Klein (surname)

Klein (Czech and Slovak feminine: Kleinová) is a surname. It is the German, Dutch, Afrikaans, and Yiddish word for 'small', which came to be used as a surname, and thence passed into the names of places, concepts and discoveries associated with bearers of this surname. Notable people with the surname include:

Academics and technology

• Aaron E. Klein (1930–1998), American historian of science
• Dan Klein, American computer scientist
• Daniel Klein (grammarian) (1609–1666), German-Lithuanian pastor and grammarian
• Daniel B. Klein (born 1962), American economist
• Etienne Klein (born 1958), French physicist and philosopher of science
• Fritz Klein (sex researcher) (1932–2006), American sex researcher
• Gary A. Klein (born 1944), American research psychologist
• George Klein (inventor) (1904–1992), Canadian inventor
• Heinz Klein (1940–2008), American sociologist
• Jacob Theodor Klein (1685–1759), Prussian botanist
• Lawrence Klein (1920–2013), American economist
• Leo S. Klein, or Leo Klejn (1927–2019), Russian Jewish archaeologist, anthropologist and philologist
• Martin J. Klein (1924–2009), American science historian of physics
• Marty Klein (born 1950), American sex therapist
• Melanie Klein (1882–1960), British psychotherapist
• Michael L. Klein (born 1940), British-American computational chemist
• Oskar Klein (1894–1977), Swedish physicist
• Richard Klein (paleoanthropologist) (born 1941), American paleoanthropologist
• Sabra Klein, American microbiologist
• Samuel Klein (scholar) (1886–1940), Hungarian-born rabbi, historian and historical geographer
• Wilhelm Klein (1850–1924), Hungarian-Austrian archeologist
• Wolfgang Klein (linguist) (born 1946), German linguist

Arts and entertainment

Film and television

• Chris Klein (actor) (born 1979), American actor
• Dušan Klein (1939–2022), Czech film director and screenwriter
• Jesper Klein (1944–2011), Danish actor
• Joey Klein, Canadian actor and film director
• Marci Klein (born 1967), American Emmy-winning television producer
• Martina Klein (born 1976), Argentine model and TV presenter
• Robert Klein (born 1942), American stand-up comedian and actor

Literature

• A. M. Klein (1909–1972), Canadian poet
• Aaron J. Klein (1960–2016), Israeli author and journalist
• Augusta Klein (1866–1943), English author
• Charles Klein (1867–1915) London-born American playwright
• Chuck Klein (author) (born 1947) American author
• Daniel Martin Klein (born 1939), American author
• Ernest Klein (1899–1983), Canadian linguist, author and rabbi
• Gérard Klein (born 1937), French science fiction writer
• Hannelore Klein (born 1927), German-born American linguist and writer known as Laureen Nussbaum
• Joe Klein (born 1946), American journalist and novelist
• Josef K. Klein (1896–1971), Bulgarian poet of Austrian origin known by the pseudonym Gustav Heinse
• Julius Leopold Klein (1810–1876), Hungarian dramatist
• Michael Klein (writer) (born 1954), American fiction writer, poet and academic
• Naomi Klein (born 1970), Canadian author and activist
• Nathan Klein (1923–2004), known as Natan Yonatan, Ukrainian-born Israeli poet
• Robin Klein (born 1936), Australian author of children's books
• T. E. D. Klein (born 1947), American horror writer and editor

Music

• Klein (musician), recording artist, producer and singer from South London
• Alan Klein (born 1940), English singer and songwriter (New Vaudeville Band)
• Allen Klein (1931–2009), manager for the Beatles and Rolling Stones
• Carol Joan Klein (born 1942), stage name Carole King, American composer and singer-songwriter
• Barbara Lynn Klein (born 1950), known as Barbi Benton, American Playboy model, singer and actress
• Dani Klein (born 1953), stage name of Danielle Schoovaerts (born 1953), Belgian singer and songwriter
• Elisabeth Klein (1911–2004), Hungarian-Danish pianist
• Eliška Kleinová (1912–1999), Czech pianist
• Gary Klein (producer) (born 1942), songwriter, record producer, and co-writer of "(I Wanna Be) Bobby's Girl"
• Gene Klein (born 1949), better known as Gene Simmons, American musician
• Gideon Klein (1919–1945), pianist and composer
• Jim Klein, American composer and songwriter
• Jon Klein (musician) (born 1960), guitarist and producer
• Joost Klein (born 1997), Dutch hip hop artist
• Mannie Klein (1908–1994), American jazz trumpeter
• Marlon Klein (born 1957), German world music and fusion musician and producer
• Mark Klein (singer) (born 1993), American singer-songwriter
• Oscar Klein (1930–2006), Austrian-born jazz trumpeter
• Suzy Klein (born 1975), British music and arts broadcaster

Painting

• Anna Klein (painter) (1883–1941), German painter
• Fred Klein (1898–1990), Dutch painter, father of Yves Klein
• Mary-Austin Klein (born 1964), American landscape painter
• Yves Klein (1928–1962), French painter, son of Fred Klein

Other arts and entertainment

• Aart Klein (1909–2001), Dutch photographer
• Ethan Klein (born 1985), American-Israeli YouTuber
• Franz Klein (sculptor) (1779–1840), Viennese sculptor, creator of a famous bust of Beethoven
• Todd Klein (born 1951), comic book letterer
• William Klein (photographer) (1926–2022), American-born French photographer and filmmaker

Business and industry

• Anne Klein (fashion designer) (1923–1974), American fashion designer and entrepreneur
• Bill Klein (businessman) (born c. 1948), American businessman and poker player
• Calvin Klein (fashion designer) (born 1942), American fashion designer
• David Klein (1946), businessman
• David Klein (1935–2021), governor, Bank of Israel
• Fernando Heydrich Klein (1827–1903) German businessman, politician, engineer and sculptor
• Jon Klein (CNN), president of the American television news network CNN
• Jonathan Klein (Getty Images) (born 1960), founder of Getty Images
• Leonardo Farkas Klein (born 1967), Chilean businessman
• Mathias Klein, founder of Klein Tools
• Michel Klein (designer) (born 1958), French fashion designer
• Michael Klein (businessman) (born 1951), Brazilian business executive, CEO of Casas Bahia, a Brazilian chain of department stores
• Robin Klein (venture capitalist) (born 1947), British entrepreneur and investor
• Samuel Klein (businessman) (1923–2014), Polish-Brazilian business magnate

Mathematics

• Abel Klein (born 1945), American mathematician
• Esther Klein (1910–2005), Hungarian–Australian mathematician
• Felix Klein (1849–1925), German mathematician
• Willem Klein (1912–1986), Dutch mathematician and mental calculator

Medicine

• Christine Klein, German physician and professor of neurology and neurogenetics
• Emanuel Edward Klein (1844–1925), British bacteriologist
• Eva Klein (1925–2025), Hungarian-Swedish cancer researcher
• Fritz Klein (1888–1945), German Nazi doctor hanged for war crimes
• Jan Klein (born 1936), Czech-American immunologist
• Luella Klein (1924–2019), American obstetrician-gynecologist and professor

Politics and government

• Aaron Klein (born 1979), senior adviser, chief strategist for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
• Arthur George Klein (1904–1968), United States Representative from New York
• Clayton Klein (born 1949), American politician
• Elijah Klein (born 2000), American football player
• Ezra Klein (born 1984), American political writer
• Hans Klein (politician) (1931–1996), German politician
• Hans Hugo Klein (born 1936), German politician
• Herb Klein (journalist) (1918–2009), American journalist, President Nixon's communications director
• Herb Klein (politician) (1930–2023), American politician
• Herbert G. Klein (1918–2009), American political aide
• Ivo Klein (born 1961), Liechtenstein politician
• Jacob Theodor Klein (1685–1759), Prussian jurist, historian, botanist, mathematician and diplomat
• Jacques Paul Klein (born 1939), French-born American diplomat
• Joe Klein (born 1946), American political commentator and writer for Time magazine
• Karsten Klein (born 1977), German politician
• Louis Klein (1759–1845), French politician and peer, general during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars
• Louis Christian Klein (1832–1900), German-American politician
• Norbert Klein (politician) (1956–2021), Dutch politician
• Ottilie Klein (born 1984), German politician
• Ralph Klein (1942–2013), Canadian politician
• Réka Klein (born 1989), German politician
• Ron Klein (born 1957), American politician
• Volkmar Klein (born 1960), German politician

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

Sports

• Abraham Klein (referee) (born 1934), Israeli football referee
• Ágnes Keleti (1921–2025), born Klein, Hungarian-Israeli Olympic champion artistic gymnast
• Brydan Klein (born 1989), Australian-born British tennis player
• Chris Klein (soccer) (born 1976), American soccer player
• Chuck Klein (1904–1958), American baseball player
• Collin Klein (born 1989), American footballer
• Dede Klein (1910–1966), Canadian ice hockey player
• Dieter Klein (born 1988), South African cricketer
• Elijah Klein (born 2000), American footballer
• Ernest Klein (chess player) (1910–1990), Austrian-British chess master and author
• Erwin Klein (died 1992), American table tennis player
• Frederick C Klein (born 1938), American sportswriter
• Gertrude Kleinová (1918–1976), Czech table tennis player
• Hanna Klein, German athlete
• Herbert Klein (swimmer) (1923–2001), German swimmer
• Jackie Klein (born 1937), American artistic gymnast
• Joe Klein (baseball executive) (1942–2017), American baseball executive
• Kevin Klein (ice hockey) (born 1984), Canadian ice hockey player
• Kristin Klein (born 1970), American volleyball player (1959–1993)
• Ľudovít Klein (born 1995), Slovak mixed martial artist
• Marlin Klein (born 2002), German-American footballer
• Martin Klein (footballer), Czech footballer
• Martin Klein (wrestler) (1884–1947), Estonian wrestler
• Marvin Klein (born 1999), French racing driver
• Michael Klein (footballer, born 1959) (1959–1993), Romanian international footballer
• Noeki Klein (born 1983), Dutch water polo player
• Perry Klein (born 1971), American football quarterback in the National Football League who played for the Atlanta Falcons
• Ralph Klein (basketball) (1931–2008), Israeli basketball player and coach
• Raul Klein (1932–1998), Brazilian footballer
• Roelof Klein (1877–1960), Dutch rower
• Sandra Kleinová (born 1978), Czech tennis player
• Siegmund Klein (1902–1987), American bodybuilder
• Will Klein (baseball) (born 1999), American baseball player
• Wolfgang Klein (1941–2017), German athlete

Other

• Bradley S. Klein (born 1954), American golf author, architecture editor for Golf Week magazine
• Carol Klein (born 1945), British gardening broadcaster and writer
• Gerda Weissmann Klein (1924–2022), Holocaust survivor
• Hans Klein (1891–1944), German Luftwaffe major-general
• Iris Klein, German model and beauty queen crowned Miss International 1989
• Johannes Klein (died 1926), German First World War flying ace
• Mark Klein (fl. 2006), American whistleblower and former AT&T technician
• Roman Klein (1858–1924), Russian architect
• Vilhelm Klein (1835–1913), Danish architect

See also

• Cline (surname)
• Clyne (surname)
• Klein (disambiguation)
• Kline (surname)