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Irish surname

Clarke: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó Cléirigh; Mac an Chléirigh · from cléireach, 'the clerk' (cleric)

Clarke comes from the word for a clerk (Irish cléireach). Woulfe (1923) calls it 'a very common surname in early Anglo-Irish records', but adds that 'most of our Irish Clarkes are, however, O'Clerys or MacClerys': the Gaelic Ó Cléirigh and Mac an Chléirigh, translated as Clarke. In Matheson's 1890 survey Clarke was the 32nd commonest surname in Ireland, with about 15,400 people.

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Coat of arms associated with the Clarke surname
Irish formÓ Cléirigh; Mac an Chléirigh
Meaningfrom cléireach, 'the clerk' (cleric)
CountiesDonegal, Mayo, Cavan, Antrim
Other spellings5

Origin of the Clarke name

Woulfe: Ó Cléirigh descend from Cléireach (mid-9th century), seventh in descent from Guaire the Hospitable, King of Connacht; once rulers of Aidhne (diocese of Kilmacduagh), driven out late in the 13th century. Branches settled in Tirawley (Mayo), Cavan and near Kilkenny; from Tirawley came the O'Clerys of Tirconnell, compilers of the Annals of the Four Masters.[3]

  1. mid-9th centuryCléireach, ancestor of the Ó Cléirigh and seventh in descent from Guaire the Hospitable, King of Connacht, flourishes.[3]
  2. late 13th centuryThe O'Clerys are finally driven out of Aidhne and disperse.[3]
  3. 1758Physician Joseph Clarke born in Co. Londonderry.[5]
  4. 1760Biblical commentator Adam Clarke born at Magherafelt.[6]
  5. 1890345 Clarke birth entries in Ireland, 176 of them in Ulster.[8]
  6. 1890Clarke is Ireland's 32nd commonest surname, about 15,400 people.[7]

Where in Ireland

Co. DonegalThe O'Clerys of Tirconnell, poets and chroniclers to the O'Donnells, lived at Kilbarron castle near Ballyshannon.[3][10]
Co. MayoAn Ó Cléirigh branch settled in Tirawley; principal county for Clarke in 1890.[3][8]
Co. CavanÓ Cléirigh branch; Mac an Chléirigh 'a common Cavan surname'; principal county in 1890.[3][2][8]
Co. AntrimFirst-named county for Clarke births in 1890.[8]
Co. DublinPrincipal county for Clarke births in 1890.[8]
Co. LouthPrincipal county for Clarke births in 1890.[8]

Notable people named Clarke

Adam Clarkec. 1760–1832Biblical commentator born at Magherafelt; ordained by Wesley in 1782; his Bible commentary appeared in eight volumes, 1810–1826.[6]
Joseph Clarke, M.D.1758–1834Physician born in Co. Londonderry; built a large practice in Dublin and was for many years master of the Rotunda Hospital.[5]

Other spellings

O'Clery · Cleary · Clery · MacCleary · Clerkin[3]

The Clarke coat of arms

The design shown is a coat of arms associated with the Clarke surname. In Irish and British heraldry a coat of arms is granted to one person and passes to their heirs; it does not belong to everyone who shares the surname. Many families still use the arms of their name as a symbol of their heritage.

Clarke crest gifts

Clan Clarke Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap JR30 Clarke Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Clarke Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap£26.00Clan Clarke Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapSM42 Classic Cap - Clarke Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Clarke Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap£33.00

Clarke surname: questions

What does the surname Clarke mean?

It means 'the clerk'. Woulfe gives the Irish 'Cléireach', 'the clerk', and the Gaelic names Ó Cléirigh ('descendant of Cléireach') and Mac an Chléirigh ('son of the clerk'), which are translated Clarke.[1][2][3]

Is Clarke an Irish name?

Partly. Woulfe calls Clarke 'a very common surname in early Anglo-Irish records', but says 'most of our Irish Clarkes are, however, O'Clerys or MacClerys'. He notes that O'Clery 'is often disguised, especially in Ulster, under the translated form of Clarke'. Clarke is also an English surname: Bardsley (1901) wrote that Clark and Clarke, taken as one name, 'stand ninth among the commonest surnames to be found in England'.[1][3][9]

Are Clarke and Cleary the same family?

They can be. Woulfe lists Clarke among the anglicised forms of both Ó Cléirigh (O'Clery, Cleary) and Mac an Chléirigh (MacCleary, Clery), and says Mac an Chléirigh 'is now nearly always translated Clarke'.[3][2]

Where in Ireland is Clarke most common?

In the 1890 births index Clarke was principally found in Antrim, Dublin, Mayo, Cavan and Louth, and 'generally distributed through the Counties of Ulster'; 176 of 345 entries were in Ulster.[8]

Sources

  1. Cléireach — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/c/cleireach.php
  2. Mac an Chléirigh — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/maca/mac-an-chleirigh.php
  3. Ó Cléirigh — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oc/o-clerigh.php
  4. Ó Cléireacháin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oc/o-cleireachain.php
  5. Joseph Clarke — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/JosephClarke.php
  6. Adam Clarke — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/AdamClarke.php
  7. Principal Surnames in Ireland (table of 100 principal surnames, Births Index 1890) — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/principal-surnames-ireland.php
  8. Clarke — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/clarke.php
  9. A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (Charles Wareing Bardsley, 1901), entry 'Clerk, Clerke, Clark, Clarke', Internet Archive (scan of the London: H. Frowde edition). archive.org/details/adictionaryengl00goog
  10. Celebrating the launch of Irish Historic Towns Atlas no. 32, Ballyshannon/Béal Átha Seanaidh, Donegal County Council. donegalcoco.ie/en/news/2025/october/celebrating-the-launch-of-irish...

Note: Matheson's 1890 figures for a surname include its spelling varieties (Matheson, Table Explanation).