Kraus is a German-language surname, meaning 'curly'. In addition to German-speaking countries, the surname is commonly found in the United States, Israel, and the Czech Republic (Czech feminine: Krausová). Notable people with the surname include:

Arts

  • Adalbert Kraus (born 1937), German tenor
  • Adolph Robert Kraus (1850–1901), American sculptor
  • Alfredo Kraus (1927–1999), Spanish opera singer
  • Charles Kraus (clown) (born 1946), American clown, magician, writer and comedian
  • Chris Kraus (director) (born 1963), German film director and screen writer
  • Chris Kraus (writer) (born 1955), American writer and filmmaker
  • Dagmara Kraus (born 1981), German poet and translator
  • Daniel Kraus (author) (born 1975), American author
  • Detlef Kraus (1919–2008), German pianist
  • Ernst Kraus (1863–1941), German tenor
  • Felix von Kraus (1870–1937), Austrian singer
  • František R. Kraus (1903–1967), Czech writer
  • Franz Kraus (1905–1998), Israeli graphic designer
  • Georg Melchior Kraus (1737–1806), German painter
  • Gertrud Kraus (1901–1977), Israeli modern dancer
  • Hansi Kraus (born 1952), German actor
  • Jan Kraus (actor) (born 1953), Czech actor and TV host
  • Jessica Reed Kraus, American writer
  • Joseph Martin Kraus (1756–1792), German-Swedish classical composer
  • Józef Antoni Kraus (died 1721), German sculptor
  • Karl Kraus (writer) (1874–1936), Austrian writer
  • Lili Kraus (1903–1986), Hungarian pianist
  • Marianne Kraus (1765–1838), German painter, drafter and writer
  • Markéta Krausová (1895–1942), Czech actress and opera singer
  • Michael Kraus (baritone) (born 1957), Austrian operatic baritone
  • Nicola Kraus (born 1974), American novelist
  • Oliver Kraus (born 1970), English musician
  • Otakar Kraus (1909–1980), Czech-British baritone
  • Pat Kraus aka Kraus, New Zealand musician
  • Patricia Kraus (born 1964), Spanish singer
  • Peter Kraus (born 1939), German singer
  • Philip Kraus (born 1950), American operatic baritone and stage director
  • Robert Kraus (1925–2001), American children's author, cartoonist and publisher
  • Sharron Kraus, English singer, songwriter and musician
  • Shmulik Kraus (born in 1935–2013), Israeli actor, singer and composer
  • Sonya Kraus (born 1973), German television presenter
  • Živa Kraus (born 1945), Croatian painter
  • Will Kraus aka Kraus (born 1994/95), American musician
  • Yael Kraus, Israeli singer-songwriter

Sports

  • Adam Kraus (born 1984), American footballer
  • Alanna Kraus (born 1977), Canadian speed skater
  • Albert Kraus (born 1980), Dutch welterweight kickboxer
  • Brigitte Kraus (born 1956), German middle distance runner
  • Dan Kraus (1923–2012), American basketball player
  • Daniel Kraus (footballer) (born 1984), German footballer
  • Derek Kraus (born 2001), American racing driver
  • Engelbert Kraus (1934–2016), German footballer
  • Hans-Georg Kraus (1949–2020), German footballer
  • Jan Kraus (footballer) (born 1979), Czech footballer
  • Jana Krausová (born 1954), Czech actress
  • Jillian Kraus (born 1986), American water polo player
  • Katja Kraus (born 1970), German footballer
  • Kevin Kraus (born 1992), German footballer
  • Lucie Krausová (born 1986), Czech figure skater
  • Martin Kraus (footballer, born 1992), Czech footballer
  • Martin Kraus (footballer, born 1993), Austrian footballer
  • Melanie Kraus (born 1974), German long-distance runner
  • Michael Kraus (swimmer) (born 1955), German swimmer
  • Michael Kraus (field hockey) (born 1958), American field hockey player
  • Michael Kraus (handballer) (born 1983), German handball player
  • Michael Kraus (soccer) (born 1984), American soccer player
  • Nadine Kraus (born 1988), German footballer
  • Peter Kraus (athlete) (1932–2016), German sprinter
  • Peter Kraus (field hockey) (1941–2024), German field hockey player
  • Sinja Kraus (born 2002), Austrian tennis player
  • Tadeusz Kraus (1932–2018), Czechoslovak-Polish footballer
  • Tomáš Kraus (born 1974), Czech alpine skier and freestyle skier
  • Viorel Kraus (born 1940), Romanian footballer
  • Wolfgang Kraus (born 1953), German footballer

Science

  • Arnoldo Kraus (1951–2025), Mexican physician and academic
  • Barbara Kraus (born 1975), Austrian physicist
  • Charles A. Kraus (1875–1967), American chemist
  • Christian Jakob Kraus (1753–1807), German linguist
  • Edward Henry Kraus (1875–1973), American mineralogist
  • Ezra Jacob Kraus (1885–1960), American botanist and horticulturist
  • Friedrich Kraus (1858–1936), Austrian physician
  • Gregor Kraus (1841–1915), German botanist
  • John D. Kraus (1910–2004), American electrical engineer
  • Karl Kraus (physicist) (1938-1988), German theoretical physicist
  • Nina Kraus, American neuroscientist
  • Otto Kraus (1930–2017), German zoologist
  • Paul Kraus (Arabist) (1904–1944), Arabist researcher
  • Sarit Kraus (born 1960), Israeli computer scientist

Other

  • Adolf Kraus (1850–1928), American lawyer, politician and Jewish leader
  • Bill Kraus (1947–1986), American homosexual rights and AIDS activist
  • Bruce Kraus (born 1954), American politician and businessman
  • Dick Kraus (1937–2019), American educator and politician
  • Dita Kraus (1929–2025), Czech-Israeli teacher and writer
  • Eileen Kraus (1938–2017), American banker
  • Franz Xaver Kraus (1840–1901), German Catholic priest
  • Hans Kraus (1905–1995), Austrian-American physician and rock climber
  • Hans P. Kraus (1907–1988), German-American antiquarian book dealer
  • Hans-Werner Kraus (1915–1990), German U-boat commander
  • Henry Kraus (1906–1995), American historian
  • Herbert Kraus (1884–1965), German legal scholar
  • Jacob Kraus (1861–1951), Dutch politician
  • Jody Kraus, American lawyer
  • Joe Kraus, American businessman
  • Katharina T. Kraus, American philosopher
  • Michael Kraus (minister) (1908–2003), Canadian entrepreneur and minister
  • Milton Kraus (1866–1942), American politician
  • Ognjen Kraus (born 1945), Croatian physician and Jewish community leader
  • Oskar Kraus (1872–1942), Czech philosopher
  • Paul Kraus (born 1944), Holocaust survivor and author
  • Peter S. Kraus, American businessman
  • Richard E. Kraus (1925–1944), American soldier
  • Ursula Kraus (1930–2021), German politician
  • Will Kraus (born 1973), American politician

Fictional characters

  • Johann Kraus, in the Hellboy universe

See also

  • Krause
  • Krauss
  • Krauze
  • Krausz
  • Polly Craus, American fencer