2000
#12,410
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,294
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.85
Rare Last name
Kleckner
A German occupational surname referring to a person who makes or sells blotting paper or cardboard.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,469 Americans carry the last name Kleckner. That puts it at #13,508 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.72 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 138,823 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kleckner surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
2.5K
1 in 138,823
Census rank
#13,508
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,153 bearers of the surname Kleckner in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.72 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13508th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kleckner, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.1%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kleckner
The surname Kleckner has its origins in the German language, tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated in the southern regions of modern-day Germany, particularly in the areas around Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg.
The name Kleckner likely derives from the German word "Kleck," which refers to a small stain or spot. This could suggest that the name initially referred to an individual with a distinctive physical characteristic, such as a birthmark or a freckle. Alternatively, it may have been associated with a particular occupation, possibly related to dyeing or painting.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Kleckner can be found in the Bavarian town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, where a certain Hans Kleckner was mentioned in a local census record from the late 15th century. The name also appears in various historical documents from the 16th and 17th centuries in the surrounding regions, often spelled as "Kleckner," "Kleckener," or "Kleckner."
Notable individuals who bore the surname Kleckner include Johann Kleckner, a renowned clockmaker from Nuremberg who lived in the late 16th century and was renowned for his intricate and precise timepieces. Another notable figure was Katharina Kleckner, a midwife from the village of Biberach in Baden-Württemberg, who gained recognition for her exceptional skills and compassion during the 17th century.
In the 18th century, a family of Kleckners settled in the town of Mainz, where they established a successful business in the textile trade. One of the most prominent members of this family was Friedrich Kleckner (1732-1801), a highly respected merchant and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the local community.
During the 19th century, several Kleckners immigrated to the United States, seeking new opportunities and a better life. One of the earliest recorded arrivals was Johann Kleckner, who settled in Pennsylvania in the 1830s and worked as a farmer. Another notable individual was Wilhelm Kleckner (1845-1923), a German-born artist and painter who gained recognition for his landscapes and portraiture after relocating to New York City.
Throughout its history, the surname Kleckner has been associated with various occupations and walks of life, from artisans and tradesmen to academics and professionals. While the exact origins and meanings may have evolved over time, the name continues to carry a rich heritage rooted in the German culture and traditions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kleckner
Among Census respondents with the surname Kleckner, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.1%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Kleckner bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Kleckner surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.2% · 2,006
- Two or more races3.1% · 66
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 59
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 9
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.3% · 7
- Black or African American0.3% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kleckner
Kleckner appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#11,585
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,713
+419 bearers (+18.3%)
Per 100,000 0.92
Rank movement Up 825 places
2020
#13,508
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,153
-560 bearers (-20.6%)
Per 100,000 0.72
Rank movement Down 1,923 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,410 | 2,294 | 0.85 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #11,585 | 2,713 | 0.92 | +419 bearers (+18.3%) | Up 825 places |
| 2020 | #13,508 | 2,153 | 0.72 | -560 bearers (-20.6%) | Down 1,923 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Kleckner surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #11,585 | #13,508 | -16.6% |
| Count | 2,713 | 2,153 | -20.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.92 | 0.72 | -21.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kleckner bearers went from 2,713 to 2,153 (-20.6% change). The surname moved down 1,923 positions in the national ranking, going from #11,585 to #13,508.
FAQ
Kleckner surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kleckner?
Name Census estimates that about 2,469 living Americans carry the surname Kleckner. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 138,823 residents.
How common is Kleckner?
Kleckner ranks #13,508 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.72 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,153 people with the surname Kleckner. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,469), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.72 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.72 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Kleckner.
Has Kleckner become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kleckner went from 2,713 recorded bearers to 2,153. That is a decrease of 560 (-20.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #11,585 to #13,508.
What does the Census say about the background of Kleckner?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kleckner, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.1%) and Hispanic (2.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Kleckner in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.2% (2,006 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kleckner appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.2%), Two or More Races (3.1%), Hispanic (2.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Kleckner (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Kleckner mean?
A German occupational surname referring to a person who makes or sells blotting paper or cardboard. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Kleckner (0.72 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Kleckner?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Kleckner on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.