2000
#127,186
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 124
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Klimm
A German surname derived from a place name referring to one who lived on a steep slope or hillside.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Klimm. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Klimm 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
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Klimm in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Klimm, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Black (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Klimm
The surname Klimm is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the 14th century. It is believed to have originated in the region of Bavaria, where it was derived from the Old German word "klimmen," which means "to climb." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name may have lived in hilly or mountainous areas, or perhaps had occupations related to climbing or mountaineering.
The first recorded instance of the surname Klimm can be found in the city archives of Munich, dating back to 1387. The entry mentions a certain "Hans Klimm," who was a resident of the city at that time. Over the following centuries, various spellings of the name emerged, including Klymm, Klymme, and Klimmb, reflecting regional dialects and variations in pronunciation.
In the 16th century, the Klimm surname appeared in several historical documents from the Palatinate region of Germany. One notable mention is in the village records of Kirchheimbolanden, where a "Peter Klimm" is listed as a landowner in 1529. This suggests that the family had established themselves as part of the local gentry or nobility.
As the Klimm name spread across Germany, it became associated with several notable individuals. One of the earliest was Johann Klimm (1592-1668), a renowned theologian and philosopher who taught at the University of Heidelberg. His works on metaphysics and ethics were highly influential during the Protestant Reformation.
Another prominent figure was Friedrich Klimm (1721-1789), a renowned composer and organist from Saxony. He served as the court musician for the Prince-Elector of Saxony and composed numerous sacred works and concertos that were widely performed throughout Europe during the Baroque period.
In the 19th century, the Klimm surname gained recognition through the work of Eduard Klimm (1835-1899), a pioneering geologist and paleontologist from Silesia. He made significant contributions to the study of fossils and wrote extensively on the geological history of Central Europe.
Jumping to the 20th century, one cannot overlook the legacy of Erich Klimm (1901-1988), a German resistance fighter who played a crucial role in the anti-Nazi movement during World War II. He was a member of the Kreisau Circle, a group dedicated to overthrowing the Nazi regime, and was imprisoned for his activities.
Throughout its history, the Klimm surname has been associated with various professions, from academics and artists to scientists and activists. While its origins may be rooted in the rugged landscapes of Bavaria, the name has spread far and wide, leaving an indelible mark on the cultural and intellectual fabric of Germany and beyond.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Klimm
Among Census respondents with the surname Klimm, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Black (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Klimm 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 Klimm surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.6% · 113
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 3
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Klimm
Klimm 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
#148,347
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
-13 bearers (-10.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 21,161 places
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
+6 bearers (+5.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,077 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #127,186 | 124 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #148,347 | 111 | 0.04 | -13 bearers (-10.5%) | Down 21,161 places |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.4%) | Up 4,077 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 Klimm 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 | #148,347 | #144,270 | 2.7% |
| Count | 111 | 117 | 5.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Klimm bearers went from 111 to 117 (+5.4% change). The surname moved up 4,077 positions in the national ranking, going from #148,347 to #144,270.
FAQ
Klimm surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Klimm?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Klimm. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Klimm?
Klimm ranks #144,270 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 117 people with the surname Klimm. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), 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 Klimm.
Has Klimm become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Klimm went from 111 recorded bearers to 117. That is an increase of 6 (+5.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #148,347 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Klimm?
Among Census respondents with the surname Klimm, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Black (0.9%). 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 Klimm in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.6% (113 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Klimm appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.6%), Hispanic (2.6%), Black (0.9%). 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 Klimm (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 Klimm mean?
A German surname derived from a place name referring to one who lived on a steep slope or hillside. 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 Klimm (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 Americans have the surname Klimm?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.