Klein (surname)
Klein 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, American historian of science
- Dan Klein, American computer scientist
- Daniel Klein (grammarian), German-Lithuanian pastor and grammarian
- Daniel B. Klein, American economist
- Etienne Klein, French physicist and philosopher of science
- Fritz Klein (sex researcher), American sex researcher
- Gary A. Klein, American research psychologist
- George Klein (inventor), Canadian inventor
- Heinz Klein, American sociologist
- Jacob Theodor Klein, Prussian botanist
- Lawrence Klein, American economist
- Leo S. Klein, or Leo Klejn, Russian Jewish archaeologist, anthropologist and philologist
- Martin J. Klein, American science historian of physics
- Marty Klein, American sex therapist
- Melanie Klein, British psychotherapist
- Michael L. Klein, British-American computational chemist
- Oskar Klein, Swedish physicist
- Richard Klein (paleoanthropologist), American paleoanthropologist
- Sabra Klein, American microbiologist
- Samuel Klein (scholar), Hungarian-born rabbi, historian and historical geographer
- Wilhelm Klein, Hungarian-Austrian archeologist
- Wolfgang Klein (linguist), German linguist
Arts and entertainment
Film and television
- Chris Klein (actor), American actor
- Dušan Klein, Czech film director and screenwriter
- Jesper Klein, Danish actor
- Joey Klein, Canadian actor and film director
- Marci Klein, American television producer
- Martina Klein, Argentine model and TV presenter
- Robert Klein, American stand-up comedian and actor
Literature
- A. M. Klein, Canadian poet
- Aaron J. Klein, Israeli author and journalist
- Augusta Klein, English author
- Charles Klein London-born American playwright
- Chuck Klein (author) American author
- Daniel Martin Klein, American author
- Ernest Klein, Canadian linguist, author and rabbi
- Gérard Klein, French science fiction writer
- Hannelore Klein, German-born American linguist and writer known as Laureen Nussbaum
- Joe Klein, American journalist and novelist
- Josef K. Klein, Bulgarian poet of Austrian origin known by the pseudonym Gustav Heinse
- Julius Leopold Klein, Hungarian dramatist
- Michael Klein (writer), American fiction writer, poet and academic
- Naomi Klein, Canadian author and activist
- Nathan Klein, known as Natan Yonatan, Ukrainian-born Israeli poet
- Robin Klein, Australian author of children's books
- T. E. D. Klein, American horror writer and editor
Music
- Klein (musician), recording artist, producer and singer from South London
- Alan Klein, English singer and songwriter
- Allen Klein, manager for the Beatles and Rolling Stones
- Carol Joan Klein, stage name Carole King, American composer and singer-songwriter
- Barbara Lynn Klein, known as Barbi Benton, American Playboy model, singer and actress
- Dani Klein, stage name of Danielle Schoovaerts, Belgian singer and songwriter
- Elisabeth Klein, Hungarian-Danish pianist
- Eliška Kleinová, Czech pianist
- Gary Klein (producer), songwriter, record producer, and co-writer of " Bobby's Girl"
- Gene Klein, better known as Gene Simmons, American musician
- Gideon Klein, pianist and composer
- Howie Klein, American record label executive, and activist
- Jim Klein, American composer and songwriter
- Jon Klein (musician), guitarist and producer
- Joost Klein, Dutch hip hop artist
- Mannie Klein, American jazz trumpeter
- Marlon Klein, German musician and producer
- Mark Klein (singer), American singer-songwriter
- Oscar Klein, Austrian-born jazz trumpeter
- Suzy Klein, British music and arts broadcaster
Painting
- Anna Klein (painter), German painter
- Fred Klein, Dutch painter, father of Yves
- Mary-Austin Klein, American landscape painter
- Yves Klein, French painter, son of Fred
Other arts and entertainment
- Aart Klein, Dutch photographer
- Ethan Klein, American-Israeli YouTuber
- Franz Klein (sculptor), Viennese sculptor, creator of a famous bust of Beethoven
- Todd Klein, comic book letterer
- William Klein (photographer), American-born French photographer and filmmaker
Business and industry
- Anne Klein (fashion designer), American fashion designer and entrepreneur
- Bill Klein (businessman), American businessman and poker player
- Calvin Klein (fashion designer), American fashion designer
- David Klein, businessman
- David Klein, governor, Bank of Israel
- Fernando Heydrich Klein German businessman, politician, engineer and sculptor
- Jon Klein (CNN), president of the American television news network CNN
- Jonathan Klein (Getty Images), founder of Getty Images
- Leonardo Farkas Klein, Chilean businessman
- Mathias Klein, founder of Klein Tools
- Michel Klein (designer), French fashion designer
- Michael Klein (businessman), Brazilian business executive
- Robin Klein (venture capitalist), British entrepreneur and investor
- Samuel Klein (businessman), Polish-Brazilian business magnate
Mathematics
- Abel Klein, American mathematician
- Esther Klein, Hungarian–Australian mathematician
- Felix Klein, German mathematician
- Willem Klein, Dutch mathematician and mental calculator
Medicine
- Christine Klein, German physician and professor of neurology and neurogenetics
- Emanuel Edward Klein, British bacteriologist
- Eva Klein, Hungarian-Swedish cancer researcher
- Fritz Klein, German Nazi doctor hanged for war crimes
- Jan Klein, Czech-American immunologist
- Luella Klein, American obstetrician-gynecologist and professor
Politics and government
- Aaron Klein, senior adviser, chief strategist for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
- Arthur George Klein, United States Representative from New York
- Clayton Klein, American politician
- Elijah Klein, American football player
- Ezra Klein, American political writer
- Hans Klein (politician), German politician
- Hans Hugo Klein, German politician
- Hendrikje Klein, German politician
- Herb Klein (journalist), American journalist, President Nixon's communications director
- Herb Klein (politician), American politician
- Herbert G. Klein, American political aide
- Ivo Klein, Liechtenstein politician
- Jacob Theodor Klein, Prussian jurist, historian, botanist, mathematician and diplomat
- Jacques Paul Klein, French-born American diplomat
- Joe Klein, American political commentator and writer for Time magazine
- Jürgen Klein, German politician
- Karsten Klein, German politician
- Louis Klein, French politician and peer, general during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars
- Louis Christian Klein, German-American politician
- Marcus Klein, German politician
- Norbert Klein (politician), Dutch politician
- Ottilie Klein, German politician
- Ralph Klein, Canadian politician
- Réka Klein, German politician
- Ron Klein, American politician
- Volkmar Klein, German politician
Religion
- Ernest Klein, Canadian linguist and rabbi
- Félix Klein, French priest and theologian
- Isaac Klein, American rabbi
- Menashe Klein, American rabbi
- Norbert Klein, Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights
Sports
- Abraham Klein (referee), Israeli football referee
- Ágnes Keleti, born Klein, Hungarian-Israeli Olympic champion artistic gymnast
- Brydan Klein, Australian-born British tennis player
- Chris Klein (soccer), American soccer player
- Chuck Klein, American baseball player
- Collin Klein, American footballer
- Dede Klein, Canadian ice hockey player
- Dieter Klein, South African cricketer
- Elijah Klein, American footballer
- Ernest Klein (chess player), Austrian-British chess master and author
- Erwin Klein, American table tennis player
- Frederick C Klein, American sportswriter
- Gertrude Kleinová, Czech table tennis player
- Hanna Klein, German athlete
- Herbert Klein (swimmer), German swimmer
- Jackie Klein, American artistic gymnast
- Joe Klein (baseball executive), American baseball executive
- Kevin Klein (ice hockey), Canadian ice hockey player
- Kristin Klein, American volleyball player
- Ľudovít Klein, Slovak mixed martial artist
- Marlin Klein, German-American footballer
- Martin Klein (footballer), Czech footballer
- Martin Klein (wrestler), Estonian wrestler
- Marvin Klein, French racing driver
- Michael Klein (footballer, born 1959), Romanian international footballer
- Noeki Klein, Dutch water polo player
- Perry Klein, American football quarterback in the National Football League who played for the Atlanta Falcons
- Ralph Klein (basketball), Israeli basketball player and coach
- Raul Klein, Brazilian footballer
- Roelof Klein, Dutch rower
- Sandra Kleinová, Czech tennis player
- Siegmund Klein, American bodybuilder
- Will Klein (baseball), American baseball player
- Wolfgang Klein, German athlete
Other
- Bradley S. Klein, American golf author, architecture editor for Golf Week magazine
- Carol Klein, British gardening broadcaster and writer
- Gerda Weissmann Klein, Holocaust survivor
- Hans Klein, German Luftwaffe major-general
- Iris Klein, German model and beauty queen crowned Miss International 1989
- Johannes Klein, German First World War flying ace
- Mark Klein, American whistleblower and former AT&T technician
- Roman Klein, Russian architect
- Vilhelm Klein, Danish architect