Show ContentsStrause History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The German state of Prussia, which reached the zenith of its power in the late 19th century, is the glorious birthplace of the distinguished surname Strause. In the medieval era, after the fall of the Roman Empire, the German lands were inhabited by a variety of Barbarian tribes. The borders of the Barbarian kingdoms changed frequently, but the region that became known in Prussia was roughly divided between the areas of Brandenburg-Prussia, West Prussia, and East Prussia. The colorful history of Brandenburg-Prussia, which is essentially the birthplace of modern Germany, provides a glimpse at the oldest origins of the Strause family.

Early Origins of the Strause family

The surname Strause was first found in the Altmark region, where the family emerged in mediaeval times as one of the notable families of the region. One source suggests that the earliest origin of the name was in fact the Principality of Cologne; but other chronicles suggest the true origin to be the ancient province of Altmark, later the duchy of Brunswick. From the 13th century on the surname was identified with the great social and economic evolution which made these territories landmark contributors to the building of the nation.

Early History of the Strause family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Strause research. Another 154 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1337, 1575, 1580, 1749, 1789, 1790, 1804, 1825, 1827, 1835, 1849, 1870, 1899 and 1916 are included under the topic Early Strause History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Strause Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Strause include Strauss, Straus, Strous, Strouss, Strus, Struss, Straessle, Struessgen, Striuss, Strius and many more.

Early Notables of the Strause family

Notable figures of the time with the name Strause were Christoph Strauss (1575-1580), who was a prominent Austrian composer at the Hapsburg court. In the 19th century, the Strauss family formed a dynasty of musicians and composers. Johann (1804-1849), a violinist and band leader, began the families climb...
Another 48 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Strause Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Strause migration to the United States +

Much of German history has been shaped by the state of Prussia. It was an enduring military power until after the Second World War. At that time, the state was abolished altogether and its land divided between the Soviet Union, Poland, East Germany and West Germany. While some Prussians were content to remain in those countries, others moved away, many of them migrating to North America. They entered the United States mostly through Philadelphia, moving on to Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Others went to Canada, settling on the prairies and in the province of Ontario. Among those of this surname listed in various historical records were:

Strause Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Henry Strause, who landed in Texas in 1859 [1]

Contemporary Notables of the name Strause (post 1700) +

  • William M. Strause (b. 1956), American member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
  • Daniel Strause, American professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter
  • Ernst Gabor Strause (1922-1983), German-American mathematician
  • Jack Strause (1930-1988), American professional poker player
  • Roy F. Strause, American Republican politician, Candidate for Michigan State House of Representatives 66th District, 1964, 1966; Member of Michigan Republican State Central Committee, 1969 [2]
  • Ludwig Strause (1835-1899), Austrian violinist
  • Ivan Strause (b. 1937), Czech violinist and music pedagogue


  1. 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)
  2. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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