Meaning and history
Claus is a German, Dutch, and Scandinavian short form of Nikolaus or Nicholas. Nicholas derives from Greek Nikolaos, combining nikē, “victory,” with laos, “people,” and is conventionally interpreted as “victory of the people.” Saint Nicholas of Myra inspired later traditions surrounding Santa Claus, whose surname preserves this short form. Notable bearers include German resistance officer Claus von Stauffenberg and German-born British statistician Claus Moser.
18791879: no US SSA record for this spelling
1880: 7 births, rank #759
1881: no US SSA record for this spelling
1882: no US SSA record for this spelling
1883: no US SSA record for this spelling
18841884: no US SSA record for this spelling
1885: 5 births, rank #964
1886: no US SSA record for this spelling
1887: 5 births, rank #957
1888: no US SSA record for this spelling
18891889: no US SSA record for this spelling
1890: 6 births, rank #908
1891: 7 births, rank #783
1892: no US SSA record for this spelling
1893: no US SSA record for this spelling
18941894: no US SSA record for this spelling
1895: no US SSA record for this spelling
1896: no US SSA record for this spelling
1897: no US SSA record for this spelling
18981898: 8 births, rank #819
Claus moved from #783 to #819 for boys between 1891 and 1898. That year also produced its highest recorded birth count, at 8.