Klaus
A Germanic short form of Nicholas, later used as a surname and patronymic.
The #6,388 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 57,948 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Klaus is a German short form of Nicholas, ultimately from Greek Nikolaos, meaning “victory of the people.” As a surname, it often began as a patronymic, essentially meaning “son of Klaus” or “descendant of Klaus.” The historical excerpts also show related Dutch and German forms such as Klaas, Klaus, and Klasse.
History
The name was especially common in German-speaking areas and the Low Countries. In England it was comparatively rare and seems to have appeared mainly through contact with Dutch or German speakers. Related surname forms include Klausen, Clausen, Claus, and Klause.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The same nickname family that produced Klaus also gave rise to many other surnames built from the Nicholas name, showing how popular the saint’s name was across medieval Europe.
From the historical record
“CUyBon. CUuson, ClauBBon , ClauBsen, Clawaon.— Bapt. 'the son of Klaus,' i. e. Nicholas ; Ger- man Klaus, Dutch Klasse. The name was very rare in England, where Cote end Colin ruled supreme as the nicks, of Nicholas. Doubtless the name occasionally”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with special American instancesNotable people named Klaus
- Václav Klaus (b. 1941)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.