Surname Clewe - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'C'
Clewe: What does the surname Clewe mean?
The last name Clewe is of Scottish origin and derives from the Old English word “clive,” which means “cliff.” In Scotland, many surnames such as Clewe, Cleave, and Cleaves originated as place names related to the geography of the local area. In the case of Clewe, it likely denotes a person or family that lived near a cliff or other steep terrain.
In Scotland, surnames developed in a different fashion from other countries. It was common for someone to go by their father’s name plus a suffix, such as “-son.” Alternatively, surnames could reference where a person was from or a place of significance like a castle or hill. This is likely the case with Clewe.
The Clewe surname could also be related to an old term for a reaper or one who gleaned grains from a field. Through this avenue, it could be associated with the old Norse word “Klævi,” which translates to a type of tree in Gaelic.
The name Clewe continued to grow in Scotland over the centuries, with “Clewis” recorded in 1640 and “Clewe” in 1699. Today, the surname is most common in Scotland, but can also be found in parts of England, the United States, Canada, and Australia. Whether related to a cliff, a place of work, or even a tree, the name Clewe has been part of the landscape for centuries.
Order DNA origin analysisClewe: Where does the name Clewe come from?
The last name Clewe is believed to be of European origin. There are various spellings of this name, including Clew, Clue, and Klyw. It can also be found as Clair in Ireland, and Cley in Germany.
The surname can be found most commonly today in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, as well as some parts of Australia and America. According to the World Names Profiler, the highest frequency of the last name Clewe is found in the southern United States. Other places where this surname is quite common include Sweden, Germany, France, Spain, and some parts of Canada.
It should also be noted that in some cases, the name Clewe has been shortened to Clue or Klyw, but the original spelling is not known in these areas. The largest concentration of the name can also be found in a few regions in the United Kingdom, but it is relatively uncommon.
Overall, it appears that the last name Clewe is mostly associated with European countries, although there may be some isolated cases of Clew variants in other parts of the world.
Variations of the surname Clewe
The surname Clewe is of English origin and has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. The simplest variant of the surname is Clews, and other common variations of the name include Clewes, Cleweis, Clewisse, Clewiss, and Clewyss.
Additional variations of the surname include Clewavys, Cluwys, Clawys, Clewas, Clewes, Clewis, Clement, Clemmet, Clemmott, Clemett, and Clemens. The variation of Clement is derived from the Latin nomen, Clemens, which translates to “merciful” or “clemency”.
Variations of the surname Clewe can be found across the United Kingdom, Europe, and the United States. In addition, the surname is also found in South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
Surnames derived from the same origin as Clewe include Clow, Clowe, Clowes, Clowey, Clowers, Clewley, and Cluler. The Clower or Clowey surname is most commonly found in the English Midlands, specifically the counties of Staffordshire, Leicestershire, Warwickshire, and Derbyshire.
The Clewe surname can be found in records dating back to the 13th century in England, indicating its long-standing presence. Records refer to a John Clewe who was a tenant of the lord of the manor in Essex in 1297, and a John Clewe was listed on a list of persons taxed in the Lay Subsidy in Somerset in 1327.
The surname is derived from an old Anglo-Saxon personal name “Celawia” which was composed of the elements “cel” meaning luck and “gawia” meaning “member of the family.” As such, the surname could have been a nickname for an individual with good luck, or it could have been a patronymic, referring to an individual whose father or mother had the given name of Celawia.
Famous people with the name Clewe
- Emmy Clewe, British singer-songwriter.
- Culina Clewe, British actress.
- Vivien Clewe, British model and actress.
- Lucius Clewe, British actor.
- Siena Clewe, British singer and song writer.
- John Clewe, British painter.
- Abigail Clewe, British actress.
- Cuthbert Clewe, British novelist.
- Theodor Clewe, German composer.
- Nathalie Clewe, British fashion designer.
- Maria Clewe, Swedish singer and actress.
- Gertrude Clewe, German politician.
- Joshua Clewe, British poet.
- Adam Clewe, British artist.
- Robert Clewe, British politician.
- Wilhelmina Clewe, Dutch children's author.
- Augustus Clewe, German engineer and inventor.
- Martha Clewe, American philanthropist.
- Ephraim Clewe, American politician.
- Elizabeth Clewe, Scottish artist.