Surname Kleine-Bley - Meaning and Origin
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Kleine-Bley: What does the surname Kleine-Bley mean?
The surname Kleine-Bley is of German origin and is derived from the two names "Klein" and "Bley," meaning "small" and "lead" respectively. Together, the surname provides a literal translation of "small lead" and is likely a reference to either an individual's occupation in the metal business or to someone's smaller stature.
In the Middle Ages, most surnames were either derived from occupations or from physical traits, making them fairly simple and easy to understand. During this time, occupational names were incredibly popular and often referred to a specific trade, such as blacksmiths and bakers. Additionally, physical-trait surnames were also used to describe someone’s appearance such as being tall, short, or bald. In the case of Kleine-Bley, this surname combined both physical characteristics and a profession, referring to someone who was smaller than average and perhaps worked in the metal business.
Due to the literal translation of the name, Kleine-Bley is usually considered to be an indirect or descriptive surname. This type of surname is usually a nickname that was given to an individual at some point in their life, usually based on some aspect of their personality or physical attributes. Since the name Kleine-Bley likely derived from the combination of an occupational name and someone's smaller stature, it is possible that the first-ever person to use this name was someone who was not only shorter than average, but also worked in the metal business.
Order DNA origin analysisKleine-Bley: Where does the name Kleine-Bley come from?
Kleine-Bley is a German surname, derived from the word "Kleine" meaning "small" and "Bley" suggesting slate or shale. The surname is most common in Germany today, especially in the states of Bavaria, Berlin and Sachsen.
Lower Saxony is the birthplace of the Kleine-Bley family. Records from the area date back to 1617 when a person named Johannes Kleinsbeil was listed as a tenant on the family land located there. Today, many descendants of the original family still live in Lower Saxony.
The Kleine-Bley surname has spread to other parts of Germany, including North Rhine-Westphalia and Westphalia. In these states, the surname is mostly concentrated in urban areas.
Outside of Germany, the surname is found in small numbers in France, Switzerland, Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. The largest concentration outside of Germany is in France, where the descendants of immigrants from the late 1800s and early 1900s can be found.
Kleine-Bley is an uncommon surname today, but there are likely still descendants of the original family living in Germany, France and other countries with a significant German population.
Variations of the surname Kleine-Bley
Kleine-Bley is an uncommon surname found primarily within German-speaking countries. It is often spelled Kleine Bley, or Klein Bley, and can also appear with or without the hyphen. Variants in spelling and pronunciation, such as Kleyn, Kleijn, Kleinea, Kleinenbly, Kleyne and Kleya are also possible.
The surname Kleine-Bley is derived from the Middle High German word “bleie”, meaning lead, which is likely a reference to a metallic trade or a lead-based profession. This would account for why variations of the name can often be found in regions where lead ore mining and/or smelting of lead took place historically, particularly in Westphalia and other parts of Germany.
Kleine-Bley is a patronymic (or father-based) surname, meaning that it was likely adopted by an individual as an inherited surname. In this case, it would be the son of someone who had the profession of lead smelter or lead farmer, or a surname associated with a lead-based trade.
Related surnames with the same origin as Kleine-Bley include Bley, Bleier, Bleyer, Blei, Blaier, Blaetter and Blatter. Other related German surnames include Bleich and Blades. Variants and spellings of the name Bley can also be found in French, Spanish, Portugese, Dutch and Italian, in which case the name is often written as “Bleye” or “Blay”.
Famous people with the name Kleine-Bley
- Steven Kleine-Bley, a German professional ice hockey player who currently plays for the Krefeld Pinguine of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL).
- Valerie Kleine-Bley, a German figure skater who competed in the 2014 Winter Olympics.
- Florian Kleine-Bley, a German rower who competed in the 2012 Olympiade.
- Ilka Kleine-Bley, a German dressage rider.
- Lynn Kleine-Bley, a German hurdler who competed in the 2016 Olympics.
- Wilhelm Kleine-Bley, a German cyclist who won the 1973 World Cyclo-Cross Championships.
- Elvira Kleine-Bley, an Austrian ice dancer who competed in numerous international ice dancing competitions.
- Janne-Friederike Kleine-Bley, a German cyclist who won gold in the 2012 Summer Paralympic Games.
- Friedrich Kleine-Bley, a German diver who competed in the 2011 European Championships.
- Toni Kleine-Bley, a German judoka who competed in the 2014 European Championships.