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Clear History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Clear History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
France
Ireland

The French name Clear comes from "le clerc", or "the clerk", and as such was an occupational name originally used for a scribe or secretary.

Early Origins of the Clear family

The surname Clear was first found in Limousin, where this renowned family held a family seat from ancient times.

Many members of this important family were recorded as participants in the French Revolution and in its resultant political forums. Théodore François Joseph Leclaire was a member of the military who was promoted to the rank of Chief of Battalion of the 98th regiment in 1791, followed in 1793 by a promotion to Commander of Arms. He was also honoured by being admitted to the Legion of Honour.

Early History of the Clear family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Clear research. Another 31 words (2 lines of text) covering the years 1587, 1622, 1633, 1637, 1657, 1691, 1697, 1711, 1714, 1736, 1774 and 1823 are included under the topic Early Clear History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Clear Spelling Variations

One can encounter great variation in the spelling of French surnames; in part, as spelling, and the spelling names was not yet standardized during the early development of the written French language. Later, there was much branching and movement of families, and spellings would change according to region. Variations of the name Clear include Leclair, Leclaire, Leclaires, Leclère, Leclere, Leclères, Lecleres, Leclert, Lecler, le Clair, le Claire, le Claires, le Clère, le Clere, le Clères, le Clert, le Cler, Clair, Claire, Claires, Clère, Clere, Clères, Clert and many more.

Early Notables of the Clear family

Notable amongst the family was Jean Leclerc (c.1587-1633), French painter and etcher, born into the service of Duke Charles III of Lorraine; Michel Le Clerc (1622-1691), a French lawyer and dramatist; Sébastien Leclerc (1637-1714), a French printmaker, draughtsman...
Another 37 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Clear Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Clear Ranking

In the United States, the name Clear is the 15,232^nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Clear migration to the United States +

French settlers came early to North American, following in the wake of the explorers, and creating New France. Quebec City, founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain is said to have been the first American site founded as a permanent settlement, rather than as just a commercial outpost. But emigration was slow, in 1643, 109 years after the first landings by Cartier, there were only about 300 French people in Quebec, and by 1663, when the region was officially made The Royal Colony of New France, by Louis XIV, there still only around 500 settlers. Over 2,000 would arrive during the next decade. Early marriage was desperately encouraged amongst the immigrants. Youths of 18 took fourteen-year-old girls for their wives. The fur trade was developed and attracted immigrants, both noble and commoner from France. By 1675, there were around 7000 French in the colony, and by that same year the Acadian presence in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island had reached 500. In 1755, 10,000 French Acadians refused to take an oath of allegiance to England and were deported to Louisiana. Despite the loss of the Colony to England, the French people flourished in Lower Canada. Among settlers to North America of the Clear surname were

Clear Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Joseph Clear, who arrived in Virginia in 1702 2
Samuel Clear, who arrived in Georgia in 1742 2
Frederick Clear, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1796 2

Clear Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Mary Clear, who landed in New York, NY in 1816 2
Sarah, Clear Jr., aged 2, who landed in Key West, Fla in 1837 2
John Clear, who arrived in Texas in 1845 with his wife and two children
James Clear, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1852 2
Patrick Clear, who arrived in Illinois in 1856-1864 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Clear migration to Australia +

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

Clear Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Henry Clear, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Anglia" in 1851 3
Ann Clear, aged 18, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "William Hammond" 4

Clear 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:

Clear Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Owen Clear, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Queen of Beauty" in 1863

Contemporary Notables of the name Clear (post 1700) +

Todd Ray Clear (b. 1949), American criminologist and distinguished professor in the school of criminal justice at Rutgers University–Newark
Mark Alan Clear (b. 1956), American two-time All Star Major League Baseball relief pitcher
Eddie Clear (b. 1944), American retired American soccer defender who earned five caps with the U.S. national team in 1968
Cameron Clear (b. 1993), American former NFL football tight end who played from 2015 to 2020
Bob Clear (1927-2010), American minor league baseball infielder, pitcher and manager, and a Major League coach with the California Angels (1976-1987)
Marc Clear, German-born, British opera singer, musical performer, and director
Edwin A. Clear (1896-1960), English World War I flying ace credited with twelve aerial victories

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) ANGLIA 1851. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851Anglia.gif
South Australian Register Wednesday 20th January 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Willaim Hammond 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/williamhammond1854.shtml