Claes is a masculine given name, a version of Nicholas, as well as a patronymic surname. It is also spelled Klas, Clas and Klaes.
Claes is a common first name in Sweden. It was also a common name in the Low countries until the 18th century, after which the spelling Klaas was largely adopted. People with the given name Claes include:
Claes Adelsköld (1824–1907), Swedish engineer, military officer and politicianClaes Andersson (b. 1937), Finnish psychiatrist and politicianClaes van Beresteyn (1627–1684), Dutch landscape painterClaes Berglund (b.~1960), Swedish ski-orienteering competitorClaes Björklund (b. 1971), Swedish musician, producer and songwriterClaes Michielsz Bontenbal (1575–1623), Dutch civil servant involved in a conspiracy against Maurice of OrangeClaes Borgström (b. 1944), Swedish lawyer and politicianClaes Compaen (1587–1660), Dutch privateer, pirate, and merchantClaes Cronqvist (b. 1944), Swedish footballerClaes Cronstedt, Swedish lawyerClaes Dahlbäck (b. 1948), Swedish businessmanClaes Egnell (1916–2012), Swedish sport shooterClaes Eklundh (b. 1944), Swedish artistClaes Elefalk (b. 1959), Swedish sports agentClaes Elfsberg (b. 1948), Swedish television journalistClaes Elmstedt (b. 1928), Swedish politicianClaes Eriksson (b. 1950), Swedish director, actor, comedian and composerClaes Fellbom (b. 1943), Swedish director, writer and composerClaes Fornell, Swedish-born American entrepreneurClaes af Geijerstam (b. 1946), Swedish musician, radio personality and DJClaes Gill (1910–1973), Norwegian author, poet and actorClaes Dirksz van der Heck (1595–1649), Dutch painterClaes Jacobsz van der Heck (1575–1652), Dutch painterClaes Hellgren (b. 1955), Swedish handball playerClaes van Heussen (1598–1633), Dutch still life painterClaes Hylinger (b. 1943), Swedish novelist, essayist, poet and literary criticClaes Johanson (1884–1949), Swedish wrestlerClaes Kronberg (b. 1987), Danish footballerClaes Lang (1690–1761), Finnish painterClaes Loberg (b. 1970), Swedish-born Australian technology entrepreneurClaes Malmberg (b. 1952), Swedish footballerClaes Malmberg (b. 1961), Swedish actor and stand-up comedianClaes Pietersz van der Meulen (1642–1693), Dutch glass painterClaes Corneliszoon Moeyaert (1592–1655), Dutch painterClaes Nobel (b. 1930), Swedish humanitarian and environmentalistClaes Nordén (b. 1993), Swedish ice hockey playerClaes Nordin (b. 1955), Swedish badminton playerClaes Oldenburg (b. 1929), Swedish-born American pop art sculptorClaes Pieterszoon (1593–1674), Dutch surgeon and mayor of AmsterdamClaes Rålamb (1622–1698), Swedish statesmanClaes Roxbergh (b. 1945), Swedish politicianClaes G. Ryn (b. 1943), Swedish-born American political scientistClaes Isaacsz Swanenburg (1572–1652), Dutch painterClaes Tholin (1860–1927), Swedish politicianClaes Uggla (1614–1676), Swedish military officerClaes Västerteg (b. 1972), Swedish politicianClaes Jansz Visscher (1587–1652), Dutch draughtsman, engraver, mapmaker and publisherClaes Wersäll (1888–1951), Swedish gymnastClaës Fredrik Hornstedt (1758–1809), Swedish naturalist, taxonomist and illustratorClaës König (1885–1961), Swedish noble man and horse riderClaës Palme (1917–2006), Swedish maritime lawyerClaës Rundberg (1874–1958), Swedish sport shooterClaes is the 7th most common surname in Belgium (16,840 people in 1998) and the most common surname in Belgian Limburg. In contrast, only 405 people have the surname in the Netherlands. People with the last name Claes include:
Dirk Claes (b. 1959), Belgian politicianErnest Claes (1885–1968), Belgian authorGabrielle Claes, Belgian museum curatorGeorges Claes (1920–1994), Belgian racing cyclistGlenn Claes (b. 1994), Belgian footballerIan Claes (b. 1981), Belgian footballerJohnny Claes (1916–1956), Belgian racing driverPaul Claes (b. 1943), Belgian writer, poet and translatorVirginie Claes (b. 1982), Miss Belgium 2006Willy Claes (b. 1938), Belgian politician, Secretary General of NATO 1994-1995Wouter Claes (b. 1975), Belgian badminton player