Find out how popular the last name Kleifgen is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Kleifgen.

Kleifgen, 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 Kleifgen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kleifgen in America

Kleifgen is the 113155th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kleifgen surname appeared 155 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 Kleifgen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kleifgen 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.

The history of the last name Kleifgen

The surname Kleifgen is of German origin, originating in the 16th century. It is derived from the Middle Low German word "kleve," meaning "clover," and the diminutive suffix "-gen," indicating a small or endearing form. The name likely originated in the northwestern region of Germany, where Low German dialects were spoken.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kleifgen can be found in the parish records of the town of Soest, in the region of Westphalia, dating back to the mid-16th century. The name was also present in other nearby towns and villages, such as Lippstadt and Büren.

In the 17th century, the name appears in various records from the Electorate of Cologne, a state of the Holy Roman Empire located in present-day western Germany. This suggests that the name had spread from its initial area of origin to neighboring regions.

One notable bearer of the name Kleifgen was Johann Kleifgen (1625-1689), a German painter and engraver from the city of Cologne. His works, primarily religious in nature, can be found in various churches and collections throughout the region.

Another individual of historical significance was Peter Kleifgen (1785-1864), a German politician and jurist who served as a member of the Prussian House of Representatives in the mid-19th century.

In the 19th century, the name Kleifgen appeared in records from the city of Duisburg, located in the Ruhr region of western Germany. One example is Anna Kleifgen (1832-1901), a local merchant who owned a successful textile business in the city.

The name Kleifgen also found its way to other parts of Europe, likely through migration and trade. In the Netherlands, for instance, there are records of the name Kleifgen in the city of Amsterdam dating back to the 18th century.

While the surname Kleifgen is not among the most common in Germany today, it remains a part of the country's rich historical tapestry, tracing its roots back to the northern regions and reflecting the diverse linguistic and cultural heritage of the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kleifgen

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Kleifgen.

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:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Kleifgen was:

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 Kleifgen has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

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 Kleifgen was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Kleifgen, please contact us.

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