Surname Kleefeldt - Meaning and Origin

Kleefeldt: What does the surname Kleefeldt mean?

Kleefeldt is a German surname derived from the old German word "klein," meaning “small” combined with the suffix “feldt,” meaning "town/village." As such, the name Kleefeldt literally translates to mean "small town" or "small village," indicating an ancestry or connection to a small settlement.

The exact origin of the surname is not known, but the family is believed to have originated in the region of northwest Germany known as Westphalia. It is also known that Kleefeldts have lived in the towns of Esterwegen and Aurich in the province of Lower Saxony since at least the 1700s, where the name continues to be very common.

It is likely that the familial connection to a small village is symbolic of the traditional, close-knit bonds of the Kleefeldts, who have been known for centuries for their sense of unity, loyalty and hospitality. As such, the name may also reflect the tendency of members of the Kleefeldt family to remain rooted in their hometowns and cultivate strong, supportive relationships with their neighbors and community members.

Overall, the surname Kleefeldt is likely a reference to the family’s originally rural roots, suggesting a sense of loyalty and tradition within the family, as well as a close connection with their hometowns.

Kleefeldt: Where does the name Kleefeldt come from?

The last name Kleefeldt is found primarily in Germany, its original home country. This is the most common place to find this surname. The last name Kleefeldt is also commonly found throughout the US, as it was brought there in the mid-1800s by German immigrants. The name can also be found in other countries in Europe, such as the Netherlands, Austria, France, and Switzerland.

In Germany, people with the surname appear to have mostly concentrated in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, although there are small concentrations of them in many different German states. In Germany, Kleefeldt is ranked as the 890,290th most common surname.

In the US, the last name seems to be most common in the states of Michigan, California, Texas, and Washington, in part likely due to the presence of people with the last name who migrated to America many generations ago. Across the US, Kleefeldt appears to be one of the least common surnames, and people with the name are only found in certain states, with Michigan, Washington, and California having the most concentration of people with the surname.

Thus, Kleefeldt is most commonly found in Germany, and to a lesser degree in the US. It is also found in other countries throughout Europe, although it is much less common there.

Variations of the surname Kleefeldt

The surname Kleefeldt can be spelled in a variety of ways, including Cleefeld, Cleefield, Cliefield, Kleefelt, Kleefield, Kliefelt, or Klyfeldt. It is primarily a German surname with regional variants in the Netherlands, with other variants arising in North America and elsewhere.

The earliest mention of the name can be traced back to 1264 in the Pomeranian town of Grimmenstein. It may have been used by refugees of the Thirty Years' War, who either brought the name with them or changed a more familiar form of the name in order to protect their identity.

Kleefeldt is believed to be derived from a combination of two old German words: Kleefeld, or 'little field', and feldt, or 'field'. Alternately, the root of the name may be a location, such as Kleefeld, a small village near the town of Altenburg in Thuringia, Germany. The name may also be a variation of Kleefenthal, meaning 'Cliff Valley' in Dutch.

Variants of the name include Holder-Kleefeldt, Herrnhut-Kleefeldt, and Breitenfeld-Kleefeldt. All of these suggest variations of the name, with Holder- likely referring to a descendant of the wealthy Holder family, while Breitenfeld- could be referring to a family who lived in or near the town of Breitenfeld.

The Kleefeldt name has been found across the globe, including in North America, where it was often changed to the more palatable Kleefield or Kliefield upon immigration. As such, there are likely a variety of spellings and versions of the name appearing in records around the world.

Famous people with the name Kleefeldt

• Tod Kleefeldt: Producer and mixer for Linkin Park, Marilyn Manson, The Crystal Method, Rammstein, Deftones, and P.O.D.
• Larry Kleefeldt: Former Major League Baseball player for the Chicago White Sox.
• Karl Kleefeldt: Former Major League Baseball player for the St. Louis Browns and New York Giants.
• Brigitte Kleefeldt: German former alpine ski racer.
• Sandy Kleefeldt: Former Major League Baseball player for the Boston Braves and Philadelphia Phillies.
• Josef Kleefeldt: German track and field athlete who competed in the hammer throw.
• Heinrich Karl Kleefeldt: German wrestling champion in light heavyweight.
• Don Kleefeldt: Former minor league baseball player.
• Kay Kleefeldt: German musician and songwriter.
• Tony Kleefeldt: Former Major League Baseball player for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Other surnames

Kleefeld