Klaas is a Dutch male given and surname. It is the Dutch short form of Nicholas, a Greek name ultimately meaning victory of the people. A traditionally common name in the Netherlands, its popularity declined some 20-fold since 1950.^[1] Archaic spellings include Claas and Claes. Among its female derivatives are Klaasje, Clasien, Clasina, Clasine, Clazien, Klasien, Klasina and Klaziena. Klaas also exists as a patronymic surname, though the forms Klaasen, Klaassen, Claassen, Claessen, and Claessens are more common.

Notable persons whose given name is Klaas

• Klaas (fl. 1780), Khoikhoi guide to the explorer François Le Vaillant, who named Klaas's cuckoo after him
• Klaas Afrikaner (fl. 1760–1800), Nama captain of the Orlam Afrikaners
• Klaas Annink (1710–1775), Dutch serial killer
• Klaas Bakker (1926–2016), Dutch footballer
• Klaas Balk (born 1948), Dutch cyclist
• Klaas van Berkel (born 1953), Dutch historian of science
• Klaas de Boer (born 1942), Dutch-born American soccer player
• Klaas Bolt (1927–1990), Dutch organist and improviser
• Klaas Bom (born 1937), Dutch engineer
• Klaas Breeuwer (1901–1961), Dutch footballer
• Klaas van den Broek (born 1955), Dutch ice hockey player
• Klaas Bruinsma (1931–2018), Dutch translator to West Frisian
• Klaas Bruinsma (1953–1991), Dutch drug baron
• Klaas Buchly (1910–1965), Dutch cyclist
• Klaas Carel Faber (1922–2012), Dutch WWII war criminal
• Klaas Dijkhoff (born 1981), Dutch politician and legal scholar
• Klaas Gerling (born 1981), German DJ known as "Klaas"
• Klaas de Groot (born 1940), Dutch bioengineer
• Klaas Gubbels (born 1934), Dutch painter and sculptor
• Klaas Hendrikse (1947–2018), Dutch atheist pastor
• Klaas Heufer-Umlauf (born 1983), German television host
• Klaas van der Horst (1731–1825), Dutch Mennonite teacher and minister
• Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (born 1983), Dutch footballer
• Klaas Knot (born 1967), Dutch economist and central banker
• Klaas Kruik (1678–1754), Dutch cartographer and meteorologist better known as Cruquius
• Klaas Lodewyck (born 1988), Belgian cyclist
• Klaas van der Meulen (1642–1693), Dutch glass painter
• Klaas Jan Mulder (1930–2008), Dutch organist, pianist, and conductor
• Klaas van Nek (1899–1986), Dutch racing cyclist
• Klaas-Jan van Noortwijk (born 1970), Dutch cricketer
• Klaas Nuninga (born 1940), Dutch footballer
• Klaas Ooms (1917–1970), Dutch footballer
• Klaas Jan Pen (1874–1932), Dutch sports shooter
• Klaas Plantinga (1846–1922), Dutch distiller
• Klaas Reimer (1770–1837), Prussian mennonite
• Klaas Runia (1926–2006), Dutch theologian and journalist
• Klaas Rusticus (born 1942), Dutch author and television and film director
• Klaas Schilder (1890–1952), Dutch theologian and professor
• Klaas Smit (1930–2008), Dutch footballer
• Klaas Sybrandi (1807–1872), Dutch Mennonite minister
• Klaas Sys (born 1986), Belgian cyclists
• Klaas Twisk (1930–1999), Dutch racing driver
• Klaas Vantornout (born 1982), Belgian cyclist
• Klaas Veenhof (1935–2023), Dutch Assyriologist
• Klaas Veering (born 1981), Dutch field hockey goalkeeper
• Klaas Vermeulen (born 1988), Dutch field hockey player
• Klaas de Vries (disambiguation), multiple people
• Klaas de Waard, alias of Aart Alblas (1918–1944), Dutch navy officer and resistance member
• Klaas Wiersma (1917–1993), Dutch legal scholar and politician
• Klaas Woldendorp (1871–1936), Dutch sports shooter
• Klaas Worp (born 1943), Dutch papyrologist
• Klaas-Erik Zwering (born 1981), Dutch swimmer and an Olympic medalist

Notable persons whose surname is Klaas

• C. J. Klaas (born 1983), American soccer defensive midfielder
• Kathrin Klaas (born 1984), German hammer thrower
• Masabata Klaas (born 1991), South African cricketer
• Polly Klaas (1981–1993), American murder victim
• Urmas Klaas (born 1971), is Estonian politician
• Werner Klaas (1914–1945), German footballer

See also

• Claus / Klaus, German forms of Klaas
• Nicholas
• Klaas's cuckoo (Chrysococcyx klaas), named after Klaas, a Khoikhoi man who found the type specimen
• Klaas Smits River in Eastern Cape, South Africa

References