Surname Clere - Meaning and Origin

Clere: What does the surname Clere mean?

The last name Clere is of French origin and is derived from the Old French word "clerc," meaning "cleric," or "scholar." The name was historically given to a person who was literate, educated, or affiliated with the clergy. The surname may have originally referred to someone who was a member of the lower clergy, perhaps a minor official or servant in a church.

The Clere surname is found mainly in the northern regions of France, including Picardy, Normandy, Brittany, and Flanders. In some cases, the name was adapted to fit local dialects, leading to variations like Clercq, de Clerq, and Cleresse. During the medieval era, the name Clere was often used as an identifier or trading name to mark goods or services.

The Clere surname is still common in the regions of northern France, as well as in parts of the U.K., U.S., Canada, and Australia. People bearing the name are often well-respected individuals with an educational background and a keen knowledge of the law. As descendants of the (presumed) clerical origin of the name, many Cleres have a strong sense of the importance of proper education, justice, and equality.

Clere: Where does the name Clere come from?

The last name Clere is mainly present in France today. The French bearing of the surname is de Clères. It is derived from the old French word "claer," meaning "clear," and through this there are numerous familial origins, signifying either purity, clarity, or another form of pristine appearance or demeanor.

The first recorded record of the Clere name is from England in 1180, where William de Cler was named in the writings of Roger of Hoveden. The name and its variants, however, began to spread around Europe during the Middle Ages.

In France, the de Clères first settled in the Seine Valley near Etampes, in the commune of Moigny, following the Crusades in the late 12th century. From there, the family branched out to various areas of France, including Brittany, Normandy, and Centre.

The Clere name is still common in the areas where this French family first settled, primarily in the Seine Valley area of France. For instance, it is found most prominently in the current departments of Jan-de-Vienne, Indre-et-Loire, and Eure-et-Loir.

In terms of contemporary culture, the name of Clere is associated with a particular type of cheese, which originates from the commune of Ambloy in the Seine Valley region of France. In 2010, French President Nicolas Sarkozy presented the World Expo in Shanghai with the special Clere cheese.

As the French de Clères helped shape the culture of the region, their name continues to this day as a reminder of their legacy.

Variations of the surname Clere

The surname Clere has several variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. In some cases, Clere is spelled as Cler, Clère, Claeres, Cleer, Cleres, and Cleresse. In other cases, the surname has been adopted with anglicised versions such as Cleary, Clerke, Clerk, Clarke, and Clerkley.

The surname has Norman French origins, from the Latin word ‘clericus’, meaning ‘cleric’ or ‘scholar’. The nobility in medieval England often surnamed themselves after a profession or vocation, especially if they were scholars, and so, the surname evolved from the Medieval Latin form of ‘clericus’. It is believed that the name originated with cleric soldiers returning from the Crusades, and some descendants of those families still retain the surname today.

In some areas of Europe, the Latin root of the name has been adapted into other languages and cultures, such as de Cler or de la Clerge in French, and Clere and de Cler in Dutch.

While Clere is widely considered a British surname, due to the Norman influences on the British Isles, it is also sometimes seen in Scotland, and has been adopted to some extent in other parts of the world, especially places settled by immigrants from the British Isles.

Overall, Clere is a surname with a rich history and a varied set of spelling variants and anglicised versions, with its Latin origin preserved even in its multiple forms.

Famous people with the name Clere

• Jacob Clere, former NFL player
• Richard Clere, actor in The Princess Bride
• Leopold Claude Clere, French botanist
• James Clere, astronomer
• Angus Clere, English politician
• Jane Clere, British model
• Michael Clere, Pulitzer Prize-winning author
• Gilles de Clere, Belgian painter
• Jacques Clere, French composer
• Robbin Clere, American composer and musician

Other surnames

ClergyClerkClery