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

Klem, 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 Klem surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Klem in America

Klem is the 12981st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Klem surname appeared 2,365 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Klem.

We can also compare 2010 data for Klem 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 Klem

The surname KLEM has its origins in the Netherlands and Germany, with roots dating back to the 14th century. It is believed to be derived from the Dutch word "klemme," which means "clamp" or "catch," potentially referring to an occupation or trade involving metalwork or carpentry.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name KLEM can be found in the historical records of the city of Amsterdam, Netherlands, where a Willem KLEM was listed as a resident in the year 1387. This suggests that the name had already been established in the region at that time.

In the 15th century, the name KLEM appears in various German records, often spelled as "Klemm" or "Clemm." This variation in spelling was common during that era, as standardized spelling conventions had not yet been established. One notable example is Johannes KLEMM, a German scholar and theologian born in 1445 in Naumburg, Germany.

The KLEM surname has also been associated with certain place names in the Netherlands and Germany. For instance, the town of Klemmen in the Dutch province of Overijssel may have contributed to the evolution of the name, as it was common for people to adopt surnames derived from the places they lived or originated from.

Throughout history, there have been several noteworthy individuals bearing the KLEM surname. One such figure was Pieter KLEM (1638-1712), a Dutch Golden Age painter known for his still-life paintings and landscapes. Another was Johann Balthasar KLEM (1690-1768), a German composer and organist who served as the Kapellmeister at the court of the Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen.

In the 19th century, the KLEM name gained prominence with individuals like Johann Friedrich KLEM (1816-1892), a German architect who designed several notable buildings in Berlin, including the Reichstag building. Additionally, Gustav KLEM (1847-1923) was a German painter and lithographer renowned for his landscapes and genre scenes.

While the KLEM surname may have evolved and spread across various regions over time, its origins can be traced back to the Netherlands and Germany, where it first emerged as a descriptive name associated with trades or occupations involving metalwork or carpentry.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Klem

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

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

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

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