2000
#93,006
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 183
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.07
Very Rare Last name
Klum
A variant of the German words 'Klump' or 'Klumpe' meaning 'lump' or 'clod'.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 239 Americans carry the last name Klum. That puts it at #94,341 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.07 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,434,119 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Klum 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
239
1 in 1,434,119
Census rank
#94,341
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
208
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 208 bearers of the surname Klum in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.07 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 94341st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Klum, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.3%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Klum
The surname Klum is of German origin and dates back to the late Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated in the southern regions of Germany, particularly in areas like Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. The name is thought to be derived from the Old German word "klumme," which means "mass" or "lump."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Klum appears in a manuscript from the 14th century, where it is mentioned as a family name in the town of Augsburg. This document provides evidence that the name was already well-established in the region during that time.
In the 16th century, the name Klum can be found in various records and documents from the town of Esslingen, located in the present-day state of Baden-Württemberg. These records include mentions of individuals with the surname Klum working as artisans and tradesmen.
During the 17th century, a prominent figure named Johann Klum (1592-1658) gained recognition as a Lutheran theologian and educator in the city of Nuremberg. His writings and teachings had a significant impact on the intellectual and religious landscape of the time.
Another notable individual was Hans Klum (1718-1789), a master carpenter from the town of Freiburg im Breisgau. He was renowned for his craftsmanship and contributed to the construction of several iconic buildings in the region.
In the 19th century, the Klum family name gained further prominence with the birth of Friedrich Klum (1825-1901), a renowned German painter and illustrator. His works were highly regarded and can be found in various art galleries and museums across Europe.
Moving into the 20th century, one of the most famous individuals with the surname Klum is Heidi Klum (born in 1973), the renowned German-American model, television host, and businesswoman. She rose to international fame in the late 1990s and has since become a household name in the fashion and entertainment industries.
While the above examples provide a glimpse into the history and notable figures associated with the surname Klum, it is important to note that there may be other significant individuals or records that have yet to be uncovered or documented.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Klum
Among Census respondents with the surname Klum, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.3%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Klum 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 Klum surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.5% · 180
- Hispanic or Latino5.3% · 11
- Two or more races4.3% · 9
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.4% · 5
- Black or African American1.0% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Klum
Klum 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
#89,069
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 208
+25 bearers (+13.7%)
Per 100,000 0.07
Rank movement Up 3,937 places
2020
#94,341
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 208
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.07
Rank movement Down 5,272 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #93,006 | 183 | 0.07 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #89,069 | 208 | 0.07 | +25 bearers (+13.7%) | Up 3,937 places |
| 2020 | #94,341 | 208 | 0.07 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 5,272 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 Klum 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 | #89,069 | #94,341 | -5.9% |
| Count | 208 | 208 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.07 | 0.07 | -0.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Klum bearers went from 208 to 208 (+0.0% change). The surname moved down 5,272 positions in the national ranking, going from #89,069 to #94,341.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Klum
FAQ
Klum surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Klum?
Name Census estimates that about 239 living Americans carry the surname Klum. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,434,119 residents.
How common is Klum?
Klum ranks #94,341 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.07 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 208 people with the surname Klum. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (239), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.07 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.07 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 Klum.
Has Klum become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Klum went from 208 recorded bearers to 208. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #89,069 to #94,341.
What does the Census say about the background of Klum?
Among Census respondents with the surname Klum, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.3%) and Two or More Races (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 Klum in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.5% (180 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Klum appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.5%), Hispanic (5.3%), Two or More Races (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 Klum (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 Klum mean?
A variant of the German words 'Klump' or 'Klumpe' meaning 'lump' or 'clod'. 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 Klum (0.07 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 Klum?
Want to know how many people have the last name Klum? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.