Klein (surname)

Klein is the Dutch and German word for "small", which came to be used as a family name, and thence passed into the names of places, concepts and discoveries associated with bearers of this surname. It's also a common Jewish surname in the United States.

Politics and government

Clayton Klein (born 1949), American politician in Oregon
Ezra Klein (born 1984), U.S. political writer
Herbert Klein (born 1930), American politician
Herbert G. Klein (1918–2009), American political aide
Jacob Theodor Klein ("Plinius Gedanensium") (1685–1759), Prussian jurist, historian, botanist, mathematician and diplomat in service of Polish King August II the Strong
Joe Klein (born 1946), American writer for Time magazine
Louis Klein (Dominique Louis Antoine Klein) (1759–1845), General of the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars, French politician, French Peer
Norbert Klein (born 1956), Dutch politician
Ralph Klein (1942–2013), Canadian politician

Music and acting

Alan Klein (born 1940), English singer and songwriter (New Vaudeville Band)
Allen Klein (1931–2009), the Beatles and Rolling Stones' manager
Chris Klein (born 1979), U.S. actor
Elisabeth Klein, Hungarian-Danish pianist
Gary Klein, songwriter and record producer & co-writer of "(I Wanna Be) Bobby's Girl".
Gideon Klein (1919–1945), pianist and composer
Jesper Klein (1944–2011), Danish actor
Jim Klein, American composer and songwriter
Mark Klein (born 1993), U.S. singer-songwriter
Manny Klein (1908–1994), U.S. jazz trumpeter
Julian Klein (de) (born 1973), German composer and director
Robert Klein (born 1942), U.S. stand-up comedian and actor

Literature

A. M. Klein (Abraham Moses Klein, 1909–1972), Canadian poet
Charles Klein (1867–1915) London-born American playwright
Chuck Klein (born 1947) American author
Ernest Klein (1899 – February 4, 1983), Canadian linguist, author, and rabbi
Gérard Klein, French science fiction writer
Joe Klein (born 1946), U.S. journalist and novelist (Primary Colors)
Josef K. Klein (pseudonym Gustav Heinse, 1896–1971), Bulgarian poet of Austrian origin
Julius Leopold Klein (1810–1876), Hungarian dramatist
Naomi Klein (born 1970), Canadian author and activist
Robin Klein (born 1936), Australian author of children's books
T. E. D. Klein (born 1947), U.S. author
[Nicholas Klein] (born 1957) U.S./Canadian screenwriter (Million Dollar Hotel, The End of Violence)

Science and technology

Emanuel Edward Klein (1844 - 1925), Bacteriologist
Etienne Klein, French physicist and philosopher of science
Daniel Klein (grammarian) (Lithuanian: Danielius Kleinas) – German-Lithuanian pastor and grammarian
Daniel B. Klein, U.S. economist
Felix Klein (1849–1925), German mathematician
Fritz Klein, German Nazi physician and war criminal
Fritz Klein (sex researcher), American human sexuality researcher
Gary A. Klein, research psychologist in naturalistic decision making
George Klein (1904–1992), Canadian inventor
Jacob Theodor Klein (1685 – 1759), Prussian botanist
Lawrence Klein (1920–2013), U.S. economist
Marty Klein, U.S. sex therapist
Melanie Klein (1882–1960), British psychotherapist
Oskar Klein (1894–1977), Swedish physicist
Richard Klein (paleoanthropologist)
Wilhelm Klein (1850–1924), Hungarian-Austrian archeologist

Art

Franz Klein (1779–1840), Viennese sculptor, who created a famous bust of Beethoven
Roman Klein (1858–1924), Russian architect
Yves Klein (1928–1962), French artist
William Klein (born 1928), U.S. photographer and filmmaker predominantly active in France

Religion

Ernest Klein (1899–1983), Canadian linguist and rabbi
Félix Klein (1862–1953), French priest and theologian
Isaac Klein (1905–1979), American rabbi
Menashe Klein (1924–2011), American rabbi
Norbert Klein (1866–1933), Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights

Business and industry

Anne Klein, American fashion designer
Calvin Klein, U.S. fashion designer
David Klein (born 1935), Governor, Bank of Israel
Jonathan Klein (CNN), president of the American television news network CNN
Jonathan Klein (Getty Images), founder of Getty Images
Steven A. Klein, CEO of Burlen Co.
Ward M. Klein, CEO of Energizer Holdings Inc.
Mathias Klein, founder of Klein Tools.

Sports

Brydan Klein, Australian tennis player
Chris Klein (born 1976), American soccer player
Chuck Klein (1904–1958), American baseball player
Collin Klein (born 1989), American football player
Dede Klein (1910–1966), Canadian ice hockey player
Ernest Klein (1910–1990), Austrian-British chess master and author
Frederick C Klein, sportswriter
Herbert Klein (swimmer) (1923–2001), German swimmer
Kristin Klein (born 1970), American volleyball player (1959-1993)
Martin Klein (wrestler) (1884–1947), Estonian wrestler
Martin Klein (footballer), Czech international footballer
Michael Klein (footballer), Romanian international footballer
Ralph Klein (1931–2008), Israeli basketball player and coach
Kevin Klein (born 1984) NHL Hockey player, New York Rangers.
Arthur Klein (born 1930), Minor League baseball player, Janesville Cubs.

Other

Aaron Klein
Aaron E. Klein
Gerda Weissmann Klein (born 1924), Holocaust survivor
Carol Klein (born 1945), British gardening broadcaster and writer
Todd Klein (born 1951), comic book letterer
Leonardo Farkas Klein (born 1967), Chilean businessman
Mark Klein (fl. 2006), whistleblower and former AT&T technician

Variant surnames

Klajn