Surname Kleßinger - Meaning and Origin

Kleßinger: What does the surname Kleßinger mean?

The surname Kleßinger is believed to have originated in Bavaria, Germany and is a toponymic name, meaning it is derived from the name of a place. Specifically, it is derived from the word “Kleß” which likely refers to a place called Kleßberg in the state of Bavaria. Kleßinger is therefore a locational or habitational surname and was commonly given to people who emigrated from the area where this place was located.

The Kleßberg area was likely once owned by some noble family, with Kleßinger being an occupational surname used by their servants to identify them. This would mean they were employed as land stewards or as financial officers who collected tithes and rents.

The Kleßinger surname is borne by many prominent people such as Hans Kleßinger who was regarded as an important 16th century explorer and Katrin Kleßinger who is a successful German psychiatrist. It is also found among the German emigrants to the United States during the 1870s and 1880s.

Today, the Kleßinger surname is still common in Germany and may also be found in other countries around the world such as France, Brazil, and the United States. In a world that is becoming increasingly globalized, the Kleßinger surname serves as reminder of a particular place and culture in Germany's past.

Kleßinger: Where does the name Kleßinger come from?

The surname Kleßinger is commonly found in Germany and Austria, as well other German-speaking areas like Switzerland and Luxembourg. It is thought to have originated in Germany, with records dating back to at least the 1500s. The name is relatively rare, being found in only a few thousand records online. It is most likely derived from a personal name like Klaus or Christopher, used to denote a family with ownership of land or a residence.

The highest concentration of the name is found in the German state of Hesse, where nearly 4,000 records list it. It is also quite common in Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Saxony, Bavaria, and Baden-Württemberg. The Kleßinger surname is also found in Austria in the provinces of Vienna, Lower Austria, and Salzburg. It is relatively uncommon elsewhere.

Over the centuries, the spelling of the name has changed many times. Variations include Kleßinger, Klesinger, Kleßke, Klesske, Kleske, Klesinger, Kleßvert, Kleßen, and Kleßer.

Interestingly, the Kleßinger surname appears quite recently in Australia, as immigrants began to settle there in the 1800s. This is likely due to the fact that a significant number of German immigrants arrived in Australia during this period. Today, the surname is rarely found in Australia, but the Kleßinger family members from this country who retain the name are likely descendants of these original settlers.

Variations of the surname Kleßinger

Kleßinger is a German surname. Variants of the family name include Klessinger, Kleisinger, Kleisinger, Kleissinger, Kleisinger, Kleussinger and Clausinger. It is sometimes spelled Klessing, Klassinger, Klessiner, Klissinger, Klessinger, Kliesinger and Klasinger too.

The surname originated from a place name in Germany and therefore is most common German. It is believed to originate as a locative surname that was derived from a place name. For example the place name of Klassinger in the region of Saxony might have gave the origin of the family name. The place name Klassinger was derived from the old High German word ‘klas’ meaning ‘pebbles’ or ‘rocky ground’ and the suffix ‘ing’ indicating the inhabitant. Therefore the original bearer of the surname may have lived in or near that place.

Another possible origin of the family name arises from a distorted form of the word ‘culsingen’ meaning ‘people who have had to accept the obligations and services of serfdom’. It may also have derived from the old German personal name ‘Kliu’ and the suffix ‘-ing’ in reference to the family of the person of the same name.

The spelling variants of the family name were due to regional dialect of the time and also to the fact that when records were restructured during the metrification process the name sounded too similar to other family names. It may have been necessary to adjust the spelling to differentiate them.

Famous people with the name Kleßinger

• Robert Kleßinger: Robert is the principal and founder of kessler-design. He has been leading the company since 1994, when he first established it in Switzerland.
• Linus Kleßinger: Linus is a goaltender for the ice hockey team EC KAC, and is known for his skill in the sport.
• Schandor Kleßinger: Schandor is an author who has written books such as How to Work in Isolation and Unification with Purpose.
• Leo Kleßinger: Leo is known as a jack-of-all-trades in the business world and is currently the president of the global automotive corporation Areva.
• Armin Kleßinger: Armin is an accomplished artist who has had a number of exhibitions in Europe and the USA.
• Julian Kleßinger: Julian is an entrepreneur and social entrepreneur. He recently founded the social enterprise Kaeferscholle, which helps people in deprived areas to provide essential resources.
• Christopher Kleßinger: Christopher is a singer and actor. He was a contestant on the singing show The Voice of Germany and has been performing in theatres and cabaret since 2006.
• Thomas Kleßinger: Thomas is a leading German economist. He has written several books on economics and has appeared in numerous publications discussing current economic topics.
• Robert Kleßinger Jr: Robert is the son of the principal of kessler-design, Robert Kleßinger. He is a successful young entrepreneur who is actively involved in his father's company.
• Julia Kleßinger: Julia is an up-and-coming fashion designer who has recently been recognised for her innovative fashion designs. She is best known for her avant-garde style.

Other surnames

Kleßing