Surname Kleßen - Meaning and Origin

Kleßen: What does the surname Kleßen mean?

The surname Kleßen is German in origin and likely derives from the personal name Kleßa, a diminutive of the name Eckehard. The suffix –en attached to the name would have indicated an area of origin, suggesting that those bearing the Kleßen surname likely originated from a region of the same name.

The name Kleßen likely derives from Old High German Klesa which was derived from the Old High German word klesan meaning ‘to suffer’ or ‘to struggle’. As such, the implied meaning of the Kleßen surname may be something along the lines of ‘struggling in or from Kleßa’.

As with many surnames of German origin, there are likely multiple variants of the name which changed through time and location. Examples of surname variants include Klessen, Klimasch, Klüß, Klüßen, Klesc, Klesch, Kleßan and Kleßmann.

Today, the surname remains relatively uncommon and is primarily recorded throughout Germany, particularly in the western parts of the nation. Variants of the name have been recorded elsewhere, including in the Netherlands, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic and the United States.

Kleßen: Where does the name Kleßen come from?

The surname Kleßen is most commonly found today in Germany, its country of origin. Kleßen was first found in the region of Saxony, an area on the northern border between Germany and Poland, and is believed to be derived from the Middle High German word klese, meaning "clover or trefoil". The surname was likely first borne by a landowner who lived near clover fields.

Kleßen is a relatively rare name, but its distribution has grown since the 1800s. In modern Germany, Kleßen remains a localized surname, with the highest concentrations found in the city of Dresden, in the state of Saxony, and scattered throughout Bavaria, Thuringia, Lower Saxony, Saarland, Berlin, Hamburg, and the Brandenburg area.

Additionally, Kleßen is found in countries bordering Germany, including Poland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Switzerland, Austria, and the Czech Republic. Immigration records show that a handful of Kleßen families left Germany in the early 20th century and headed for the United States, Australia, and Canada. Small numbers of descendants of Kleßen families still exist in these countries.

Overall, Kleßen is a surname with a history in the German region of Saxony and is still found today primarily in Germany and surrounding countries, with scattered populations in distant parts of the world.

Variations of the surname Kleßen

Kleßen is an old German surname stemming from the Middle Ages. In its original form, the surname was Klessen but later evolved to the variant Kleßen. Several variant spellings of the surname are also seen in different countries, including Kless, Klesse, Klessen, Klez, Klesz, and Kloeß.

In many cases, the spelling of the surname was changed during immigration to other countries, often in an effort to make the name easier to pronounce and spell. In the United States, for example, the names Clement and Clausen are common variants of Kleßen, identifying those families who had emigrated from German-speaking nations.

Surnames that share the same origin as Kleßen include Clesson, Kletten, Kleten, Klettsen, Kletten, Kloss, Klotz, Klett, Klott, and Klotz. Less common surnames of Kleßen origin include Klick, Klee, Klatte, Klemm, Klessemann, Kleven, Kleininger, and Kleider.

In Belgium, Kleßen is often spelled with an accent over the ‘e’: Klëssen. This form of the name is more common in French-speaking areas than in German-speaking areas.

The Kleßen surname has also been found spelled differently in various locations and time periods. In Switzerland, for example, the name can be found spelled Klessen, Kleissen, and Klesten. In Prussia, the surname could be Klössen, Kliesen, and Klausen, while in the Netherlands it could be Klüs, Kluesen, or Klusen.

Famous people with the name Kleßen

• Justus von Liebig (1803-1873), German chemist.
• Karl Kleßen (1780-1860), German Purveyor of the Court.
• Marie Kleßen (1845-1910), German playwright and author.
• Elias Clessin (1527-1612), German theologian and pastor.
• Johann Kleßen (1609-1682), German Baroque composer.
• Anton Kleßen (1825-1908), German obstetrician and gynecologist.
• Johan Diedrich Kleßen (1781-1832), Prussian major general.
• Otto Kleßen (1852-1920), German rifle shooter and entrepreneur.
• Rudolf Kleßen (1863-1934), German physicist and professor of applied mathematics.
• Reinier Kleßen (1700s-1800s), Dutch painter and interior designer.

Other surnames

Kleße