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

Klenke, 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 Klenke surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Klenke in America

Klenke is the 25430th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Klenke surname appeared 973 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 Klenke.

We can also compare 2010 data for Klenke 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 Klenke

The surname Klenke is of German origin and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated in the northern regions of Germany, particularly in the areas surrounding the cities of Hamburg and Bremen.

The name Klenke is derived from the Old German word "klenk," which means "small" or "little." This suggests that the name was initially given as a nickname or descriptive name to someone who was small in stature or perhaps a child.

In the 13th century, there are records of a family named Klenke living in the town of Lübeck, which was a major trading center in the Hanseatic League. This early reference indicates that the name had already established itself as a surname by that time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Klenke can be found in the Bremisches Urkundenbuch (Bremen Charters Book) from the year 1286, where a certain Henricus Klenke is mentioned as a witness to a legal transaction.

Throughout the centuries, the Klenke surname has been associated with various professions and trades. In the 15th century, a merchant named Johann Klenke was recorded in the city archives of Hamburg, suggesting that the family had achieved a certain level of prosperity and prominence.

During the 17th century, a notable figure bearing the Klenke name was Hans Klenke (1620-1692), a skilled woodcarver and cabinet maker from the town of Lüneburg. His intricate works were highly sought after by the wealthy aristocracy of the time.

Another prominent individual with the Klenke surname was Johann Friedrich Klenke (1767-1838), a German theologian and philosopher. He was a professor at the University of Giessen and authored several influential works on religion and ethics.

In the 19th century, a family of Klenkes made their mark in the field of horticulture. Heinrich Klenke (1812-1888) and his son, Wilhelm Klenke (1845-1921), were renowned for developing new varieties of roses and other ornamental plants.

The Klenke name has also been associated with various artistic and literary figures throughout history. One notable example is the German writer and poet, Amalie Klenke (1805-1859), who was celebrated for her lyrical works and contributions to the Biedermeier literary movement.

While the Klenke surname originated in northern Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities. However, its roots and historical significance remain deeply tied to the regions of its origin.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Klenke

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

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

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

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