NameCensus.

UK surname

Klee

A German and Dutch surname derived from the Middle High German word "kle," meaning "clover."

In the 1881 census there were 33 people recorded with the Klee surname, ranking it #28,965 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 82, ranked #32,895, down from #28,965 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wychavon, Burnley and Test Valley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Klee is 115 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 148.5%.

1881 census count

33

Ranked #28,965

Modern count

82

2016, ranked #32,895

Peak year

2002

115 bearers

Map years

1

1998 to 1998

Key insights

  • Klee had 33 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,965 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 82 in 2016, ranked #32,895.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 81 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Klee surname distribution map

The map shows where the Klee surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Klee surname density by area, 1998 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Klee over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 3 #32,890
1861 historical 7 #33,053
1881 historical 33 #28,965
1891 historical 47 #30,566
1901 historical 58 #27,724
1911 historical 81 #24,719
1997 modern 102 #26,638
1998 modern 101 #27,479
1999 modern 102 #27,468
2000 modern 105 #27,001
2001 modern 110 #25,900
2002 modern 115 #25,749
2003 modern 98 #28,046
2004 modern 88 #29,758
2005 modern 93 #29,133
2006 modern 93 #29,411
2007 modern 89 #30,383
2008 modern 91 #30,431
2009 modern 89 #31,235
2010 modern 96 #30,854
2011 modern 94 #31,016
2012 modern 101 #30,078
2013 modern 99 #30,934
2014 modern 97 #31,518
2015 modern 87 #32,514
2016 modern 82 #32,895

Geography

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Where Klees are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wychavon, Burnley, Test Valley, The Vale of Glamorgan and North Somerset. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wychavon 012 Wychavon
2 Burnley 008 Burnley
3 Test Valley 004 Test Valley
4 The Vale of Glamorgan 012 Vale of Glamorgan
5 North Somerset 024 North Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Klee

These lists show first names that appear often with the Klee surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Klee

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Klee, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Klee surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Klee household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Klee is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Klee is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Klee falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Klee is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Klee, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Klee

The surname KLEE originated in Germany, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the German word "Klee," which means "clover," suggesting that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a clover field or worked with clover in some capacity.

The name KLEE is believed to have originated in the region of Bavaria, in southern Germany. It was often spelled in various ways, such as "Klee," "Kleee," or "Kley," reflecting the regional dialects and linguistic variations of the time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name KLEE can be found in the baptismal records of the town of Augsburg, Bavaria, in the year 1542, where a child named Hans Klee was baptized. This entry provides evidence of the name's existence and usage during that period.

In the 17th century, the name KLEE appeared in several historical records, including legal documents and property deeds. For example, in 1672, a man named Johann Klee was listed as a landowner in the town of Bamberg, Bavaria.

One notable historical figure with the surname KLEE was Paul Klee, a renowned Swiss-German artist who lived from 1879 to 1940. He is celebrated for his unique style of modernist and expressionist paintings, which incorporated elements of cubism, surrealism, and abstraction.

Another individual with the KLEE surname was Johann Klee, a German military officer who served in the Prussian Army during the Napoleonic Wars in the early 19th century. He was born in 1782 and died in 1853.

In the field of literature, Ludwig Klee was a German writer and poet who lived from 1890 to 1947. He is known for his poetry collections and his work as a critic and editor.

Another notable figure with the KLEE surname was Katharina Klee, a German philanthropist and social reformer who lived from 1821 to 1892. She founded several charitable organizations and worked to improve the living conditions of the poor and underprivileged.

Finally, Heinrich Klee, a German composer and musician, lived from 1800 to 1840. He composed several operas and instrumental works, contributing to the rich musical tradition of Germany during that era.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Klee families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Klee surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Worcestershire leads with 20 Klees recorded in 1881 and an index of 47.62x.

County Total Index
Worcestershire 20 47.62x
Sussex 7 12.91x
Somerset 4 7.73x
Durham 1 1.05x
Middlesex 1 0.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leigh in Worcestershire leads with 20 Klees recorded in 1881 and an index of 3921.57x.

Place Total Index
Leigh 20 3921.57x
Brighton 7 63.99x
Bath St James 4 740.74x
Bishopwearmouth 1 12.18x
St Marylebone London 1 5.82x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Klee surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Elizabeth 3
Annie 1
Hannah 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Lizzie 1
Mary 1
Mavisha 1
Sarah 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Klee surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 4
Conrad 2
George 2
Jacob 2
Jacol 2
Theodore 2
Adolph 1
Albert 1
Fred 1
Fritz 1
Herbert 1
Joseph 1
Martin 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Klee households.

FAQ

Klee surname: questions and answers

How common was the Klee surname in 1881?

In 1881, 33 people were recorded with the Klee surname. That placed it at #28,965 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Klee surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 82 in 2016. That gives Klee a modern rank of #32,895.

What does the Klee surname mean?

A German and Dutch surname derived from the Middle High German word "kle," meaning "clover."

What does the Klee map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Klee bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.