Find out how popular the last name Klam is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Klam.
A Dutch surname derived from the French word "clame" meaning complaint or claim.
Klam, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Klam surname is from the 2010 census data.
Klam is the 133863rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Klam surname appeared 126 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Klam.
We can also compare 2010 data for Klam to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
Rank | 133863 | 149328 | -10.92% |
Count | 126 | 101 | 22.03% |
Proportion per 100k | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.00% |
The surname KLAM is believed to have originated in Germany, with the earliest records of the name dating back to the 13th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old German word "klam," which means "narrow" or "tight," possibly referring to a geographical feature or a physical characteristic of the earliest bearers of the name.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the KLAM surname can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Lubecensis, a collection of historical documents from the city of Lübeck, Germany, dating back to the year 1246. This document mentions a certain "Henricus Klam," suggesting that the name was already in use during that time period.
In the 15th century, the KLAM name appeared in the records of the town of Nürnberg, where a family by the name of KLAM had settled. This family is believed to have played a significant role in the local community, with some members holding positions of importance within the town's administration.
One notable figure bearing the KLAM surname was Johannes KLAM, a German scholar and humanist who lived from 1460 to 1522. He was a prominent figure in the intellectual circles of his time and is remembered for his contributions to the study of classical literature and philosophy.
Another individual of note was Hans KLAM, a German painter who lived from 1500 to 1567. He was known for his religious paintings and frescoes, many of which can still be found in churches and monasteries throughout Germany.
In the 17th century, the KLAM name appeared in the records of the city of Hamburg, where a merchant named Christoph KLAM (1620-1692) established a successful trading company that dealt in goods from across Europe.
The 18th century saw the emergence of Karl Friedrich KLAM (1736-1806), a German composer and organist who was celebrated for his church music and organ compositions. He served as the court organist for the Duke of Brunswick and was highly regarded for his musical talents.
As the centuries passed, the KLAM surname continued to spread across Germany and beyond, with various branches of the family establishing themselves in different regions and contributing to various fields, including academia, the arts, and commerce.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Klam.
The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:
For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Klam was:
Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
---|---|---|
Non-Hispanic White Only | 69.05% | 87 |
Non-Hispanic Black Only | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | 23.81% | 30 |
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.00% | 0 |
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | 3.97% | 5 |
Hispanic Origin | (S)% | (S) |
Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.
Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Klam has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
White | 69.05% | 74.26% | -7.27% |
Black | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
Asian and Pacific Islander | 23.81% | 15.84% | 40.20% |
American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Two or More Races | 3.97% | 5.94% | -39.76% |
Hispanic | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.
The history and meaning of the name Klam was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
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<a href="http://namecensus.com/last-names/klam-surname-popularity/">Klam last name popularity, history, and meaning</a>
"Klam last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on August 28, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/klam-surname-popularity/.
"Klam last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/klam-surname-popularity/. Accessed 28 August, 2025
Klam last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/klam-surname-popularity/.
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