Clausen
A Scandinavian and German-style patronymic surname meaning “son of Claus.”
The #3,987 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 34,667 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Clausen is a patronymic surname built from the given name Claus, a short form of Nicholas. In this form, the ending -en means “son of” or “descendant of,” so the name originally meant “Claus’s son.” The root ultimately goes back to Greek Nikolaos, commonly rendered in Christian Europe through Latin and vernacular pet forms.
History
The surname is especially associated with Denmark and northern Germany, and it also appears in Norway and Sweden through similar naming patterns. It spread more widely with migration to North America, where it is found among families of Scandinavian and German background. In English-speaking countries it is often treated as a hereditary family name rather than a changing patronymic.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Clausen and Clausen-like forms are part of the wider family of surnames built from Nicholas, including Klaus, Klausen, and Nicholson.