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

Kline, 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 Kline surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kline in America

Kline is the 761st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kline surname appeared 45,390 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 15 people would have the surname Kline.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kline 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 Kline

The surname Kline originated in Germany and is a variation of the German word "klein," which means "small." This surname was likely first used to refer to a person of small stature or someone who was considered small or insignificant in their community.

The name can be traced back to the Middle Ages, with some of the earliest recorded instances appearing in German parish records and historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. Variations of the spelling, such as Klyne and Clyne, were also common during this time period.

In the 16th century, the name Kline began to appear in various regions of Germany, including Bavaria, Saxony, and the Rhineland. During this time, the name was often associated with specific professions, such as tailors or cobblers, who were known for their attention to detail and precision in their work.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Kline was Johann Kline, a German merchant and landowner who lived in the city of Nuremberg in the late 15th century. Records indicate that he was a prominent figure in the local community and owned several properties in the city.

Another notable figure with the Kline surname was Philipp Kline, a German Lutheran theologian and educator who lived in the 17th century. He was a professor at the University of Heidelberg and published several works on theology and philosophy.

In the 18th century, the name Kline began to spread beyond Germany as families with this surname immigrated to other parts of Europe and even to the American colonies. One notable individual from this period was Johann Adam Kline, a German-born farmer who settled in Pennsylvania in the mid-1700s and established a successful agricultural operation.

In the 19th century, the Kline surname continued to gain prominence, particularly in the United States. One notable figure was John Kline, an American minister and abolitionist who was born in 1797 in Virginia. He was a vocal opponent of slavery and played a significant role in the Underground Railroad, helping to guide escaped slaves to freedom.

Another notable individual with the Kline surname was Harriet Kline, an American suffragist and women's rights activist who was born in 1846 in New York. She was a prominent figure in the women's suffrage movement and worked tirelessly to secure the right to vote for women in the United States.

Over the centuries, the Kline surname has been associated with various occupations, from merchants and farmers to theologians and activists. While its origins can be traced back to Germany and the Middle Ages, the name has since spread across the globe, reflecting the diverse histories and experiences of those who bear it.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kline

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!