Contents [hide]

Claus History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Claus History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The roots of the Claus family are found in the ancient German state of Bavaria. Claus 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. Claus 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 Claus family

The surname Claus 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 Claus family

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

Claus Spelling Variations

One can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Claus include Klaus, Klauss, Claus, Clauss, Klauhs, Clauhs, Klausing (Westphalia), Klauser (Switzerland), Clausing, Clauser, Klausen, Klaussen, Clausen and many more.

Early Notables of the Claus family

Prominent among members of the name Claus 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 Claus Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Claus Ranking

In the United States, the name Claus is the 8,845^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Claus is ranked the 6,659^th most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 2

Claus migration to the United States +

The great European flow of migration to North America, which began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century, was particularly attractive to those from Bavaria who wished to escape either poverty or religious persecution. For many Bavarian tenant farmers, the chance to own their own land was a major incentive. So the widespread colonization of the United States began in 1650, when many immigrants from Germany settled in pockets in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. In Canada, German settlement centered in Ontario and the prairie provinces. Among those of this surname listed in various historical records were:

Claus Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Friedrick Claus, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1733 3
Matheis Claus, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1739 3
Conrath Claus, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1748 3
Christina Claus, who landed in America in 1750 3
Johann Jost Claus, who landed in America in 1750-1753 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Claus Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Joh Joseph Claus, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1804 3
Joh Gerh Claus, who landed in America in 1834 3
Adam Claus, who arrived in America in 1834 3
Frederick Claus, who landed in Missouri in 1840 3
Valentine Claus, aged 28, who landed in Missouri in 1845 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Claus migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Claus Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Col. Daniel Claus U.E. who settled in Home District, [Niagara], Lincoln County, Ontario c. 1783 4
Mr. Gasper Claus U.E. who settled in Prince Edward County, Ontario c. 1783 4
Mr. John Claus U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1783 4
Capt. William Claus U.E. who settled in Cornwall, Ontario c. 1783 4
Mr. William Claus U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1783 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Claus (post 1700) +

Charles F. Claus, American politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Massachusetts 11th District, 1912 5
Santa Claus, usually abbreviated Santa, is a figure in North American culture who reflects an amalgamation of the Dutch Sinterklaas, the English Father Christmas, and Christmas gift-bringers in other traditions
Jürgen Claus (1935-2023), German painter and author
Carl Friedrich Wilhelm Claus (1835-1899), German zoologist
Karl Ernst Claus (1796-1864), Russian chemist and naturalist
Hugo Maurice Julien Claus (1929-2008), leading Belgian author
Emil Claus Gotschlich (1935-2023), American chemist, professor emeritus at the Rockefeller University, best known for his development of the first meningitis vaccine in 1970
Steven Claus Beering (1932-2020), German-born, American academic, 9th President of Purdue University from 1983 to 2000
George Claus Beckmann Jr. (b. 1922), American hospital administrator
Claus E. Rolfs (b. 1941), German experimental physicist, known for his laboratory research related to nuclear astrophysics

Historic Events for the Claus family +

Bismarck

Friedo Claus (1923-1941), German Matrosengefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 6

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
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
Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details