Olaus

Olaus is a masculine given name, the Latinized form of Olaf (a name of Old Norse origin). The form Olaus appears in historical and ecclesiastical contexts, especially in Scandinavian Latin texts and in the Latinized names of notable figures from Sweden and surrounding regions. In early modern Europe, scholars and church officials often used Latinized versions of local names, which helped preserve the form Olaus in archival materials and literature.

Notable bearers of the name include Olaus Magnus (1490–1557), a Swedish Catholic archbishop of Uppsala and a prominent writer whose Historia de Gentibus Septentrionalibus (The History of the Northern Peoples) documents the peoples and landscapes of Northern Europe. His work, published in the mid-16th century, remains a key source for historical and cultural studies of the region. Another important figure is Olaus Petri (1493–1552), a Swedish clergyman, reformer, and writer who played a central role in introducing Lutheranism to Sweden and in shaping the early Swedish church and literature.

In contemporary usage, the form Olaus is uncommon outside historical or scholarly contexts. The variant Olaf (or Olav in Norwegian) is more widely used in modern Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. Olaus typically survives in academic citations, historical texts, or as a traditional name within certain families.