Korea, Census Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

North Korea South Korea

What is in This Collection?
This collection contains Korean census records from the years 918-1945. The collection will be published as images become available.

These records include Hojeok (household registration) and Hojeok Deungbon (family census register) records. Hojeok records are particularly valuable because they include female names, and many Jokbo (Korean genealogy records) typically do not. These records are known to exist from the 1600s until the Japanese Occupation in 1910. The civil registration system of keeping Hojeok Deungbon records was adopted from that point forward. For more information, see South Korea Census and North Korea Census.

Some records may be difficult to read due to water damage or faded ink.

Reading These Records
These records are in Korean, written using Chinese hanja characters. For help reading the records, see the following resources:

General Information:
 * South Korean Language and Languages
 * Korean Genealogy Guide online
 * Korean names

Reading Hangul: (Korean letters)
 * HanGul Letters
 * HanGul Syllables

Reading Hanja: (Chinese characters)
 * FamilySearch Video Tutorials (for Korean speakers
 * Background on HanJa Characters
 * Translating Hanja and Hangul

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:


 * Head of household
 * Head of household’s four direct ancestors
 * Head of household’s position/title
 * Place of residence


 * Clan origin
 * Names of spouse and children
 * Above individuals’ ages or birth dates
 * Names of slaves

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Your ancestor’s name.
 * The city or village in which they may have been living

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have been living in the same household and use the information to extend more generations
 * Titles may be clues to property ownership, occupations, rank, or status within the community

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in Korea.
 * North Korea Record Finder
 * South Korea Record Finder

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.