Closs History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The roots of the Closs family are found in the ancient German state of Bavaria. Closs is one of the most common styles of German surname, that of patronymics and matronymics - names derived from the given names of the father or mother of their original bearers. Closs is derived from the medieval given name Klaus, which is a shortened form of the personal name Niklaus or Nicholas. The given name Nicholas, which means people's victory, was popular among Christians throughout Europe in the Middle Ages.

Early Origins of the Closs family

The surname Closs was first found in Bavaria, where the family contributed greatly to the development of an emerging nation and would later play a large role in the political conflicts of the area. The family branched into many houses, many of which acquired estates and manors throughout the surrounding regions, where they played significant roles in the social and political affairs.

Early History of the Closs family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Closs research. Another 177 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1656, 1679, 1681, 1691, 1713 and 1755 are included under the topic Early Closs History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Closs Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Klaus, Klauss, Claus, Clauss, Klauhs, Clauhs, Klausing (Westphalia), Klauser (Switzerland), Clausing, Clauser, Klausen, Klaussen, Clausen and many more.

Early Notables of the Closs family

Prominent among members of the name Closs in this period include John Closterman (1656-1713), portrait-painter, born at Osnaburg, Hanover, in 1656, the son of an artist, who taught him the rudiments of design. "In 1679 he went to...
Another 38 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Closs Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Closs migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Closs Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Christian Closs, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1752 1
Johan Theobald Closs, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1752 1
Balthasar Closs, who arrived in New York, NY in 1782 1

Closs migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Closs Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mrs. Jane Closs née Gunning, (b. 1818), aged 43, Scottish settler born in Wigtownshire travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Storm Cloud" arriving in Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 30th July 1861 2
Mr. William John Leech Closs, (b. 1859), aged 2, Scottish settler born in Glasgow travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Storm Cloud" arriving in Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 30th July 1861 2
Miss Charlotte Closs, (b. 1843), aged 18, Scottish settler born in Glasgow travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Storm Cloud" arriving in Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 30th July 1861 2
Mr. Henry Closs, (b. 1845), aged 16, Scottish settler born in Glasgow travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Storm Cloud" arriving in Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 30th July 1861 2
Mr. James Gunning Closs, (b. 1845), aged 16, Scottish settler born in Glasgow travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Storm Cloud" arriving in Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 30th July 1861 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Closs (post 1700) +

J. R. Closs, American politician, Mayor of Waco, Texas, 1976-77 3
H. Wilbert Closs, American Republican politician, Mayor of Canandaigua, New York, 1928-33 3

Citations +

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)
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 15) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html