The Classen surname
In the 2010 U.S. Census, 1,900 people carried this name — #15,418 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 156,300 people counted. That is up 3% from 1,851 in 2000.
What the name means
The meaning of the Classen surname
Patronymic surname, from the Dutch personal name Claas.
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Classen» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.
In Argentina’s national register
At least 109 people named Classen live in Argentina.
RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.
In Switzerland’s population statistics
66 people named Classen live in Switzerland.
They live in 7 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.
In France’s civil register
France’s register of deaths holds 64 people named Classen.
4 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 16 départements, most often Moselle.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they were born
Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.
In Belgium’s population register
At least 57 people named Classen live in Belgium.
Statbel only publishes a name in a municipality when five or more people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Liège.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
Statbel (Statistics Belgium), family names of the population by municipality, 1 January 2026 — CC BY 4.0.
In print
Classen in American newspapers,
1855–1907.
Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 21,094 pages in all carry the name.
Who carried it
People named Classen,
with a public archive behind them.
-
Johan Frederik Classen 1725–1792 · businessperson -
Peter Hersleb Classen 1738–1825 · businessperson -
Michael Classen 1758–1835 · diplomat -
Peter Hersleb Classen 1804–1886 · director -
Johannes Classen 1805–1891 · head teacher -
Carl Classen d. 1916 · soldier
Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.
Nearby in the index
Surnames next to Classen.
- Clarey 911 · U.S. census
- Clarin 604 · U.S. census
- Clark 562,679 · U.S. census
- Clarke 68,281 · U.S. census
- Claro 1,051 · U.S. census
- Clary 11,139 · U.S. census
- Claud 601 · U.S. census
- Claude 2,033 · U.S. census
- Claudio 6,679 · U.S. census
- Claudy 203 · U.S. census
- Claus 3,674 · U.S. census
- Clause 1,205 · U.S. census
When the index is not enough
This page says where Classen is.
A volume says what happened to it.
Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.