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Klems Family History

Klems Name Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Klemm, Klemp, Klema, Kless, Klees, Klem, Kleis, Klemz, Kemp, Lees

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Klems family from?

You can see how Klems families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Klems family name was found in the USA, and Scotland between 1880 and 1920. The most Klems families were found in USA in 1880. In 1880 there were 6 Klems families living in Illinois. This was 100% of all the recorded Klems's in USA. Illinois had the highest population of Klems families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Klems surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Klems ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer was the top reported job for people in the USA named Klems. 100% of Klems men worked as a Laborer. .

View Census Data for Klems | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    100%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Klems family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 257 census records available for the last name Klems. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Klems census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Klems

Passenger Lists

There are 52 immigration records available for the last name Klems. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Klems immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 111 military records available for the last name Klems. For the veterans among your Klems ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Klems military records

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What is the average Klems lifespan?

Between 1960 and 2004, in the United States, Klems life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2004, and highest in 1984. The average life expectancy for Klems in 1960 was 43, and 1 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Klems

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