UK surname

Klinger

A German occupational surname referring to a maker of blades or swords.

In the 1881 census there were 3 people recorded with the Klinger surname, ranking it #33,498 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 105, ranked #30,114, up from #33,498 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kensington and Chelsea, Barnet and Waltham Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Klinger is 116 in 2001. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 3400.0%.

1881 census count

Ranked #33,498

Modern count

105

2016, ranked #30,114

Peak year

2001

116 bearers

Map years

1998 to 2016

Key insights

• Klinger had 3 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,498 surname in that year.
• The latest modern count shown here is 105 in 2016, ranked #30,114.
• Within the historical census years, the highest count was 44 in 1911.
• The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Outer Suburbs.

Map

Klinger surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Klinger surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Year

Loading map

Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Klinger 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	1	#33,412
1861	historical	1	#34,435
1881	historical	3	#33,498
1891	historical	2	#34,436
1901	historical	11	#32,907
1911	historical	44	#28,454
1997	modern	99	#27,039
1998	modern	113	#25,731
1999	modern	108	#26,602
2000	modern	110	#26,248
2001	modern	116	#25,089
2002	modern	113	#26,024
2003	modern	116	#25,415
2004	modern	112	#26,159
2005	modern	97	#28,485
2006	modern	95	#29,113
2007	modern	104	#28,020
2008	modern	104	#28,341
2009	modern	111	#27,846
2010	modern	111	#28,509
2011	modern	106	#29,157
2012	modern	96	#30,949
2013	modern	103	#30,235
2014	modern	103	#30,539
2015	modern	103	#30,444
2016	modern	105	#30,114

Geography

Where Klingers 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 Kensington and Chelsea, Barnet and Waltham Forest. 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	Kensington and Chelsea 020	Kensington and Chelsea
2	Barnet 032	Barnet
3	Barnet 035	Barnet
4	Waltham Forest 008	Waltham Forest
5	Barnet 028	Barnet

Forenames

First names often paired with Klinger

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Recent female names

Ulrike Katherine Sarah Ursula Zoe Jennifer Avril Alexandra Melanie Barbara

Recent male names

Anthony Daniel Julian Paul Joel Bernard Michael Christopher Jonathan Randy

Modern profile

Neighbourhood profile for Klinger

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Klinger, 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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Outer Suburbs

Nationally, the Klinger surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Outer Suburbs, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Klinger household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods are found on the outer edges of many towns and cities. Many residents were born outside the UK. Indian ethnic group representation is high. There are high numbers of families with dependent children aged 5 to 14. Incidences of disability and of provision of unpaid care are low. Neighbourhoods provide a mix of detached housing and flats, and terraced housing is not uncommon. Levels of overcrowding are low and homeownership rates are high. Professional and managerial occupations are prevalent: unemployment is low and education to degree level is the norm.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Klinger is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Klinger is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Klinger falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Klinger is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate: White - Other

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

Origin

Meaning and origin of Klinger

The surname Klinger is of German origin, derived from the Middle High German word "klingen," meaning "to sound" or "to ring." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who worked as a bell-ringer or in a profession related to metalworking.

The name can be traced back to the 13th century, with early recorded instances found in various regions of Germany, including Bavaria, Saxony, and Swabia. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Konrad der Klinger, who was mentioned in a document from the city of Nuremberg in 1292.

Throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissance period, the surname Klinger appeared in various historical records and manuscripts, often associated with artisans, tradesmen, and members of the emerging middle class in German towns and cities.

In the 16th century, a notable figure with the surname Klinger was Andreas Klinger (1522-1561), a German theologian and Protestant reformer who played a role in the Reformation movement in Saxony.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Klinger family name gained prominence in several parts of Germany, including the regions of Württemberg and Hesse. One notable bearer of the name was Friedrich Maximilian von Klinger (1752-1831), a German playwright, novelist, and dramatist who was a leading figure in the Sturm und Drang literary movement.

Another notable figure was Max Klinger (1857-1920), a German painter, sculptor, and printmaker who was a prominent representative of the Symbolist movement in art. His works, which often explored themes of life, death, and the human condition, were highly influential in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

In the 19th century, the surname Klinger also gained recognition in the field of medicine with the German physician and pathologist Friedrich Gustav Jakob Klinger (1801-1868), who made significant contributions to the study of diseases of the brain and spinal cord.

Throughout its history, the surname Klinger has been associated with various professions, from artisans and tradesmen to intellectuals, artists, and medical professionals, reflecting the diverse paths taken by bearers of this name across different regions of Germany and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Klinger families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Klinger 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. Lancashire leads with 1 Klingers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.88x.

County	Total	Frequency	Index
Lancashire	1	0.00%	2.88x
Middlesex	1	0.00%	3.42x
Northamptonshire	1	0.00%	36.36x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Little Bowden in Northamptonshire leads with 1 Klingers recorded in 1881 and an index of 10000.00x.

Place	Total	Frequency	Index
Little Bowden	1	0.10%	10000.00x
Paddington London	1	0.00%	93.46x
Wavertree	1	0.01%	909.09x

Top female names

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

Name	Count
Anna	2
Catharine	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 Klinger households.

Occupation	Count
Domestic Ladys Maid	1
Domestic Servt	1
Nurse(French)	1

FAQ

Klinger surname: questions and answers

How common was the Klinger surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3 people were recorded with the Klinger surname. That placed it at #33,498 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Klinger surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 105 in 2016. That gives Klinger a modern rank of #30,114.

What does the Klinger surname mean?