What is the origin of the last name Kraus?

The last name Kraus originates from Germany and is of Germanic ethnicity, derived from Middle High German krus meaning curly, frizzy, or wavy. It was originally a nickname surname given in medieval Germany to someone who had curly hair, to distinguish them from others with the same first name. For example, in a village with two men named Hans, one might be called Hans Kraus to indicate Hans with curly hair. The surname is one of the most common surnames in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, particularly prevalent in Bavaria, Saxony, and eastern Germany, and is also common among Ashkenazi Jewish families who adopted German surnames in the 18th and 19th centuries. Variations include Krause with an e, Krauss with double s, Kruse, and Krausse, all meaning curly. The name spread from Germany to other countries through emigration in the 18th and 19th centuries, particularly to the United States, where many German immigrants settled in the Midwest, especially Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania, and to Brazil and Argentina. In the US, the name is pronounced KROWZ. So the origin of Kraus is German, meaning curly-haired, dating back to medieval Germany as a descriptive nickname that became hereditary. It is a classic example of a German physical characteristic surname.