Klassen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The name Klassen was first used by the people of the German province of Westphalia, which lay in the area between the Rhine and Wesser rivers. It is a patronymic name, derived from the given name of the father of the original bearer. Along with metronymic names, which come from the name of the mother of the bearer, patronymics were one of the most popular early German name types. Klassen was derived from the baptismal name Clausen, which is a form of the name Nicholas. The given name Nicholas, which means people's victory, was popular among Christians throughout Europe in the Middle Ages.

Early Origins of the Klassen family

The surname Klassen was first found in Westphalia, where the family made a considerable contribution to the feudal society which shaped modern Europe. The family branched into several houses, all of which played important roles in the local political conflicts which forged the nation.

Early History of the Klassen family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Klassen research. Another 176 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1622, 1676, 1678, 1786 and 1850 are included under the topic Early Klassen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Klassen Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Klassen include Klassen, Klasse, Klass, Klasen, Klase, Klas, Classen, Classe, Class, Clasen, Clase, Clas, Klasing, Klaasen, Klaasen, Claasen, Klaase, Claase, Klaas and many more.

Early Notables of the Klassen family

Notables of the period with the name Klassen were Daniel Clasen, in Latin Danielis Clasenius or Clasenus (1622-1678), a German political theorist, religious scholar, and classicist; and...
Another 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Klassen Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Klassen Ranking

In the United States, the name Klassen is the 10,208^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name Klassen is ranked the 226^th most popular surname with an estimated 17,739 people with that name. 2

Klassen migration to the United States +

For many Germans, emigration to North America was an inviting alternative to the trials of life in the old country. From the mid-17th into the present century, thousands of Germans migrated across the Atlantic. They capitalized on the chance to escape poverty and persecution, and to own their own land. After 1650, Germans settled throughout the states of Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Many also landed in Canada, settling in Ontario or father west on the rich land of the prairies. Among them:

Klassen Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Deitrich Klassen, aged 14, who landed in New York, NY in 1874 3
Sara Klassen, aged 26, who landed in New York, NY in 1875 3
Wiedylich Klassen, aged 14, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1875 3
Joh Klassen, aged 53, who landed in New York, NY in 1875 3
John Klassen, aged 31, who arrived in New York, NY in 1875 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Klassen migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Klassen Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

David Klassen, who landed in Manitoba in 1874
Henry Klassen, who arrived in Manitoba in 1875
Isaac Klassen, who landed in Manitoba in 1875
Jacob Klassen, who landed in Manitoba in 1875
Martin Klassen, who arrived in Manitoba in 1875
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Klassen (post 1700) +

Elmer Theodore "Ted" Klassen (b. 1908), American businessman and government official, 11th United States Postmaster General (1972-1975)
Kim Klassen (b. 1968), Canadian born, American folk art painter
Rick Klassen (1959-2016), Canadian CFL defensive lineman, inducted onto B.C. Lions Wall of Fame (2007)
Chad Klassen (b. 1985), Canadian ice hockey player in the Austrian Hockey League
Jon Klassen (b. 1981), Canadian writer and illustrator of children's books and an animator, recipient of the 2013 Caldecott Medal for illustration
Ralph "Ralphie" L. Klassen (b. 1955), Canadian retired professional NHL ice hockey player who played 497 games
Cindy Klassen OM (b. 1979), Canadian six-time gold, nine-time silver and nine-time bronze medalist long track speed skater
Terry Klassen (b. 1957), Canadian voice actor and voice director
Johann Peter Klassen (1889-1947), German-Canadian poet and writer
Danny Klassen (b. 1975), Canadian baseball player who was part of Team Canada in the 2004 Summer Olympics

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)