Explore the Family Name Klinge

The meaning of Klinge

1. German: topographic name for someone who lived in a valley or ravine, or near a mountain stream, Middle High German klinge ‘murmuring brook’. There are many places called with this word, and the surname may also be a habitational name from any of them. 2. North German: topographic name for someone living near a ford or on boggy moorland, from Low German klinge ‘ford, muddy heath’, or a habitational name from Klinge in Schleswig-Holstein, Klingen, or any of several other places containing the element klinge ‘ford’. 3. German and Danish: metonymic occupational name for a cutler or swordsmith, from Middle High German klinge ‘metal blade, sword’ (a late derivative of klingen ‘to ring or clatter’). 4. Germanized form of Sorbian Klinka (see Klinke). 5. Dutch: topographic name meaning ‘sandy hill’, or a habitational name from any of the places called Klinge in East Flanders and Zeeland. 6. Swedish: variant of Kling.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Klinge in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Klinge has seen a slight increase in popularity from 2000 to 2010. The rank of the name moved up from 27386 in 2000 to 27331 in 2010, marking a minor change of 0.2%. Similarly, the total count of individuals with this surname went up from 829 in 2000 to 884 in 2010, a rise of 6.63%. However, the proportion per 100k saw a marginal decline of -3.23%.

20002010Change
Rank#27,386#27,3310.2%
Count8298846.63%
Proportion per 100k0.310.3-3.23%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Klinge

In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census reveals that the majority of individuals bearing the Klinge surname identify as White, accounting for 95.48% in 2010, down slightly from 97.59% in 2000. There was a significant increase in those identifying as Hispanic, rising by 128.44% from 1.09% in 2000 to 2.49% in 2010. Furthermore, people identifying with two or more races also increased from 0.97% in 2000 to 1.47% in 2010, a change of 51.55%. Meanwhile, there were no individuals who identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either census year.

20002010Change
White97.59%95.48%-2.16%
Hispanic1.09%2.49%128.44%
Two or More Races0.97%1.47%51.55%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0%0%
Black0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%