Klaasen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The name Klaasen was first used by the people of the German province of Westphalia, which lay in the area between the Rhine and Wesser rivers. It is a patronymic name, derived from the given name of the father of the original bearer. Along with metronymic names, which come from the name of the mother of the bearer, patronymics were one of the most popular early German name types. Klaasen was derived from the baptismal name Clausen, which is a form of the name Nicholas. The given name Nicholas, which means people's victory, was popular among Christians throughout Europe in the Middle Ages.

Early Origins of the Klaasen family

The surname Klaasen was first found in Westphalia, where the family made a considerable contribution to the feudal society which shaped modern Europe. The family branched into several houses, all of which played important roles in the local political conflicts which forged the nation.

Early History of the Klaasen family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Klaasen research. Another 176 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1622, 1676, 1678, 1786 and 1850 are included under the topic Early Klaasen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Klaasen 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 Klaasen include Klassen, Klasse, Klass, Klasen, Klase, Klas, Classen, Classe, Class, Clasen, Clase, Clas, Klasing, Klaasen, Klaasen, Claasen, Klaase, Claase, Klaas and many more.

Early Notables of the Klaasen family

Notables of the period with the name Klaasen were Daniel Clasen, in Latin Danielis Clasenius or Clasenus (1622-1678), a German political theorist, religious scholar, and classicist; and...
Another 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Klaasen Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Klaasen migration to the United States +

Many Germans emigrated across the Atlantic to seek better lives in North America. This great migration began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century. Resettlement was particularly attractive to those from Westphalia as a means of escape from poverty and religious persecution. For many Westphalian farmers, the chance to own one's own land was also a major incentive. The process of 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 settlements centered around Ontario and the Prairie provinces. Among them:

Klaasen Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Evert Klaasen, aged 33, who landed in New York, NY in 1846 1
Geesje Klaasen, aged 45, who arrived in New York, NY in 1846 1
Gerrit Klaasen, aged 4, who landed in New York, NY in 1846 1
Aaltje Klaasen, who arrived in New York, NY in 1846 1
Hendrik Jan Klaasen, aged 4, who arrived in New York, NY in 1846 1
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Klaasen (post 1700) +

Thandi Klaasen (1930-1931), née Mpambane, South African jazz musician from Sophiatown, Gauteng

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)