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The name Closes is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived 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.
The surname Closes 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
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Closes 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 Closes History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Closes are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Closes include: Close, Cloase, Cloise, Clowse, Clovse, Cloace, Cloce, Cloose and many more.
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 Closes Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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.
Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Closes or a variant listed above: