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Klingensmith Family History

Klingensmith Surname Meaning

Americanized form of German Klingenschmidt an occupational name for a swordsmith or cutler.

It is derived from Middle High German klinge ‘blade, sword’.

The term smit translates to ‘smith’, indicating a profession related to metalworking.

This name reflects the historical significance of craftsmanship in weaponry.

As such, it carries cultural heritage linked to both German and American identities.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Klingensmith family from?

You can see how Klingensmith families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Klingensmith family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Klingensmith families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 23 Klingensmith families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 92% of all the recorded Klingensmith's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Klingensmith families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Klingensmith surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Klingensmith ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Klingensmith. 23% of Klingensmith men worked as a Laborer and 14% of Klingensmith women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Klingensmith were Truck Driver and Housework.

View Census Data for Klingensmith | 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.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    23%
  • Farmer
    13%
  • Salesman
    6%
  • Truck Driver
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    14%
  • Maid
    12%
  • Clerk
    9%
  • Housework
    7%

What Klingensmith family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 11,000 census records available for the last name Klingensmith. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Klingensmith census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Klingensmith

Passenger Lists

There are 438 immigration records available for the last name Klingensmith. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Klingensmith immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Klingensmith. For the veterans among your Klingensmith ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Klingensmith military records

You've only scratched the surface of Klingensmith family history

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What is the average Klingensmith lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Klingensmith life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1958, and highest in 1963. The average life expectancy for Klingensmith in 1951 was 41, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Klingensmith

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Klingensmith ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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