Classen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The name Classen was first used by the people of the German province of Westphalia, which lay in the area between the Rhine and Wesser rivers. It is a patronymic name, derived from the given name of the father of the original bearer. Along with metronymic names, which come from the name of the mother of the bearer, patronymics were one of the most popular early German name types. Classen was derived from the baptismal name Clausen, which is a form of the name Nicholas. The given name Nicholas, which means people's victory, was popular among Christians throughout Europe in the Middle Ages.

Early Origins of the Classen family

The surname Classen was first found in Westphalia, where the family made a considerable contribution to the feudal society which shaped modern Europe. The family branched into several houses, all of which played important roles in the local political conflicts which forged the nation.

Early History of the Classen family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Classen research. Another 176 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1622, 1676, 1678, 1786 and 1850 are included under the topic Early Classen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Classen Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Classen include Klassen, Klasse, Klass, Klasen, Klase, Klas, Classen, Classe, Class, Clasen, Clase, Clas, Klasing, Klaasen, Klaasen, Claasen, Klaase, Claase, Klaas and many more.

Early Notables of the Classen family

Notables of the period with the name Classen were Daniel Clasen, in Latin Danielis Clasenius or Clasenus (1622-1678), a German political theorist, religious scholar, and classicist; and...
Another 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Classen Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Classen Ranking

In the United States, the name Classen is the 13,325^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Classen migration to the United States +

For many Germans, emigration to North America was an inviting alternative to the trials of life in the old country. From the mid-17th into the present century, thousands of Germans migrated across the Atlantic. They capitalized on the chance to escape poverty and persecution, and to own their own land. After 1650, Germans settled throughout the states of Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Many also landed in Canada, settling in Ontario or father west on the rich land of the prairies. Among them:

Classen Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Engelbert Classen, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1773 2

Classen Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Henry Classen, aged 36, who arrived in New York, NY in 1873 2
Abrah Classen, aged 24, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1875 2

Classen migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Classen Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. Caleb Classen U.E. who settled in Eastern District [Cornwall], Ontario c. 1783 3

Classen Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Cornelius Classen, who arrived in Manitoba in 1875
Dietrich Classen, who landed in Manitoba in 1875
Franz Classen, who landed in Manitoba in 1875
Gerhard Classen, who arrived in Manitoba in 1875
Helena Classen, who landed in Manitoba in 1875
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Classen (post 1700) +

Russell H. Classen, American Republican politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Illinois 25th District, 1948; Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Illinois, 1964 4
George C. Classen, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Iowa 2nd District, 1944 4
Ashley G. Classen, American politician, Mayor of El Paso, Texas, 1969 4
Carl Joachim Classen (b. 1928), German classical scholar
Maja Classen (b. 1974), German film director and screenwriter, best known for her documentary Feiern (2006)
Johannes Classen (1805-1891), German educator and classical philologist
Andy Classen, contemporary German musician, sound engineer and record producer
Gregory "Greg" Classen (b. 1977), Canadian professional ice hockey centre
Johan Frederik "J.F." Classen (1725-1792), Danish-Norwegian industrialist, major general and landowner

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 29) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html