2000
#138,741
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kliesch
A German surname derived from a village or region name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 117 Americans carry the last name Kliesch. That puts it at #154,755 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,929,524 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kliesch 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
117
1 in 2,929,524
Census rank
#154,755
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
102
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 102 bearers of the surname Kliesch in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154755th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kliesch, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and Hispanic (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kliesch
The surname KLIESCH is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the 13th century. It is believed to have originated from the town of Kliesch, located in what is now the state of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. The name is likely derived from the Old German word "kliese," meaning "clay" or "loam," suggesting that the earliest bearers of this surname may have been residents of a clay-rich area or involved in pottery-making.
In the early 14th century, records from the Duchy of Saxony mention a family called "von Kliesch," indicating their connection to the town of Kliesch. This family played a significant role in the region's history, with some members holding positions of influence in the local administration.
One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname KLIESCH was Hans Kliesch, born in 1482 in the town of Kliesch. He was a prominent craftsman and guild master, renowned for his intricate woodcarvings and furniture-making skills. His works can be found in several local churches and museums in the region.
During the 16th century, the KLIESCH surname gained prominence in the neighboring regions of Saxony and Thuringia. Notable individuals from this period include Johann Kliesch (1520-1587), a respected theologian and author of several religious texts, and Margarethe Kliesch (1552-1612), a renowned herbalist and midwife who wrote extensively on traditional medicinal practices.
In the 17th century, the KLIESCH family expanded their reach, with some members migrating to other parts of Germany and even neighboring countries. One such individual was Karl Kliesch (1625-1693), a successful merchant and landowner who settled in the city of Leipzig and established a thriving trading business.
As the centuries passed, the KLIESCH surname continued to spread across Europe. Notable bearers of the name include Friedrich Kliesch (1787-1855), a Prussian military officer who fought in the Napoleonic Wars, and Emilie Kliesch (1834-1901), a celebrated opera singer who performed in some of the most prestigious theaters across Europe.
Throughout its long history, the KLIESCH surname has been associated with various professions, from artisans and scholars to merchants and military personnel. While its origins can be traced back to a small town in Germany, the name has transcended geographical boundaries and has been embraced by individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kliesch
Among Census respondents with the surname Kliesch, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and Hispanic (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Kliesch 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 Kliesch surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.1% · 95
- Two or more races2.9% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino2.0% · 2
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kliesch
Kliesch appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#134,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 125
+14 bearers (+12.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,029 places
2020
#154,755
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
-23 bearers (-18.4%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 20,043 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #138,741 | 111 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #134,712 | 125 | 0.04 | +14 bearers (+12.6%) | Up 4,029 places |
| 2020 | #154,755 | 102 | 0.03 | -23 bearers (-18.4%) | Down 20,043 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 Kliesch 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 | #134,712 | #154,755 | -14.9% |
| Count | 125 | 102 | -18.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -14.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kliesch bearers went from 125 to 102 (-18.4% change). The surname moved down 20,043 positions in the national ranking, going from #134,712 to #154,755.
FAQ
Kliesch surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kliesch?
Name Census estimates that about 117 living Americans carry the surname Kliesch. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,929,524 residents.
How common is Kliesch?
Kliesch ranks #154,755 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 102 people with the surname Kliesch. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (117), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Kliesch.
Has Kliesch become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kliesch went from 125 recorded bearers to 102. That is a decrease of 23 (-18.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #134,712 to #154,755.
What does the Census say about the background of Kliesch?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kliesch, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and Hispanic (2.0%). 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 Kliesch in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.1% (95 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kliesch appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.1%), Two or More Races (2.9%), Hispanic (2.0%). 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 Kliesch (2000, 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 Kliesch mean?
A German surname derived from a village or region name. 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 Kliesch (0.03 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 common is the surname Kliesch?
Want to know how many people are called Kliesch? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.