The exact origins of bear claws are murky but some sources claim that bear claws were created in California in the early 1900's at a German bakery in downtown Sacramento. But there are similar pastries from Austria and Germany called Bärenklaue in German, which translates to "bear claw" in English and France and Denmark both have similar pastries. Bear claw pastries are often associated with Danish pastries, which are similar in shape and filling. Danish pastries are believed to have originated in Denmark in the 19th century, but they were actually brought to Denmark by Austrian bakers. As a result, there are many similarities between Danish pastries and bear claw pastries and you can see where some of this ambiguity comes from. All I can say for certain is that bear claw pastries are particularly popular in California and the Pacific Northwest, although you can find them all over the country.