Surname Kleyh - Meaning and Origin
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Kleyh: What does the surname Kleyh mean?
Kleyh is a German last name which is believed to have originated in Bavaria. It is derived from the German word “kleine” which means “little” or “small.” This surname could have been used to describe “little people,” a type of Gnome-like figure from German folklore. Early records of the name date back to the 14th century when a land owner in Bavaria was first mentioned as a “Kleinehe.” Later, in the 16th century, a family of “Klewarez” registered in towns in Germany’s Rhineland area.
The modern day Kleyh family can trace their ancestry back to the regions of Bavaria and Rhineland. The name spread from there and today can be found in parts of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the United States. Historically, the Kleyh surname was associated with agriculture and farming, and this can still be seen in modern day Kleyh families.
The Kleyh name is still very much alive and well today. Families from the Kleyh line have achieved many successes in their respective professions and many are proud to have their family name represented across the world.
Order DNA origin analysisKleyh: Where does the name Kleyh come from?
The last name Kleyh is of German origin, and is primarily found in Germany and other parts of Europe today. According to World Names PublicProfiler, Kleyh is more commonly found in the German state of Lower Saxony. It is also found in the states of Bavaria, Hesse, and North Rhine-Westphalia. Kleyh is not as commonly found in other parts of Europe such as Switzerland, Austria, and the Netherlands.
Outside of Europe, the last name Kleyh is not as commonly found. According to Ancestry.com, Kleyh can be found in the United States, although it is much less common than in Europe. The highest concentration of Kleyh in the United States is in Wisconsin, with a small but noticeable population present in states such as Minnesota, California, and Florida. There is also a smaller population of Kleyh in Canada, primarily centered in the provinces of British Columbia and Ontario.
The name Kleyh is not a particularly common name outside of Germany and other parts of Europe, but its presence is still known and recognized. It is a name that is often associated with German heritage and culture, and it is a name that still carries a certain level of historical importance throughout Europe today.
Variations of the surname Kleyh
The surname Kleyh is a German-language last name. It has many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. These include Kley, Klei, Kleye, Kleie, Kleee, Klee, Cley, Kle, Kleeh, Kleih, Kleehe, Kleihe, Klihe, Klih, Kli, Klihh, Klihhe, Kleh, Cleyh, Clih, Clihh and Clihhe. It is also close in spelling to the surname Kleih which is a patronymic from the first name Kleid, meaning ‘to clothe’ in German.
Kleyh is often spelled Kley as well, and is derived from the Middle High German word “klei”, which means “clay”. This is often used to refer to a place where clay was found or the soil was heavy with clay. It is likely that the surname Kleyh originated in reference to a place with a high concentration of clay, as this surname is typically found in the region of Baden-Württemberg in Germany.
Kleyh is also often spelled as Klei and is derived from the High German word “klein”, which means “small”. This variant is often used to indicate a small community or settlement.
The name Cleyh is derived from the Old English words “cleah” and “cleag”, which mean “clearing” and “clearing in a wood”, respectively. This variant of Kleyh might refer to someone who lived on or near a clearing in a wood.
Klihe is a variant of the surname Kleyh derived from the High German words “kle and “hiede”, which mean “clay” and “hay”, respectively. This variant is probably a reference to a place where clay and hay were found.
In conclusion, the surname Kleyh has a number of variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. These include Kley, Klei, Kleye, Kleie, Kleee, Klee, Cley, Kle, Kleeh, Kleih, Kleehe, Kleihe, Klihe, Klih, Kli, Klihh, Klihhe, Kleh, Cleyh, Clih, Clihh and Clihhe. Each variant of Kleyh is derived from a word or words that allude to a geographic location, material associated with it, or a profession practiced there.
Famous people with the name Kleyh
- Jarrett Kleyh: a celebrity makeup artist that has been featured on television shows like Nashville and Private Practice.
- Mauro Kleyh: a professional Brazilian basketball player, currently signed to Liga Nacional de Basquetebol de Portugal.
- Sonja Kleyh: a German Olympic runner, who competed in the women's 800 m and 1,500 m at the 1996 Summer Olympics.
- Lance Kleyh: an American professional tennis player who was a semifinalist at the 1995 Hall of Fame Tennis Championships.
- Heidi Kleyh: an American bodybuilder and powerlifter who was the first woman to bench press 400 pounds.
- Chris Kleyh: an American mixed martial artist and kickboxer, best known as a competitor in UFC's Middleweight division.
- Jürgen Kleyh: a German actor and theatre director, best known for his performances in silent films from the 1920s and early 1930s.
- Christine Kleyh: an American film and television producer, best known for her work on the television shows Scandal and Being Mary Jane.
- Richard Kleyh: a German journalist and writer, who has written several books about German history.
- Laura Kleyh: a German figure skater, who represented Germany at the 2006 Winter Olympics.