2000
#142,819
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Klimmek
A German surname derived from the word "klimmen," meaning to climb or surmount.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 133 Americans carry the last name Klimmek. That puts it at #145,028 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,577,100 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Klimmek 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
133
1 in 2,577,100
Census rank
#145,028
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
116
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 116 bearers of the surname Klimmek in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145028th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Klimmek, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.2%) and Hispanic (4.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Klimmek
The surname Klimmek is of Polish origin, with roots tracing back to the 16th century. Originally, it was concentrated in the regions of Silesia and Greater Poland. The name is believed to be derived from the Polish word "klimek," which means "a small branch or twig." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname may have had an occupation or association with forestry or agriculture.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Klimmek can be found in the historic town records of Wrocław, dating back to 1587. These records mention a certain Jan Klimmek, who was a local landowner and farmer. Another notable early bearer of this surname was Michał Klimmek, a renowned herbalist and apothecary who lived in Poznań in the late 17th century.
During the 18th century, the Klimmek surname gained prominence in the region of Silesia, which was then part of the Kingdom of Prussia. The Silesian genealogical records from this period mention several prominent individuals with this surname, including Jakub Klimmek (1712-1784), a respected miller and landowner in the town of Opole.
As the Klimmek family spread across different regions of Poland and Europe, variations in the spelling of the surname emerged. Some of these included Klymek, Klymik, and Klimek. One notable individual with a similar surname was Józef Klimek (1801-1867), a Polish politician and writer who played a significant role in the November Uprising of 1830-1831.
In the 19th century, several individuals with the Klimmek surname made their mark in various fields. Among them was Stefan Klimmek (1839-1912), a renowned architect who designed several prominent buildings in Warsaw, including the iconic Warsaw Philharmonic. Another notable figure was Franciszek Klimmek (1865-1942), a celebrated painter and art educator who taught at the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków.
As the 20th century dawned, the Klimmek surname continued to be represented in various walks of life. One notable individual was Kazimierz Klimmek (1905-1988), a Polish military officer who fought bravely during World War II and later served as a diplomat in the post-war era.
Throughout its long history, the Klimmek surname has been borne by individuals from diverse backgrounds, ranging from farmers and artisans to artists, politicians, and military personnel. While its origins can be traced back to the humble beginnings of a rural Polish family, the name has since gained recognition and prominence across various regions and spheres of influence.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Klimmek
Among Census respondents with the surname Klimmek, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.2%) and Hispanic (4.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Klimmek 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 Klimmek surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.3% · 99
- Two or more races5.2% · 6
- Hispanic or Latino4.3% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander4.3% · 5
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Klimmek
Klimmek 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
#147,253
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
+5 bearers (+4.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,434 places
2020
#145,028
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+4 bearers (+3.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 2,225 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #142,819 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #147,253 | 112 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+4.7%) | Down 4,434 places |
| 2020 | #145,028 | 116 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.6%) | Up 2,225 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 Klimmek 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 | #147,253 | #145,028 | 1.5% |
| Count | 112 | 116 | 3.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Klimmek bearers went from 112 to 116 (+3.6% change). The surname moved up 2,225 positions in the national ranking, going from #147,253 to #145,028.
FAQ
Klimmek surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Klimmek?
Name Census estimates that about 133 living Americans carry the surname Klimmek. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,577,100 residents.
How common is Klimmek?
Klimmek ranks #145,028 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 116 people with the surname Klimmek. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (133), 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 Klimmek.
Has Klimmek become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Klimmek went from 112 recorded bearers to 116. That is an increase of 4 (+3.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #147,253 to #145,028.
What does the Census say about the background of Klimmek?
Among Census respondents with the surname Klimmek, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.2%) and Hispanic (4.3%). 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 Klimmek in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.3% (99 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Klimmek appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.3%), Two or More Races (5.2%), Hispanic (4.3%). 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 Klimmek (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 Klimmek mean?
A German surname derived from the word "klimmen," meaning to climb or surmount. 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 Klimmek (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 have the surname Klimmek?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.