Klines

Klines is a surname of German origin. It is an Anglicized form of Klein, meaning small, and commonly arose as a nickname for a person of diminutive stature or as a toponymic or occupational surname in German-speaking areas. As families emigrated to North America and other regions, the spelling often adapted to English phonetics, resulting in variants such as Kline, Klein, and, less commonly, Klain or Klines. The form Klines appears as the plural or family-name spelling used by unrelated lineages.

In genealogical records, Klines can appear in 18th- and 19th-century sources in Germany, the Alsace-Lorraine region, and among immigrant communities in the United States and Canada. Today, bearers of the name are found in various professions and communities around the world.

Spelling variants and related surnames include Kline, Klein, and Klain. For further information, see Kline (surname) and Klein (surname).