2000
#9,019
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,332
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.24
Rare Last name
Klingensmith
A German occupational surname referring to a bladesmith or swordsmith, derived from the Middle High German "klingen" meaning blade.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,542 Americans carry the last name Klingensmith. That puts it at #9,968 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 96,769 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Klingensmith 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
3.5K
1 in 96,769
Census rank
#9,968
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,089 bearers of the surname Klingensmith in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9968th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Klingensmith, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Klingensmith
The surname Klingensmith is of German origin and can be traced back to the 14th century. It is believed to have originated in the southern regions of Germany, particularly in the areas around the Rhine River. The name is derived from the German words "klingen," meaning "blade," and "schmied," meaning "smith" or "blacksmith." Thus, the name Klingensmith loosely translates to "blade smith" or "sword maker."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Klingensmith can be found in the town records of Heidelberg, Germany, dating back to the late 1300s. In these records, a blacksmith named Hans Klingensmith was mentioned as a resident of the town. It is likely that the name was initially an occupational surname, given to individuals who specialized in the craft of making blades and swords.
Throughout the Middle Ages and the Renaissance period, the Klingensmith surname appeared in various German historical records and manuscripts. Some notable individuals bearing this name include Peter Klingensmith (1525-1592), a renowned swordsmith from Solingen, Germany, who was renowned for his exceptional craftsmanship and innovative techniques.
As the centuries passed, the Klingensmith surname spread across Germany and into neighboring countries. In the 18th century, Johann Klingensmith (1712-1783), a skilled metalworker from Nuremberg, gained recognition for his intricate work on armor and weaponry. His grandson, Wilhelm Klingensmith (1758-1831), was a respected historian and scholar who authored several books on the history of German metalworking and weaponry.
In the 19th century, the Klingensmith surname began to appear in records outside of Germany. One notable figure was Anna Klingensmith (1832-1912), a pioneer woman from Bavaria who immigrated to the United States and settled in the state of Ohio. Her memoirs, which documented her journey and experiences as a settler, are considered valuable historical accounts of life on the American frontier.
Another prominent individual with the Klingensmith surname was Karl Klingensmith (1871-1946), a German-born engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of early automobiles. He worked for several major automotive companies, including Daimler and Ford, and held numerous patents for his innovative designs.
While the Klingensmith surname has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and diaspora. However, the name's connection to the art of blade-making and metalworking remains an integral part of its historical significance and cultural heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Klingensmith
Among Census respondents with the surname Klingensmith, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Klingensmith 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 Klingensmith surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.8% · 2,897
- Two or more races2.7% · 84
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 79
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 14
- Black or African American0.3% · 10
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Klingensmith
Klingensmith 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
#9,186
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,551
+219 bearers (+6.6%)
Per 100,000 1.20
Rank movement Down 167 places
2020
#9,968
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,089
-462 bearers (-13.0%)
Per 100,000 1.03
Rank movement Down 782 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,019 | 3,332 | 1.24 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,186 | 3,551 | 1.20 | +219 bearers (+6.6%) | Down 167 places |
| 2020 | #9,968 | 3,089 | 1.03 | -462 bearers (-13.0%) | Down 782 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 Klingensmith 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 | #9,186 | #9,968 | -8.5% |
| Count | 3,551 | 3,089 | -13.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.20 | 1.03 | -13.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Klingensmith bearers went from 3,551 to 3,089 (-13.0% change). The surname moved down 782 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,186 to #9,968.
FAQ
Klingensmith surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Klingensmith?
Name Census estimates that about 3,542 living Americans carry the surname Klingensmith. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 96,769 residents.
How common is Klingensmith?
Klingensmith ranks #9,968 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,089 people with the surname Klingensmith. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,542), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Klingensmith.
Has Klingensmith become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Klingensmith went from 3,551 recorded bearers to 3,089. That is a decrease of 462 (-13.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #9,186 to #9,968.
What does the Census say about the background of Klingensmith?
Among Census respondents with the surname Klingensmith, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and Hispanic (2.6%). 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 Klingensmith in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.8% (2,897 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Klingensmith appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.8%), Two or More Races (2.7%), Hispanic (2.6%). 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 Klingensmith (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 Klingensmith mean?
A German occupational surname referring to a bladesmith or swordsmith, derived from the Middle High German "klingen" meaning blade. 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 Klingensmith (1.03 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 Klingensmith?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the surname Klingensmith at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.