Its place name can be considered unusual as "groß" is German for "big" or "tall" while "klein" translates to "small", thus, it can be translated as "big-small".
However, this does not reflect the real origins of the name. The "-klein" portion, according to German linguist Fritz Lochner von Hüttenbach, likely stems from Slavic roots in form of the word "glina" (=clay, loam) or "kljun" (=beak). Modern Großklein (="large Klein") as well as its surrounding areas were once part of a larger area called "Klein". The name was changed in 1968 following a decision by the municipal council.[3]
Geography
The municipality lies on the south Styrian Weinstraße.