Surname Clos - Meaning and Origin

Clos: What does the surname Clos mean?

The surname Clos is of French origin and is an occupational name for someone who worked in and/or ran a wine press, deriving from the French word 'clos' meaning 'enclosed vineyard', or walled in.

This type of press was typically used to extract the juice from grapes to make wine. It may also be an habitational name in parts of France.

This surname was brought to England and America by French settlers of other nationalities in the colonial period, or, it may have been adopted independently by English or American sounding bearers after hearing the French word.

Some bearers may have added the 's' to their surname to show a continued association with the wine press. Clos is encountered as an infrequently used surname in France and in the U.S and is also found in parts of Canada.

The spellings of the surname Clos include: Close, Closs, Clauss, Clas, and Claux, with other variants being known. However, the modification of spellings does not change its original meaning.

Clos: Where does the name Clos come from?

The last name Clos is most commonly found in the French-speaking areas of Switzerland, particularly in the canton of Neuchâtel. Clos is also a popular surname in France, especially in the northern regions of the country. It is commonly spelled Clou in French. The name is derived from words meaning “enclosure” or protected area, indicating that it was likely given to a family who owned a fenced off plot of land.

Clos is also a common surname in the neighboring countries of Germany and Luxembourg. In Germany, the name is spelled as Kloss or Klossmann, with a variety of spellings found in Luxembourg as well. In both countries, the name likely has a similar meaning as in France.

Outside of France, Switzerland, Germany, and Luxembourg, the name Clos is found in high numbers within the United States. Currently, the U.S. Census Bureau lists the highest concentrations of the name to be in Louisiana and Mississippi.

The last name Clos appears to have a wide distribution across Europe, likely due to a large population of immigrants or expatriates that left their homes in search of a better life. Over the centuries, the name has taken on various spellings, adjusting to the language and culture of their new homes.

Variations of the surname Clos

The surname Clos has a variety of variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. The most common variants are Close, Clouse and Cloce. There are also some rare variants such as Kloos, Klose, Kloezes and Kloers.

The French spelling of the name is Clos, as in Jean Claude Clos, a French painter. The German spelling is Klose and is spelled this way in many areas, including Alsace, Lorraine and the Palatinate. There are also many versions in which the name is spelled with an emphasis on the 'L' sound, such as Kloos and Kloezes.

Other variations of the name include Kleinclos, Kleinsclos, Clostermann, Closset and Closon. Additionally, the following surnames can be traced back to the root name of Clos: Klöss, Kleeschulte, Kleschulte, Klesse, Clozier, Closse, Cloes, Clocke, Cloesse, Cluss, Kleiss, Klees, Closey, Cloesberg, Cloesen, Klös and Klösen.

The spelling of the surname Clos is quite diverse, ranging from its French and German-based versions to its rarer variations, as well as the many other surnames of the same origin. All of these variations of Clos are related and can be traced back to the same ancestor.

Famous people with the name Clos

• Wilfredo Clos: a Cuban economist who is the former president of the Inter-American Development Bank and former minister of the economy and planning in Cuba.
• Denise Clos: a French composer and music producer
• Charles Clos: a French cyclist who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics.
• Francis Clos: a French editor and poet born in 1885.
• Manu Clos: a Spanish racing driver and manager
• Julien Clos: a French lawyer and Rugbys Union footballer who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics.
• Carlos Clos: a Spanish former footballer who made his La Liga debut in the 1990s for Racing de Santander.
• Cyrielle Clos: a French singer, who released her debut single, “Ma Vie” in 2019.
• Joaquim Clos: a Spanish contemporary artist, best known for his large-scale murals.
• Jean-Michel Clos: a French singer, songwriter and musician.

Other surnames

ClobesClocharClodiusCloerCloesCloesenCloeserCloesgenCloesgesCloessCloghaseyCloghasyClogheseyCloghessyClohessyClohsCloneClontzClonyCloohsClooneyCloosClooßClootCloothClootwijkCloppenborgCloppenburgCloreClose