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Klein Family History

Klein Surname Meaning

German Flemish and Jewish (Ashkenazic); Dutch (also De Klein): from Middle High German German Dutch klein ‘small’ or Yiddish kleyn. This was a nickname for a person of small stature but is also often found as a distinguishing name for a junior male usually a son in German names such as Kleinhans and Kleinpeter.

The surname of German origin is also found in many other European countries notably in France (Alsace and Lorraine) Belgium Poland Hungary Czechia and Slovakia. It is often a German translation of corresponding Slavic surnames for example Czech and Slovak Malý (see Maly).

Compare Klain Klien and Kline.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Klein family from?

You can see how Klein families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Klein family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Klein families were found in USA in 1920. In 1840 there were 30 Klein families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 41% of all the recorded Klein's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Klein families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Klein surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Klein ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Salesman and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Klein. 10% of Klein men worked as a Salesman and 9% of Klein women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Klein were Clerk and Bookkeeper.

View Census Data for Klein | 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.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Salesman
    10%
  • Farmer
    8%
  • Laborer
    7%
  • Clerk
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    9%
  • Clerk
    6%
  • Housewife
    6%
  • Bookkeeper
    5%

What Klein family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 332,000 census records available for the last name Klein. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Klein census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Klein

Passenger Lists

There are 123,000 immigration records available for the last name Klein. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Klein immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 114,000 military records available for the last name Klein. For the veterans among your Klein ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Klein military records

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