Klee (surname)
Stolperstein of Helene Klee | |
| Pronunciation | ˈkleː or as in "clay" |
|---|---|
| Language(s) | German, Yiddish, French |
| Origin | |
| Language(s) | German, Hebrew |
| Region of origin | Alsace, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Germany |
| Other names | |
| Alternative spelling | Klée |
| Variant form(s) | Kleeblatt, Kleegman, Kleeberg, Kleefeld, Kleeman, Kleemann, Kleiman |
Klee (Yiddish: קליי) is a German and Ashkenazi Jewish surname. Variations include Kleefeld, Kleeblatt, Kleegman, Kleiman, Kleeman and Kleeberg. In German, it means "clover" and is possibly a toponymic surname like Feldman.
According to researchers at ANU – Museum of the Jewish People, the name Klee originates from the Greek Kalonymos (Hebrew: קלונימוס), a translation of the Hebrew "shem tov" (שם טוב) meaning "good name". Klee is documented as a Jewish surname in Alsace in France since the 18th century, along with similar names such as Kleemann.
In France, the name is associated with the Alsatian commune of Katzenthal, near Colmar.