NameCensus.

UK surname

Clausen

A Danish and Norwegian patronymic surname meaning "son of Claus" or "son of Nicholas."

In the 1881 census there were 31 people recorded with the Clausen surname, ranking it #29,218 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 169, ranked #21,884, up from #29,218 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Somerset, Teignbridge and Newark and Sherwood.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Clausen is 176 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 445.2%.

1881 census count

31

Ranked #29,218

Modern count

169

2016, ranked #21,884

Peak year

2014

176 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Clausen had 31 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,218 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 169 in 2016, ranked #21,884.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 66 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Clausen surname distribution map

The map shows where the Clausen surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Clausen surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Clausen over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1861 historical 9 #32,724
1881 historical 31 #29,218
1891 historical 52 #30,061
1901 historical 66 #26,794
1911 historical 53 #27,508
1997 modern 135 #22,499
1998 modern 147 #21,935
1999 modern 154 #21,455
2000 modern 154 #21,415
2001 modern 154 #21,122
2002 modern 154 #21,531
2003 modern 138 #22,823
2004 modern 139 #22,891
2005 modern 128 #24,076
2006 modern 132 #23,834
2007 modern 140 #23,231
2008 modern 142 #23,270
2009 modern 155 #22,438
2010 modern 165 #22,026
2011 modern 163 #21,983
2012 modern 155 #22,762
2013 modern 167 #21,984
2014 modern 176 #21,413
2015 modern 170 #21,800
2016 modern 169 #21,884

Geography

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Where Clausens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Somerset, Teignbridge, Newark and Sherwood and Camden. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Somerset 003 West Somerset
2 Teignbridge 009 Teignbridge
3 Teignbridge 012 Teignbridge
4 Newark and Sherwood 007 Newark and Sherwood
5 Camden 010 Camden

Forenames

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First names often paired with Clausen

These lists show first names that appear often with the Clausen surname in historical and recent records.

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Clausen

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Clausen, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Clausen surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Clausen household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Clausen is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Clausen is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Clausen falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Clausen is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Clausen, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Clausen

The surname Clausen is of Germanic origin, derived from the Old German word "klausen," meaning "small valley" or "narrow ravine." It is believed to have originated in northern Germany or the Netherlands during the medieval period.

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 13th century. In a document from 1275, a man named Johannes Clausen is mentioned as a landowner in the town of Goslar, in present-day Lower Saxony, Germany. Another early record from 1312 refers to a Henricus Clausen, a merchant in the city of Bremen.

The name Clausen was often associated with people living in or near small valleys or ravines, which were abundant in the hilly and mountainous regions of northern Germany and the Netherlands. It is likely that the name was initially a descriptive surname, referring to the geographic location of the family or individual.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Clawsen, Claweson, and Klausen, reflecting regional variations in spelling and pronunciation. One notable figure from this period was Gerhard Clausen, a prominent merchant and member of the Hanseatic League, who lived in Lübeck, Germany, from 1345 to 1412.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Clausen became more widespread as families migrated to other parts of Europe and beyond. Johannes Clausen (1528-1592), a German theologian and reformer, was a significant figure during the Protestant Reformation. Another notable bearer of the name was Rudolph Clausen (1680-1751), a Dutch explorer and cartographer who mapped parts of the Dutch East Indies (present-day Indonesia).

In the 19th century, the name gained further prominence with individuals such as Amalie Clausen (1865-1942), a Danish painter and artist, and Carl Clausen (1828-1892), a German-American lawyer and politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Missouri.

Other notable individuals with the surname Clausen include Berthold Clausen (1898-1970), a Danish film director and screenwriter; Wilfred Clausen (1926-2008), an American classical scholar and educator; and Kai Clausen (born 1967), a Danish professional golfer.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Clausen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Clausen surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 12 Clausens recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.34x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 12 3.34x
Durham 6 6.67x
Middlesex 5 1.65x
Berwickshire 1 27.32x
Essex 1 1.68x
Gloucestershire 1 1.69x
Norfolk 1 2.15x
Northumberland 1 2.22x
Renfrewshire 1 4.27x
Surrey 1 0.68x
Yorkshire 1 0.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 10 Clausens recorded in 1881 and an index of 45.89x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 10 45.89x
Westoe 6 117.65x
Islington London 4 13.65x
Berkeley 1 303.03x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 17.54x
Coldingham 1 303.03x
Croydon 1 12.22x
Elswick 1 27.86x
Greenock Newor Middle 1 5000.00x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 1 71.43x
Kingstonupon Hull 1 416.67x
St George Bloomsbury 1 57.80x
Wavertree 1 86.96x
West Ham 1 7.59x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Clausen surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Elizabeth 2
Mary 2
Catherine 1
Christiana 1
Christine 1
Florence 1
Gertrude 1
Margaretta 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Clausen surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Andreas 1
Andrew 1
Carl 1
Claus 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
George 1
Heinrich 1
John 1
Matthew 1
Otto 1
Peter 1
Thomas 1
Thos. 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Clausen households.

FAQ

Clausen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Clausen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 31 people were recorded with the Clausen surname. That placed it at #29,218 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Clausen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 169 in 2016. That gives Clausen a modern rank of #21,884.

What does the Clausen surname mean?

A Danish and Norwegian patronymic surname meaning "son of Claus" or "son of Nicholas."

What does the Clausen map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Clausen bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.