2000
#13,092
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,143
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.79
Rare Last name
Kluge
A German occupational surname referring to a clever or resourceful person, derived from the Middle Low German "klūk".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,383 Americans carry the last name Kluge. That puts it at #13,903 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.70 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 143,833 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kluge 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
2.4K
1 in 143,833
Census rank
#13,903
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,078 bearers of the surname Kluge in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.70 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13903rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kluge, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.9%) and Two or More Races (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kluge
The surname Kluge is of German origin and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Middle High German word "kluc" or "kluge," which meant "clever" or "wise." This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname given to someone who was considered exceptionally intelligent or astute.
In the early 14th century, the name Kluge began appearing in various German records and documents. One of the earliest known references is found in the Nuremberg Chronicles, a famous illustrated world history book published in 1493, which mentions a certain Konrad Kluge from the city of Nuremberg.
The surname Kluge was particularly prevalent in the regions of Saxony and Thuringia, where it was often associated with families of scholars, writers, and intellectuals. In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing this name was Johann Kluge (1513-1567), a German theologian and Protestant reformer who played a significant role in the Reformation movement.
Throughout the centuries, the Kluge surname has undergone various spelling variations, such as Klugge, Kluege, and Klug. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and local scribes' interpretations. Despite these minor alterations, the core meaning of the name remained consistent.
One of the most renowned individuals with the surname Kluge was Victor Kluge (1801-1868), a prominent German philologist and linguist who made significant contributions to the study of Scandinavian languages. His scholarly works, including his seminal book "Über die neuesten Arbeiten auf dem Gebiete der deutschen Grammatik" (On the Latest Works in the Field of German Grammar), had a lasting impact on the field of linguistics.
Another notable figure was Otto Kluge (1825-1917), a German jurist and politician who served as the Minister of Justice for the Kingdom of Prussia from 1879 to 1888. He played a crucial role in the codification of German civil law and was instrumental in the development of the German Civil Code, known as the Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch (BGB).
In the realm of literature, the name Kluge is associated with the German writer and poet Hermann Kluge (1846-1923), who was known for his lyrical poetry and his contributions to the literary magazine "Die Gesellschaft" (The Society).
Another prominent figure was Ewald Kluge (1909-1964), a German archaeologist and historian who made significant discoveries and contributions to the understanding of ancient Germanic cultures. His excavations and research shed light on the settlement patterns and material culture of early Germanic tribes.
It is worth noting that while the surname Kluge has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to emigration and migration patterns. However, the historical and linguistic origins of this name can be traced back to the German-speaking regions of central Europe.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kluge
Among Census respondents with the surname Kluge, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.9%) and Two or More Races (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Kluge 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 Kluge surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.8% · 1,887
- Hispanic or Latino4.9% · 102
- Two or more races2.9% · 60
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 22
- Black or African American0.2% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kluge
Kluge 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
#13,660
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,216
+73 bearers (+3.4%)
Per 100,000 0.75
Rank movement Down 568 places
2020
#13,903
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,078
-138 bearers (-6.2%)
Per 100,000 0.70
Rank movement Down 243 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #13,092 | 2,143 | 0.79 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #13,660 | 2,216 | 0.75 | +73 bearers (+3.4%) | Down 568 places |
| 2020 | #13,903 | 2,078 | 0.70 | -138 bearers (-6.2%) | Down 243 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 Kluge 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 | #13,660 | #13,903 | -1.8% |
| Count | 2,216 | 2,078 | -6.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.75 | 0.70 | -7.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kluge bearers went from 2,216 to 2,078 (-6.2% change). The surname moved down 243 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,660 to #13,903.
FAQ
Kluge surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kluge?
Name Census estimates that about 2,383 living Americans carry the surname Kluge. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 143,833 residents.
How common is Kluge?
Kluge ranks #13,903 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.70 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,078 people with the surname Kluge. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,383), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.7 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.70 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Kluge.
Has Kluge become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kluge went from 2,216 recorded bearers to 2,078. That is a decrease of 138 (-6.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #13,660 to #13,903.
What does the Census say about the background of Kluge?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kluge, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.9%) and Two or More Races (2.9%). 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 Kluge in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.8% (1,887 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kluge appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.8%), Hispanic (4.9%), Two or More Races (2.9%). 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 Kluge (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 Kluge mean?
A German occupational surname referring to a clever or resourceful person, derived from the Middle Low German "klūk". 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 Kluge (0.70 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 many people have the surname Kluge?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.