Recorded in the splellings of Clout, Cloute, Cloutt, Clowte, Clouthe, Clouter, Clut, Clute and the Germanic looking Kluht, this surname is English. It is an occupational name for a highly skilled handyman, one who specialised in household repairs. This was a broad based activity as the local 'clouter' was expected to be efficient at all types of repairs including clothes, shoes, or even household utensils. The derivation is from the Old English pre 7th Century "clut" meaning a patch! Not surprisingly the surname is very early dating back to the very beginings of the use of surnames in the late 12th Century. Early examples of recordings include Walter Clut in the Pipe Rolls for the county of Gloucestershire in the year 1207. Early examples of church recordings include Margery Clowte, who married Godfrey Cooke on August 10th 1550, at St. Peter's Westcheap, city of London, Margaret Clute, who married John Herrison at St Margarets Westminster, on May 18th 1589, and Alexander Clouth, who was christened on September 20th 1589, at St. Mary Magdalene's, city of London. The recordings in the spelling of Kluht are mid 18th century, an example being Charles Kluht who married Ann Raymond at St Martins in the Field, Westiminster, on June 21st 1762. The first recorded spelling of the family name is believed to be that of Enial Clut. This was dated 1175, in the "Pipe Rolls" of Herefordshire. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop", often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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