Clares History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Spain

Etymology of Clares

What does the name Clares mean?

The name Clares reached English shores for the first time with the ancestors of the Clares family as they migrated following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Clares family lived in Suffolk. Some say the family was originally from Clere, in Vexin, Normandy, and that it is from this location that their surname derives.

Early Origins of the Clares family

The surname Clares was first found in Suffolk where they held a family seat from very early times and were granted lands, before any of the name made their way to Ireland. They were directly descended from Gilbert Crispin whose son Richard Fitzgilbert was the first settler in England, they enjoy the same ancestors as King William Duke of Normandy. One of Fitzgilbert's descendants was Richard de Clare, Earl of Pembroke, known as "Strongbow," who took his surname from his estate in Suffolk. He left Clair Castle in Suffolk with an army of 2,000 Norman nobles and invaded Ireland in 1172, taking many of his family with him.

Early History of the Clares family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Clares research. Another 36 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Clares History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Clares Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Clair, Clare, Clere, O'Clear, O'Clair and others.

Early Notables of the Clares family

More information is included under the topic Early Clares Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Clares family to Ireland

Some of the Clares 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.

Clares migration to the United States +

Clares Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Marcus, Clares Jr., who arrived in Virginia in 1666 1

The Clares 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: Virtute non verbis
Motto Translation: Deeds not words

Sources +

Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)