Yon Family History

French: from the Latin personal name Ionis, which also occurs as an element of place names. The personal name was popularized by a 3rd-century Athenian saint who evangelized Châtres (present-day Arpajon), where he was martyred. As an American family name, it is probably of Huguenot origin. Korean (Yon): there are three Chinese characters for the surname Yon, only one of which occurs frequently enough to be treated here. Some sources indicate that there are thirty Yon clans, but they all seem to be descended from the Hapsan Yon clan, whose founding ancestor, Yon Su–ch’ang, migrated to the Koryo kingdom after escorting a princess to the Koryo court. The king (probably King Ch’ungyol (1274–1308)) gave him some land in the Hapsan area, and so began the Hapsan Yon clan. The surname can be found throughout the peninsula, but it is most common in Ch’ungch’ong North province.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press