Surname Kleen - Meaning and Origin
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Kleen: What does the surname Kleen mean?
The surname Kleen is of German origin. It is found most often in the Rhineland region of Germany and is thought to be derived from the Old Dutch word “kleen” which means “clean”. It is likely that this word began as a nickname for someone with a reputation for cleanliness, or perhaps who had an occupation that was associated with cleanliness.
The first use of the Kleen surname is thought to have been in the 12th century in Germany. Over the centuries, the name has spread across Europe and then around the world as people moved to new places. In the 1700s, more than 10,000 people with the Kleen surname were living throughout Germany. It is also found in Scandinavia, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and across the United States.
The Kleen surname is often found among descendants of German immigrants who came to North and South America during the 18th and 19th centuries. Many of these immigrants settled in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Nebraska. In addition, many of the Kleen families also spread to Argentina and Brazil where they have been established for at least two centuries.
Today, the Kleen surname is still found across the world. It is a reminder of the courage and resilience of those who moved to new places to create a better life for themselves and their families.
Order DNA origin analysisKleen: Where does the name Kleen come from?
Kleen is a German surname that is still quite common today, primarily in the North Rhine-Westphalia region of Germany. It is also a relatively common surname in some neighboring countries, such as Austria and the Netherlands, as well as Luxembourg.
The surname's main origin in Germany is a place formerly known as Kleen, located in North Rhine-Westphalia near the Dutch border. The name is derived from a combination of two German words, kleine and ach, which mean small and stream, respectively. This indicates that the region was once known for having small streams in the area.
Kleen is also a common American surname, particularly among German-American immigrants and their descendants who settled in the Midwestern and Pennsylvania regions of the country. The top five cities in the United States with the highest percentage of Kleens are Ottumwa in Iowa, Mayfield in Kentucky, Hagerstown in Maryland, Blackwell in Oklahoma, and Sycamore in Illinois.
It is likely that the surname has also spread through other German immigrants and their descendants who settled overseas, such as in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Other non-German-speaking countries where the Kleen surname can be found include Finland, Thailand, and the Philippines.
Variations of the surname Kleen
Kleen is an Anglo-Saxon surname that originates from England. It is an anglicized form of the Scandinavian name “Klein”, which could origins from other Northern European countries, such as Germany, Sweden and Norway. In fact, many Kleen surnames with origins in other countries still carry a similar spelling today.
Variants of the Kleen surname include:
• Klein
• Kleine
• Kleyn
• Kleyne
• Kyne
• Kynne
• Klayne
• Kline
• Klin
• Kilin
• Klien
• Klain
• Klyn
• Kley
• Kliene
• Klayn
• Kylin
These variants are often encountered in the records of baptisms, marriages, and other occasions. Additionally, many of these surnames are also encountered as shortenings of longer versions such as Kleinstein, Klintrope, Klosterman, and Kleindorf, which are German surnames.
Not only are there numerous variants of the Kleen surname, but there are also many different interpretations of the spelling. For example, K-L-E-E-N could also be written K-L-I-E-N, K-L-E-A-N, K-L-E-I-N, and so on.
As the Kleen surname has spread over time amongst different countries and cultures, a number of derivative, spelling-variant, and other surnames associated with this surname have also emerged. A few of the most common are Cleen, Clean, Clien, Kleynen, and Kleinke.
In conclusion, there are many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for the surname Kleen. A thorough search of available records and resources is essential in order to track down the variant spelling for a specific ancestor.
Famous people with the name Kleen
- Jarrett Kleen: American actor and stuntman
- Jan Kleen: Dutch former footballer
- Toni Kleen: German Paralympic swimmer
- Torben Kleen: Danish former football striker
- Morten Kleen: Norwegian preimier league footballer
- Mike Kleen: American fantasy author
- Christian Kleen: German contemporary artist
- Bob Kleen: American politican
- Kenneth Kleen: American mathematician
- Reinhard Kleen: German former sprinter
- Alexandra Kleen: Austrian Olympic artist
- Walter Kleen: German World War Two veteran
- Johannes Kleen: Canadian investment banker
- John Kleen: Icelandic conductor
- Hugo Kleen: German trade unionist
- Carl Kleen: Dutch physicist
- Ulla Kleen: Swedish actress
- Evan Kleen: American anchor/broadcaster
- Charles Kleen: Canadian industrialist
- Theodor Kleen: German tenor singer