Surname Kleinmann - Meaning and Origin
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Kleinmann: What does the surname Kleinmann mean?
Kleinmann is a German surname which means "small man". It is derived from a combination of the words Klein, meaning "small" and Mann, meaning "man". The name is commonly found amongst those of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, and likely originated as a Jewish trade or occupational name referring to a small-scale merchant or dealer.
The surname has been widely distributed throughout Germany and other parts of Central and Eastern Europe. During the 17th and 18th centuries it was common for Jews to adopt surnames as a way of establishing a legal identity and demonstrating their commitment to the communities in which they lived. As such, some Jews may have adopted the name as a way to identify themselves with a physical characteristic.
Kleinmann is a fairly common surname with many spelling variations including Kleinemann, Kleinmen, Kleineman, Klamp, Kleinmeister, Kleimann and Kleimenson. There are also variants of the name in other languages, such as Kleinman in Yiddish.
Today, Kleinmann can be found across many cultures and countries; it is particularly common amongst Jewish and German populations. Those with the surname may share a common ancestor; however, the exact origin and history of the name remains under debate.
Order DNA origin analysisKleinmann: Where does the name Kleinmann come from?
The last name Kleinmann is most commonly found in Germany today. It is a German last name of Jewish origin which likely derived from 'Klein' meaning 'small' and 'Mann' meaning 'man'. Records indicate that the name dates back to the 12th century, but its exact origins are unknown.
The name is seen in Jewish communities across Germany, as well as parts of Austria and Switzerland. While there is no exact count of how many people possess the last name Kleinmann, it is one of the more common last names in the Jewish community in Germany.
The last name Kleinmann is also seen in many areas of the United States, mostly within Jewish communities. It is popular among residents of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Florida, California, Massachusetts, Washington, Illinois, and Ohio. It is seen among other Jewish immigrants, particularly those of German descent, who have moved to these areas over the years.
Kleinmann is also common in Israel and throughout Europe, though it is more rare in other parts of the world.
No matter where the name is found, the last name Kleinmann is an important reminder of the history of Jewish families in Germany and elsewhere, and the trials they have faced over generations.
Variations of the surname Kleinmann
Kleinmann is a German surname derived from the word "klein" meaning small. The variants of this surname include Kleemann, Kleiman, Kleimann, Klement, and Klemm. These variations are all derived from the same root word.
Some spellings of this surname vary drastically, for example Klemm, Kleman, Kleinmon, Klemin, Kleim, Klemen, Kleeme, Kleeman, Kleme, Kleem, Klemme, Klemin, Klemane, Kleinmen, Klemenne, Kleimanne, Kliemann, Kliemann and Klemeno.
Kleinmann is also an Anglicised version of the German surname, Klement, which has similarly derived spellings, such as Klemt, Klemet, Klimt, Kliment, Klint, Klinte and Kliemt. The Anglised version of Klement is Climent, with spellings Climente, Clument, Climents and Climento.
Among the Jewish population, the surname has many variants such as Kleynman, Kleynmann, Kleinmand, Kleenman and Kleanman.
The popularity of this surname is reflected in the many spellings and variants, each of which contains the root word ‘klein’.
Famous people with the name Kleinmann
- Valdemar Kleinmann (1894-1974), Danish resistance fighter during World War II.
- Albert Kleinmann (1894-1975), German politician who was a member of the Nazi Party.
- Edmund Kleinmann (1882-1965), German industrialist and Nazi Party member.
- Sándor Kleinmann (1890-1966), Hungarian sculptor and professor at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics.
- Otto Kleinmann (1888-1980), German architect and designer, best known for his Modernist architecture.
- Irena Kleinmann (1922-2020), Polish lawyer, social worker, and educator famous for leading the effort to bring Polish Jewry back to Judaism during the Soviet era.
- Károly Kleinmann (1881-1949), Hungarian philosopher and academic who was the rector of the University of Budapest in the 1930s.
- Heinz Kleinmann (1937-2016), German politician, chairman of the Left Party in the Bundestag from 2000 to 2004.
- Carl-Frank Kleinmann (1895-1956), German art historian and art critic, author of several books on German painting from the 17th to the 20th century.
- László Kleinmann (1921-2012), Hungarian psychologist and philosopher, best known for his work in the fields of learning and creativity.