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SURNAME MEANING
An English occupational surname denoting a man in a religious order, a cleric, or a clergyman, derived from the Middle English word clerk and the Old French word clerc, which in turn derive from the Latin word clericus.
In medieval Christian Europe, writing and secretarial work and was normally performed by members of the clergy, hence the term clerk came to mean scholar, secretary, recorder, or penman, in addition to cleric. They were usually the only ones in the village who could read or write.
EARLY BEARERS
Richerius Clericus - Hampshire - 1086 AD
Willelm le Clerec - Somerset - 1100
Thomas le Clerk - Lincolnshire - 1273
Gilbert le Clerk - Oxfordshire - 1273
Thomas le Clerck - Buckingham - 1273
Alan Clericus - Aberdeen - 1281
John le Clerck - Bedfordshire - c. 1292
Robert Clarke - Yorkshire - 1379
Henry Clerk - Yorkshire - 1379
Beatrix Clerc - Yorkshire - 1379
NOBLE TITLES HELD
The Clarke Baronetcy of Salford Shirland in the County of Warwick was created in the Baronetage of England in 1617 for Sir Simon Clarke, an antiquary, son of Walter Clarke of Ratcliffe, co Bucks. He later supported the Royalist cause during the Civil War. The fifth Baronet, Sir Simon Peter Clarke, was convicted of highway robbery. He managed to escape the death penalty but was deported to Jamaica.
The Clerke Baronetcy of Hitcham in the County of Buckingham was created in the Baronetage of England in 1660 for Sir John Clerke. He was a descendant of Sir John Clerke (d. 1539), who in 1513 captured the Duke of Longueville at the Battle of the Spurs. The seventh Baronet was killed in action at the Battle of Saratoga in 1778.
The Clerke Baronetcy of Launde Abbey in the County of Leicester was created in the Baronetage of England in 1661 for Sir Clement Clerke, an entrepreneur and Gentleman of the Privy Chamber.
The Clerk Baronetcy of Penicuik was created in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia in 1679 for Sir John Clerk of Pennycuik, son of the merchant John Clerk who earned a fortune in Paris. Sir John Clerk of Penicuik, 2nd Baronet (1676-1755) was a Scottish politician, lawyer, judge and composer.
The Clarke Baronetcy of Snailwell in the County of Cambridge, was created in the Baronetage of England in 1698 for Samuel Clarke. The second Baronet sat as Member of Parliament for Cambridgeshire. The third Baronet was Sheriff of Huntingdonshire and Cambridgeshire between 1753 and 1754.
The Clarke of Crosses Green in the County of Cork was a title in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom created in 1804 for Major General Sir William Clarke.
The Clarke Baronetcy of Dunham Lodge in the County of Norfolk was created in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom in 1831 for Sir Charles Clarke, Physician to Queen Adelaide.
The Clark Baronetcy of St George's Hanover Square, London, was created in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom in 1837 for James Clark Physician to the Royal Household.
The Clarke Baronetcy of Rupertswood in the Colony of Victoria, was created in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom in 1882 for the Australian landowner and philanthropist Sir William Clarke.
The Clark Baronetcy of Cavendish Square, London, was created in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom in 1883 for Sir Andrew Clark, in recognition of his services to medical science.
The Clark Baronetcy of Melville Crescent, Edinburgh in the County of Midlothian, was created in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom in 1886 for Sir Thomas Clark, Lord Provost of Edinburgh
Henri-Jacques-Guillaume Clarke, 1st Count of Hunebourg, Duke of Feltre (1765-1818), born to Irish parents from Lisdowney, County Kilkenny, in Landrecies, was a politician and Marshal of France, one of the most influential and charismatic Franco-Irish generals in the French army during the Napoleonic period.
LANDED GENTRY
Clark of Belford Hall, co. Northumberland, England
Clark of Buckland Toussaints, co. Devonshire, England
Clark of Largantogher House, co. Londonderry, Northern Ireland
Clark of Speddoch, co. Dumfries, Scotland
Clark of Taly-y-Garn and Dowlais, co. Glamorgan, Wales
Clarke of Achareidh, Nairnshire, Scotland
Clarke of Bridwell House, co. Devonshire, England
Clarke of Tremlett Hill, co. Somerset, England
Clarke of Knedlington Manor, co. Yorkshire, England
Clarke of Kingsdowne House, co. Kent, England
Clarke of Swakeleys, co. Middlesex, England
Clarke of Welton Place, co. Northampton, England
Clerk of Westholme, co. Somerset, England
Clerk of Graiguenoe Park, co. Tipperary, Ireland
EARLY SETTLERS
John Clarke - 1608 - Second Supply
Richard Clarke - 1620 - Mayflower
Thomas Clarke - 1623 - Anne
William Clarke - 1623 - Ambrose
William Clarke - 1623 - Providence
Nicholas Clarke - 1630 - Lyon
John Clarke - 1630 - Winthrop
William Clarke - 1630 - Winthrop
Elizabeth Clarke - 1630 - Winthrop