Surname Kloeß - Meaning and Origin
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Kloeß: What does the surname Kloeß mean?
The last name Kloeß is a German surname deriving from the German word kloß meaning dumpling. It is believed that the surname either referred to an individual who worked with or sold dumplings, or to an individual who lived near or was associated with a place where dumplings were made. The name may also have been derived from the nickname "Klößchen," which translates to "little dumpling."
The surname first appears in records dating back to the 15th century. During this time, it is believed that the name would have referred to someone who worked in the baking or cooking profession, or someone who owned a small establishment known for selling dumplings.
The name Kloeß would have been typically associated with the lower-middle to middle classes. This can be largely attributed to the economic standing of those that worked in this profession. At this time it was not uncommon for a baker or cook to have a good living, however, their wealth would not have been comparable to those of the upper classes.
Today the surname Kloeß can be found predominantly in modern-day western and central Germany, with a smaller population in the north. It is believed that the surname was spread throughout the region by merchants and immigrants.
The Kloeß surname is still common in Germany and can be found in many variations, including Kloess, Kloß, Closs, Cloeß, and Kloßmann.
Order DNA origin analysisKloeß: Where does the name Kloeß come from?
The last name Kloeß is common in and around Germany today. It is estimated that 1 out of every 2,000 people in Germany are named Kloeß. Around 1 out of every 2000 people in Austria and Switzerland also share the name. Other German-speaking countries like Luxemburg, Liechtenstein and Belgium also have some people with the last name although in a much lesser degree.
The name is believed to originate from the Middle Ages when it first appeared in Bavaria. It belongs to the category of names that were derived from the German word “Kloß” meaning dumpling. There are also some people who trace the origin of the name to the Old High German word “Klaus” meaning victory.
Interestingly, the name is not distributed evenly in Germany. While “Kloeß” is quite common in the states of Bavaria, Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate, it is relatively rare in cities such as Berlin, Hamburg and Munich.
The spelling of the name has varied slightly in different countries over the centuries. Some of the variants include Klos, Kloß and Klose. Kloeß is the most commonly used spelling today.
The name is not exclusive to the German culture. There are several people from non-German speaking countries who bear the surname as well, though in very small numbers. There are a handful of people with the Kloeß surname in the United States, but they are mostly descendants of German immigrants.
Variations of the surname Kloeß
The surname Kloeß is of German origin, and can be spelled with both “ss” and “ß” (which represents the “Eszett” or “ß” sound). The most common spellings are Kloess, Kloesser, Kloos, Klooss, Kloss, Klosser, and Klöss.
Variants of the surname include: Kloses, Klöses, Klose, Klöse, Klus, Kluss, Kloß, Kloßer, Kloosz, Clos(e)s, Closs, Cluß, and Kluß.
Surnames with a similar origin and meaning are Klakowicz, Glus, Gloes, Glose, Glosz, Gloß, Gluß, Kluch, Klock, Klocker, Klocek, Klass, Klazewski, Klueß, Klooß, Kleuss, and Kluse.
The surname could also be found in other countries and languages. For example, it could be found as Closse in French, Closson in English, Kleiss in Dutch, Klein in German, Klaasse and Klegman in Yiddish, and Klauß in Germanic. There could also be variants of the surname in other languages, such as Klausson (Swedish) and Clonin (Irish).
Most of the surnames described above are patronymic in origin, meaning they are derived from a father’s name. For example, Kloose is derived from the personal name Claus, Klus from Clusius, Kloß from Klaas, and Kloeß from Nikolaus. It is also possible that some of these surnames could be derived from geographic regions in Germany, such as Klose from the town of Lose in Lower Saxony.
Famous people with the name Kloeß
- Michael Kloess: German international football player
- Bernd Kloess: German sculptor and painter
- Heinrich Kloess: German American lawyer and judge
- Carl Kloess: German opera singer
- Tobias Kloess: German handball player
- Florida Kloess: German actress
- Alexander Kloess: German politician
- Trina Kloess: German art director, costume designer, and set designer
- Christoph Kloess: German film director
- Johannes Kloess: German research scientist
- Wolfgang Kloess: German Triathlete
- Fareed Kloess: Arab Actor and Producer
- Leopold Kloess: Czech-Austrian composer
- Zeina Wallace Kloess: American fashion designer and creative director
- Michael Kloess III: American musician and songwriter