Clarke History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  England 
  Ireland 
  Scotland 


The name Clarke is Anglo-Saxon in origin. It was a name given to a person who concerned himself with matters of scholarly importance or of religious orders or as a secretary. The surname Clarke originally derived from the Latin form clericus. 1 2 3

"A learned person-that is, one who could in old times read and write-accomplishments not so rare, after all, as we are sometimes induced to think, since this is among the commonest of surnames. "4

"As all writing and secretarial work in the Middle Ages was done by the clergy, the term came to mean 'scholar, secretary, recorder or penraan'." 5

Early Origins of the Clarke family

The surname Clarke was first found in Hampshire where Richerius clericus was registered in the Domesday Book of 1086. 6 A few years later in Somerset, Willelm de Clerec was registered c. 1100 and a hundred or so years later, Reginald Clerc was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls for Rutland in 1205. In Lincolnshire, the first record there was John le Clerk in 1272. 5

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 proved the widespread use of the name at that time: Boniface Clericus, Lincolnshire; Thomas le Clerk, Lincolnshire; Batekyn Clericus, Essex; Gilbert le Clerk, Oxfordshire; and Thomas le Clerck, Buckinghamshire. 1

In Yorkshire, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included: Robertus Clarke; Beatrix Clerc; Henricus Clerk; Robertus Clerk' et Johanna uxor ejus; and Agnes Clerk. 1

The name is "universally distributed over England, but most numerous in its centre. Absent in Wales, and scarce in most of the counties on the Welsh border. Not frequent in most of the south - west great counties. Best represented in Buckinghamshire, Essex, Leicestershire, Rutlandshire, and Nottinghamshire. As in the counties of Nottinghamshire and Shropshire, it would sometimes appear that the terminal e signifies a transference from the Trade to the Court Directory. Clark is found over a large part of Scotland, but is rare in the northern part." 7

Early History of the Clarke family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Clarke research. Another 72 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1599, 1609, 1619, 1624, 1626, 1647, 1649, 1653, 1655, 1660, 1661, 1666, 1670, 1672, 1675, 1676, 1679, 1681, 1683, 1685, 1686, 1687, 1697, 1710 and 1715 are included under the topic Early Clarke History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Clarke Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Clarke include Clarke, Clerke and others.

Early Notables of the Clarke family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

Clarke World Ranking

In the United States, the name Clarke is the 482nd most popular surname with an estimated 59,688 people with that name. 8 However, in Canada, the name Clarke is ranked the 57th most popular surname with an estimated 36,520 people with that name. 9 And in Quebec, Canada, the name Clarke is the 634th popular surname. 10 Newfoundland, Canada ranks Clarke as 15th with 934 people. 11 Australia ranks Clarke as 33rd with 47,613 people. 12 New Zealand ranks Clarke as 42nd with 5,442 people. 13 The United Kingdom ranks Clarke as 25th with 114,723 people. 14 South Africa ranks Clarke as 809th with 8,603 people. 15

Migration of the Clarke family to Ireland

Some of the Clarke family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Clarke migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Clarke were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records:

Clarke Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Clarke Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Clarke Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
Clarke Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Clarke migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Clarke Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
Clarke Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
Clarke Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

Clarke migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Clarke Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century
Clarke Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
Clarke Settlers in Australia in the 20th Century

Clarke migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Clarke Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
Clarke Settlers in New Zealand in the 20th Century

Clarke migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 25
Clarke Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
Clarke Settlers in West Indies in the 18th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Clarke (post 1700) +


The Clarke Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Carpe Diem
Motto Translation: Seize the day


Suggested Readings for the name Clarke +
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