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

Kleva, 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 Kleva surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kleva in America

Kleva is the 109258th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kleva surname appeared 162 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 Kleva.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kleva 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 Kleva

The surname KLEVA has its origins in the Slavic regions of Eastern Europe, dating back to the early medieval period around the 10th century. The name is believed to be derived from the old Slavic word "klev," which means "glory" or "honor." It is thought to have initially been a descriptive name given to individuals who displayed characteristics of bravery, courage, or valor.

In its earliest recorded forms, the surname appeared as KLEVA, KLEVE, or KLEV in various historical records and manuscripts from the region. One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in a 12th-century chronicle from the Kingdom of Hungary, where a nobleman named Milos KLEVA is mentioned as a distinguished military leader.

As the name spread throughout the Slavic lands, it also took on various regional spellings and variations, such as KLEVA, KLEWA, and KLJEVA. In the 14th century, there are records of a prominent family bearing the name KLEVA in the city of Krakow, which was then part of the Kingdom of Poland.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname KLEVA was Ivan KLEVA, a renowned scholar and theologian who lived in the late 15th century. He is credited with translating several important religious texts from Greek into Church Slavonic, which greatly contributed to the spread of Orthodox Christianity in the region.

Another notable figure with the KLEVA surname was Andrei KLEVA, a military commander who served under Tsar Ivan the Terrible of Russia in the 16th century. He played a significant role in the conquest of the Khanate of Kazan and was renowned for his strategic military tactics.

In the 17th century, a member of the KLEVA family, known as Yuri KLEVA, gained prominence as a skilled architect and builder. He is credited with designing several notable churches and monasteries in the Russian Empire, including the famous Novodevichy Convent in Moscow.

As the surname spread throughout Eastern Europe, it also found its way into other regions, such as the Balkan Peninsula. In the 19th century, a Serbian artist and painter named Đorđe KLEVA gained recognition for his vibrant depictions of rural life and landscapes.

While the surname KLEVA is not as common today as it once was, it continues to be found in various Slavic communities and has a rich historical legacy spanning centuries, reflecting the courage, honor, and achievements of those who bore this distinguished name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kleva

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

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

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

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