Show ContentsClouse History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Anglo-Saxon name Clouse comes from the family having resided as inhabitants by the enclosed place. Another origin may be derived from the Old English word close, that referred to worker in the farm-yard.

Early Origins of the Clouse family

The surname Clouse was first found in Yorkshire where the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 make the first mention of the family. There we found Johannes del Clos and Willelmus del Clos both listed as holding lands at that time. 1

However one notes source states: "some families of this name are of Yorkshire origin and some are Gaelic-Ó Cluasaigh; both are found in Antrim and adjacent counties." 2

Early History of the Clouse family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Clouse research. Another 117 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1443, 1447, 1448, 1450, 1452, 1453, 1579, 1581, 1585, 1640, 1659, 1660, 1854, 1857 and 1878 are included under the topic Early Clouse History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Clouse Spelling Variations

Clouse has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Spelling variants included: Close, Cloase, Cloise, Clowse, Clovse, Cloace, Cloce, Cloose and many more.

Early Notables of the Clouse family

Notables of the family at this time include Nicholas Close (died 1452), English priest, Bishop of Carlisle (1450 to 1452) and Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield (1452 to 1453). He was "one of the six original fellows of King's College, Cambridge, appointed by the founder, Henry VI, in 1443. Of his previous life nothing has as yet been discovered. The accounts of King's College show that he was frequently employed on important business, and in 1447 he became overseer of the building works ('magister operum')...
Another 84 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Clouse Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Clouse Ranking

In the United States, the name Clouse is the 4,858th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 3

Ireland Migration of the Clouse family to Ireland

Some of the Clouse family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 180 words (13 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Clouse migration to the United States +

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Clouses to arrive on North American shores:

Clouse Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • George Clouse, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1854 4
Clouse Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Frank Clouse, aged 23, who immigrated to the United States, in 1906

Contemporary Notables of the name Clouse (post 1700) +

  • Steve Clouse (b. 1956), American politician, Member of the Alabama House of Representatives (1994)
  • Robert G. Clouse (1931-2016), American professor at Indiana State University, born in Mansfield, Ohio
  • Mark Alan Clouse (b. 1968), American businessman, President and CEO of Campbell Soup Company (2019-), CEO of Pinnacle Foods (2016-2018)
  • Robert Clouse (1928-1997), American film director and producer, best known for his work Enter the Dragon (1973) starring Bruce Lee
  • Michael J. Clouse III, American record producer and songwriter, born in Boston, Massachusetts
  • Wynne F. Clouse (1883-1944), American Republican politician, U.S. Representative from Tennessee 4th District, 1921-23; Defeated, 1922 5
  • C. E. Clouse, American politician, Socialist Labor Candidate for U.S. Representative from Illinois at-large, 1924 5
  • Bill Clouse, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Kentucky State Senate 22nd District, 1990 5


The Clouse Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Fortis et fidelis
Motto Translation: Brave and faithful.


  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. MacLysaght, Edward, Supplement to Irish Families. Baltimore: Genealogical Book Company, 1964. Print.
  3. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  4. 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)
  5. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 15) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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