Family origin definition
Family origin means the place where the progenitor of the family established the family for the first time. Thus, it is usually a name of town or city. In the same family name, there could be several family origins. Accordingly, family origin is subcategory under the family name. For example, in the surname “Lim,” there are three different family origins - Pyungtaek, Najoo and Yecheon. That means three progenitors whose surname was “Lim,” - they could be brothers or relatives who lived long time ago - established and started the Lim family in the three different places. Therefore, among the Lims, there are three different kinds - Lim from Pyungtaek, Lim from Najoo, and Lim from Yecheon. The persons with same surname but different family origin can marry each other. Thus, for example, although a man and a woman are Lims, if the man is Lim originated from Pyungtaek and the woman is Lim originated from Najoo, they can marry each other. Only the persons with same family origin among same surname cannot marry each other by Art. 809 Sec. 1 of Korean Civil Code.