Origin of Claw


Recorded as Claw, Clawe, Clawley, Clawsley, Clowley, Clousley, Clowsley and others, this is an English surname. It is locational but where from is a mystery as no such place in any of the known surname spellings has been found in the gazetters of the British Isles. There nearest is probably the Claw, a small river which rises near Holsworthy in Devonshire, and if so it is possible that the surname originates from a now 'lost' village which was on this river, but has now completely disappeared. The river name is pre 7th century Olde English from 'clawu,' meaning curved.

However whilst the surname as Claw or Clawe is recorded in Devonshire from Elizabethan times, there is no record of any other spelling. Another possibility is that this surname is a form of Cloudesley, but if so we have not been able to find a link. Early examples of the recordings taken from surviving registers of the city of London include: Joseph Clousley who married Anne Bedwell at St Mary Magdalene, on February 12th 1681, Martha Clowsley who married William Cock at St James, Dukes Place, Westminster, on June 24th 1720, and Mary Clawley, who was christened at Carter Lane Independant church, Blackfriars, on March 11th 1736.

The surname Claw. Its genealogy, origins, history, and meaning.

Discovering the historical origins of Claw is an incredibly exciting journey that takes us back to the ancestors and relatives who built this lineage. Like most surnames, the history of the surname Claw is a thorny and surprising journey into the past in order to find out the origin of the surname Claw, which leads us to have more knowledge about those who bear the surname Claw, their origin, their coat of arms, the bibliography in which it appears... It is possible to trace their genealogy and, in addition to the original places of Claw, we know where it is possible to find people with the surname Claw today.

View complete list of Claw in the world

Claw: historical chronicle

The history of Claw is an interesting sequence of events that were protagonized by the people who have held the surname Claw throughout history, and it is possible to trace this history back to the first bearers of the surname Claw. Their feats, their way of life, the places they lived, their family relationships, the jobs they held... All of this is crucial for anyone who, like you, is interested in having more information about the historical, heraldic, coat of arms, and nobility of the surname Claw. In the following lines, you can find everything we have been able to compile about the surname Claw. However, if you have more information that you would like to share, we would greatly appreciate your contribution to expand the knowledge of people who, like you, are looking to increase their knowledge about the surname Claw.

Unfortunately, we do not have any more historical information about Claw than the one we have provided with pleasure. We invite those who visit us on this website to analyze the recommended bibliography and to come back often, since we often receive valuable collaborations from other people interested in the origin and history of surnames that could have information of special interest about the surname Claw, and that we would update on this website as soon as possible (after a previous verification). Similarly, if you consider yourself one of those people, we urge you to support us and send us the information about Claw that is available to you, thanking you in advance for your detail.

The most famous Claw in history

There have probably been some significant Claw throughout the history of humanity, even if, for some reason, not all of their contributions were included in the chronicles of the time or their data has not come down to the present day. Unfortunately, not all of the important contributions of people who have carried the surname Claw were taken into account at the time by the chroniclers of the time. Although a surname has the ability to link a person to a famous lineage and a glorious coat of arms, it is individuals who, throughout their lives and by virtue of some outstanding or important achievements for the society in which they lived, give their surnames renown and it is possible to establish prominent lineages. For this reason, we want to highlight on this website those people with the surname Claw who, for some reason, have left their mark on the course of history.

The surname Claw and its bibliographic sources

Based on all the research we have been able to gather so far, we can say that there is information available about the history, genealogy, and heraldry of the surname Claw thanks to bibliographic sources. This means that we can discover more about its original meaning, origin, history, coat of arms, and heraldry. Our recommendation is to consult the following sources if you want to conduct research on the surname Claw, as well as many other surnames:

Bibliographic sources for Claw

These sources are essential for taking a step forward in the study of Claw, and of surnames in general.