2010
#158,432
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Klenow
Of German origin, meaning a person from a small village or hamlet.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Klenow. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Klenow 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
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Klenow in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Klenow, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Klenow
The surname Klenow originated in Germany, with the earliest records of the name dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the German word "Klenau," which referred to a small village or town. The name likely evolved from a place name, suggesting that the earliest bearers of the surname hailed from a location called Klenau or a similar-sounding place.
One of the earliest documented instances of the Klenow surname can be found in the church records of a small town near Cologne, where a family by the name of Klenow is mentioned in the late 1500s. Over the following centuries, the name spread to various regions of Germany, with variations in spelling emerging, such as Klenau, Klenouw, and Klenov.
In the 17th century, a notable figure bearing the Klenow surname was Johann Klenow, a respected scholar and theologian who taught at the University of Heidelberg from 1625 to 1642. His treatises on religious philosophy were widely influential during that era.
As the Klenow family continued to grow and disperse throughout Germany, some members of the clan adopted variations of the surname, such as Klenauer or Klenauer-Schmidt, which incorporated the name of their place of origin or other family connections.
In the 19th century, a prominent figure named Friedrich Klenow (1801-1876) made a name for himself as a successful banker and philanthropist in the city of Hamburg. His substantial contributions to local charities and cultural institutions earned him widespread recognition and respect within the community.
Another individual of note was Gustav Klenow (1876-1943), a celebrated German artist renowned for his striking landscapes and portraiture. His works were exhibited in prestigious galleries across Europe during the early 20th century.
Throughout its long history, the Klenow surname has maintained a strong presence in Germany, with various branches of the family contributing to the cultural, intellectual, and economic fabric of the nation over several centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Klenow
Among Census respondents with the surname Klenow, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Klenow 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 Klenow surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.7% · 107
- Hispanic or Latino4.2% · 5
- Two or more races3.4% · 4
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Klenow
Klenow appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+16 bearers (+15.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 14,921 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #158,432 | 102 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | +16 bearers (+15.7%) | Up 14,921 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 Klenow 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 | #158,432 | #143,511 | 9.4% |
| Count | 102 | 118 | 15.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 31.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Klenow bearers went from 102 to 118 (+15.7% change). The surname moved up 14,921 positions in the national ranking, going from #158,432 to #143,511.
FAQ
Klenow surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Klenow?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Klenow. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Klenow?
Klenow ranks #143,511 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 118 people with the surname Klenow. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Klenow.
Has Klenow become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Klenow went from 102 recorded bearers to 118. That is an increase of 16 (+15.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #158,432 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Klenow?
Among Census respondents with the surname Klenow, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Two or More Races (3.4%). 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 Klenow in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.7% (107 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Klenow appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.7%), Hispanic (4.2%), Two or More Races (3.4%). 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 Klenow (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 Klenow mean?
Of German origin, meaning a person from a small village or hamlet. 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 Klenow (0.04 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 many people share the surname Klenow?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.