Krause (German for ruffle) is a common German surname that may refer to:
- Alan Krause, a former Australian rules footballer who played with Melbourne
- Allison Krause (1951–1970), a student at Kent State University, Ohio who was shot and killed by the Ohio National Guard
- Asuman Krause, a German-born former model and singer of mixed Turkish and German descent
- Aurel Krause, a German geographer known today for his early ethnography of the Tlingit Indians of southeast Alaska
- Barbara Krause (born 1959), a former freestyle swimmer from East Germany
- Beaver & Krause, a musical duo made up of Paul Beaver and Bernie Krause
- Benjamin Krause, a German rugby union player
- Bernhard Krause, an Obersturmbannführer in the Waffen SS during World War II
- Bernie Krause (born 1938), an American bioacoustician
- Bob Krause (Athletic Director) (born 1945), former athletic director at Kansas State University
- Bob Krause (politician) (born 1950), 2010 Democratic candidate for United States Senate from Iowa
- Brian Krause (born 1969), an American actor
- Carolyn H. Krause (born 1938), a Republican member of the Illinois House of Representatives
- Charles I. Krause (1911–2002), an American labor union organizer and local executive
- Charles Krause (gymnast), an American gymnast and Olympic medalist
- Christiane Krause (born 1950), a German athlete who competed mainly in the 100 metres
- Christopher Krause (born 1984), a German footballer who plays for Borussia Fulda
- Dagmar Krause (born 1950), a German singer who works with Slapp Happy, Henry Cow and Art Bears
- Dieter Krause (born 1936), an East German-German sprint canoer
- Ernst Hans Ludwig Krause (1859–1942), a German botanist
- Ernst Henry Krause (1913–1989), an American nuclear physicist and aerospace executive
- Ernst Krause (1839–1903), a German biologist
- Fedor Krause (1857–1937), a German neurosurgeon who was native of Friedland
- George Krause (born 1937), an American artist photographer
- Gerald Krause (born 1919), a German Waffen-SS officer during World War II
- Greg Krause (born 1976), an Arena Football League offensive lineman for the Los Angeles Avengers
- Gundula Krause, (born 1966), a German folk violinist
- Hannelore Krause (born 1945), a German woman living in Baghdad who was kidnapped by Iraqi militants in 2007
- Hans-Henrik Krause (1918–2002), a Danish actor and film director
- Harry Krause (1888–1940), a former professional baseball player
- Henry Krause (1913–1987), an American football offensive lineman
- James Krause (born 1987), a professional footballer who currently plays for Crawley Town
- Jason Krause, the Rhythm/Metal/Acoustic guitar player for Kid Rock's Twisted Brown Trucker Band
- Jerry Krause, a longtime professional basketball scout and general manager
- John Krause (born 1983), an American soccer player
- Kai Krause (born 1957), a software artist, UI designer and founder of MetaCreations Corp
- Karl Christian Friedrich Krause (1781–1832), a German philosopher
- Karl Friedrich Theodor Krause (1797–1868), a German anatomist
- Karl Wilhelm Krause, an SS officer, personal orderly and bodyguard to Adolf Hitler
- Konstantin Krause (born 1967), a retired German long jumper
- Lawrence B. Krause, an economist
- Martin Krause, (born 1853), a German concert pianist, piano teacher and writer on music
- Max Krause (1909–1984), an American football running back
- Mel Krause (1928–2008), an American college baseball coach and player at the University of Oregon
- Moose Krause (1913–1992), a well-known collegiate basketball player during the 1930s
- Nadine Krause (born 1982), a German handball player
- Orla Hermann Krause (1867–1935), a Danish chess master and analyst
- Paul Krause (born 1942), a former professional American football defensive back
- Paul Krause (football player) (born 1942), a former professional American football defensive back
- Peter Krause (born 1965), American film and television actor and film producer
- Peter Krause (artist), an American illustrator and comic book artist
- Piet Krause (Piet) Krause (born 1973), a former South African rugby union footballer
- Roswitha Krause (born 1949), a German swimmer and team handball player
- Rudolf Krause (1907–1987), a racing driver from East Germany
- Ryan Krause (born 1981), an American football tight end who is currently a free agent
- Sigrun Krause (born 1954), a former East German cross country skier who competed during the 1970s
- Sinan Krause, a German-Iraqi technician, who was kidnapped by Iraqi militants in Baghdad in 2007
- Steven Krause, the vocalist of the US hardcore band inflextion
- Tina Krause (born 1970), an American actress and model
- Tom Krause (born 1934), a Finnish operatic baritone
- Uwe Krause (born 1955), a German former footballer
- Wilhelm Krause (anatomist) (1833–1910), a German anatomist who was born in Hannover
- Wolf-Rüdiger Krause (born 1944), a German football coach and a former player
Krause can also refer to:
- Krause Bottom, a riparian forest area on the Elwha River along the Geyser Valley trail in Olympic National Park, Washington
- Krause Music Store, a two-story building in Chicago, the last commission by architect Louis Sullivan
- Krause Publications, a publisher of magazines and books, especially their series of Standard Catalog of World Coins which are often referred to as the Krause Catalogues
- Krause-Kivlin syndrome, a hereditary syndrome that mainly affects the eyes, growth and development
- Krause's glands, small, mucous accessory lacrimal glands that are found underneath the eyelid where the upper and lower conjuctivae meet
- Otto Krause Technical School, an educational institution in Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Villa Krause, the city of the Argentine of San Juan in the Cuyo region
- Virchow Krause Virchow, Krause & Company, LLP was founded by Ed Virchow in 1931