1993), South Korean basketball player
 * Heo Young-ji (born 1994), South Korean singer, member of girl group Kara
 * Heo Hoon (born 1995), South Korean professional basketball player
 * Hur Hyun-jun (born 2000), South Korean singer and actor, former member of boy group The Boyz
 * Huh Yun-jin (born 2001), South Korean-American singer and member of girl group Le Sserafim
 * Heo Jung-eun (born 2007), South Korean actress