2000
#5,326
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,023
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.23
Rare Last name
Klug
A German and Jewish surname derived from the Middle High German word "kluoc," meaning "clever" or "wise."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 6,685 Americans carry the last name Klug. That puts it at #5,722 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.95 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 51,272 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Klug 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
6.7K
1 in 51,272
Census rank
#5,722
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
5.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 5,830 bearers of the surname Klug in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.95 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5722nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Klug, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.2%) and Hispanic (2.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Klug
The surname Klug originates from Germany and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Middle High German word "kluk," which means "clever" or "intelligent." The name was likely given to someone who was known for their intelligence or wit.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Klug can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of historical documents from Saxony, dating back to the year 1270. The name is spelled "Clugk" in this document.
In the 14th century, the name Klug appeared in various records across Germany, such as the Stadtbuch von Nürnberg (City Book of Nuremberg) from 1348, where it was spelled "Kluge." This suggests that the name was widespread in different regions of the country.
A notable historical figure bearing the surname Klug was Johann Klug (1576-1616), a German composer and organist who lived during the Renaissance period. He is best known for his sacred vocal works and instrumental compositions.
Another prominent individual with the surname Klug was Johann Christian Klug (1725-1789), a German botanist and physician. He made significant contributions to the study of plant taxonomy and compiled a comprehensive catalogue of plants found in the region of Silesia.
In the 19th century, Carl Klug (1832-1892) was a German entomologist and arachnologist who studied insects and spiders. He published numerous works on these subjects and made important discoveries in the field of entomology.
The surname Klug can also be found in various place names across Germany, such as Klugsberge, a small village in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, and Klugstedt, a municipality in the state of Lower Saxony.
Throughout history, the surname Klug has been associated with individuals known for their intelligence, scholarly achievements, and contributions to various fields of study, reflecting the meaning of the name's origin.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Klug
Among Census respondents with the surname Klug, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.2%) and Hispanic (2.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Klug 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 Klug surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.1% · 5,425
- Two or more races3.2% · 186
- Hispanic or Latino2.3% · 135
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 51
- Black or African American0.3% · 20
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 13
Timeline
Historical Census data for Klug
Klug 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
#5,737
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,041
+18 bearers (+0.3%)
Per 100,000 2.05
Rank movement Down 411 places
2020
#5,722
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,830
-211 bearers (-3.5%)
Per 100,000 1.95
Rank movement Up 15 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #5,326 | 6,023 | 2.23 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #5,737 | 6,041 | 2.05 | +18 bearers (+0.3%) | Down 411 places |
| 2020 | #5,722 | 5,830 | 1.95 | -211 bearers (-3.5%) | Up 15 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 Klug 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 | #5,737 | #5,722 | 0.3% |
| Count | 6,041 | 5,830 | -3.5% |
| Per 100K | 2.05 | 1.95 | -4.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Klug bearers went from 6,041 to 5,830 (-3.5% change). The surname moved up 15 positions in the national ranking, going from #5,737 to #5,722.
FAQ
Klug surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Klug?
Name Census estimates that about 6,685 living Americans carry the surname Klug. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 51,272 residents.
How common is Klug?
Klug ranks #5,722 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.95 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 5,830 people with the surname Klug. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (6,685), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.95 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.95 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Klug.
Has Klug become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Klug went from 6,041 recorded bearers to 5,830. That is a decrease of 211 (-3.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #5,737 to #5,722.
What does the Census say about the background of Klug?
Among Census respondents with the surname Klug, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.2%) and Hispanic (2.3%). 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 Klug in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.1% (5,425 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Klug 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 (3.2%), Hispanic (2.3%). 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 Klug (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 Klug mean?
A German and Jewish surname derived from the Middle High German word "kluoc," meaning "clever" or "wise." 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 Klug (1.95 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 Klug?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Klug on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.