Find out how popular the last name Cluse is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Cluse.

Cluse, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Cluse surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cluse in America

Cluse is the 159712th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cluse surname appeared 101 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Cluse.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cluse to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Cluse

The surname CLUSE originates from the French region of Franche-Comté, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to derive from the Old French word "cluse," meaning a narrow valley or pass between mountains. The name likely referred to people who lived in or near such geographical features.

In the Franche-Comté region, the name CLUSE can be traced back to records from the medieval period, with variations such as "de la Cluse" or "de Clusa" appearing in local charters and land records. It was not uncommon for surnames at that time to be derived from topographical descriptions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname CLUSE can be found in the cartulary of the Abbey of Baume-les-Moines, dated around 1180. This document mentions a certain "Petrus de Clusa," indicating the presence of the name in the region during the 12th century.

In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the name CLUSE was Hugues de Cluse, a knight and landowner from the village of Cluse-et-Mijoux in the Jura Mountains. Records from 1265 mention his involvement in a dispute over land rights with the nearby Abbey of Saint-Claude.

Another historical reference to the name CLUSE can be found in the Armorial de la Franche-Comté, a heraldic register compiled in the late 16th century. This document includes the coat of arms and genealogical information for several families named CLUSE, further attesting to the longstanding presence of the surname in the region.

In the 17th century, a prominent figure with the CLUSE surname was Jean-Baptiste Cluse (1612-1688), a Catholic priest and theologian from Besançon, who authored several works on religious philosophy and doctrine.

During the 18th century, Jacques-Philippe Cluse (1731-1803) was a notable architect and engineer from Franche-Comté, known for his contributions to the design and construction of fortifications and bridges in the region.

As the name spread beyond its region of origin, other notable individuals bearing the CLUSE surname emerged. For instance, in the 19th century, Lucien Cluse (1845-1912) was a French novelist and playwright, renowned for his works depicting life in the rural areas of eastern France.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cluse

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Cluse.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Cluse was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Cluse has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Cluse was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Cluse, please contact us.

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