Close
An English surname from a word for an enclosed piece of land.
The #3,739 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 32,589 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname Close comes from Middle English close, meaning an enclosed or fenced-off piece of ground, such as a croft, yard, or small field. This word ultimately goes back to Old English and related Romance usage, and in surname form it usually pointed to someone who lived by or worked on an enclosed plot of land. It is a topographic name rather than a sign of noble status or a formal place-name in most cases.
History
Lower explicitly glosses Close as “any piece of ground that is enclosed with hedge, wall, or water,” which fits the surname’s topographic sense. The name appears in medieval English records and has remained established in Britain and later in North America. Modern bearers are especially found in England, Scotland, and the United States.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The same word close survives in British place-name usage, where a “close” can still mean an enclosed yard, courtyard, or small cul-de-sac area.
From the historical record
“CLOKE. See Cloake. CLOSE. Any piece of ground that Is enclosed with hedge, wall, or water. CLOTHIER. CLOTHMAN. A maker of cloth, or a dealer in tliat article. CLOUD. In Scotland, M'Cloud is the corruption of Mac Leod. CLOUGH. A ravine, glen, or deep descent between hills. N. of Eng. Cloff, Scotl. The Cloughs of…”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom