Klaus Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Klaus last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Klaus last name
Meaning of the Klaus last name: a descendant of Klaus, a short form of Nikolaus. Klaus is a patronymic surname from Klaus, a short form of Nikolaus, the name of the popular Saint Nicholas. Because the personal name was so common, the surname arose many times independently. This last name is found throughout Germany and Austria.
Arms associated with the Klaus name
Sharing a surname establishes no coat of arms entitlement; heraldry follows documented individual lineages.
Get your full Klaus family history
This is only a glimpse of the Klaus story. The full Klaus history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Klaus coat of arms. Get the full Klaus report.
Klaus name FAQ
What does the Klaus name mean?
A descendant of Klaus, a short form of Nikolaus.
Where does the Klaus surname come from?
It originates in Germany, and is also found in the United States and Brazil.
Is there a Klaus coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Klaus coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Elsdon C. Smith, Dictionary of American Family Names (1956), individual surname entries; modern indexed dictionary entries supersede conflicting interpretations.; Forebears, Surnam.es and individual surname distribution references.