Claessen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

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

The surname Claessen 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 Claessen family

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

Claessen 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 Claessen include Klaus, Klauss, Claus, Clauss, Klauhs, Clauhs, Klausing (Westphalia), Klauser (Switzerland), Clausing, Clauser, Klausen, Klaussen, Clausen and many more.

Early Notables of the Claessen family

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

Claessen Ranking

In Netherlands, the name Claessen is the 855^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,323 people with that name. 1

Claessen migration to the United States +

European migration to North America began in the mid-17th century and continued unabated until the mid-20th. Many Bavarians made the long trip to escape poverty or persecution based on their religious beliefs. The chance for tenant farmers to own their own land was also a major drawing card. They settled all across the United States in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Many came to Canada also, settling in Ontario and the prairie provinces. Analysis of immigration records has shown some of the first Claessens to arrive in North America, and among them were:

Claessen Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Clam Claessen, who landed in New Netherland(s) in 1630 2
Gysbert Claessen, who arrived in New Netherland(s) in 1636 2
Isbrant Claessen, aged 44, who arrived in New York in 1644 2
Sijbolt Claessen, who landed in New York in 1645 2
Peter Claessen, who arrived in New York in 1658 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Claessen Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Joh Christian Claessen, who landed in America in 1814-1820 2

Citations +

"Most Common Last Names in Netherlands." Forebears, https://forebears.io/netherlands/surnames
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)