History of your Surname
Get access to Pak family records.Start a free trial

Pak Family History

Pak Name Meaning

Korean: written 박 in Chinese characters 朴 meaning ‘simple’. This is the only Chinese character for the surname Pak which is the third most common surname in Korea and is found in every part of the peninsula. The Pak clans claim no founding ancestors from foreign lands - all are native to Korea. Although some sources indicate that there are 270 Pak clans only 44 of these can be documented and much of their early history is shrouded in myth and legend. All Pak clans spring from a single semi-mythological ancestor named Pak Hyŏkkŏse (朴 赫; 居世). Before the establishment of the Shilla kingdom the southern tip of the peninsula is said to have been ruled by six elders leaders of the six tribes who inhabited that part of the country. In AD 69 a leader Pak Hyŏkkŏse arrived at the foot of a mountain in Kyŏngju in Kyŏngsang north province. Legend has it that he was inside a golden gourd-shaped egg. When the egg was opened Pak Hyŏkkŏse emerged and after taking a wife (who was borne on the back of a dragon) he established the new Shilla kingdom. The word pak in Korean (박; 朴) can mean either ‘gourd’ or ‘to shine brightly’ and the surname Pak is said to denote either the gourd-shaped egg in which the youth was found or the light that is said to have radiated from his head. Compare Bak 6 and Park Chinese: Cantonese form of the surnames 白 and 柏 see Bai 1 and Dutch: metonymic occupational name for a wholesale trader from pak ‘package’. Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant of Pack ‘package’. Slovenian: unexplained. Compare Pack .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Pan, Pae, Paek, Tak, Bak, Pack, Gan, Pal, Pai, Rak

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Pak family from?

You can see how Pak families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Pak family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Pak families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 8 Pak families living in Lancashire. This was about 47% of all the recorded Pak's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Pak families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Pak surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Pak ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Pak. 25% of Pak men worked as a Laborer and 100% of Pak women worked as a Maid. .

View Census Data for Pak | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    25%
  • Helper
    13%
  • Farm Laborer
    13%
  • Machinist
    13%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    100%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Pak family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Pak. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Pak census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Pak

Passenger Lists

There are 7,000 immigration records available for the last name Pak. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Pak immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Pak. For the veterans among your Pak ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Pak military records

You've only scratched the surface of Pak family history

Discover More

What is the average Pak lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Pak life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1951, and highest in 1973. The average life expectancy for Pak in 1951 was 46, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Pak

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Pak family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Pak last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial