Claret History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France
Spain

Etymology of Claret

What does the name Claret mean?

Claret is a name of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from the given name Clarret. This surname is metronymic in origin, and is based on the first name of the mother having derived from the Latin Clara which literally means bright and fair. Metronymic names were not uncommon during the medieval period. There were a large number of widows in some English communities, and as a result the children of these women would be referred to as the widow's child.

Early Origins of the Claret family

The surname Claret was first found in Huntingdonshire where John Clarrot was considered to be the first record of the family in ancient England. He was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. Walter Clarte was listed in Normandy, 1180-95. 1

Early History of the Claret family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Claret research. Another 27 words (2 lines of text) covering the years 1279 and 1379 are included under the topic Early Claret History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Claret Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Claret have been found, including Claret, Clarret, Clarot, Clarrot and others.

Early Notables of the Claret family

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

Claret Ranking

France, the name Claret is the 3,438^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,000 - 2,500 people with that name. 2

Claret migration to the United States +

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Among the first immigrants of the name Claret, or a variant listed above to cross the Atlantic and come to North America were :

Claret Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

V. Claret, who was on record in Louisiana in 1745

Claret Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Joseph Claret, who was naturalized in South Carolina in 1804
Joseph Claret who arrived in New Orleans in 1821
Joseph Claret, who arrived in New Orleans in 1821

Contemporary Notables of the name Claret (post 1700) +

Chantal Claret, American lead singer for the power pop band "Morningwood"
Emmanuelle Claret (1968-2013), French gold and silver medalist bi-athlete at the 1996 World Championships

Sources +

The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/