Cleary is an Irish

surname In some cultures, a surname, family name, or last name is the portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family, tribe or community. Practices vary by culture. The family name may be placed at either the start of a person's full name ...

; which derives from Gaelic

Ó Cléirigh O'Cleary ( ga, Ó Cléirigh) is the surname of a learned Gaelic Irish family. It is the oldest recorded surname in Europe — dating back to 916 CE — and is cognate with cleric and clerk. The O'Clearys are a sept of the Uí Fiachrach dynasty, w ...

/Mac Cleirigh, meaning 'descendant or son of cleric. it may relate to: * Audrey Cleary (1930–2019), American politician and nurse *

Bernard Cleary Bernard Cleary (May 8, 1937 – July 27, 2020) was a Canadians, Canadian politician. Cleary was first elected to the House of Commons of Canada in the 2004 Canadian federal election. He was the ''Bloc Québécois'' member of parliament for the ...

(1937–2020), Canadian politician *

Beverly Cleary Beverly Atlee Cleary (née Bunn; April 12, 1916March 25, 2021) was an American writer of children's and young adult fiction. One of America's most successful authors, 91 million copies of her books have been sold worldwide since her first b ...

(1916–2021), American author * Bill Cleary (born 1934), American hockey player *

Brendan Cleary Brendan Cleary (born 1958) is a poet who was born in Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland but lives in England. Early years and career Cleary attended Carrickfergus Grammar School in Northern Ireland. He moved from Northern Ireland in 1977 to Middlesb ...

(born 1958), Irish poet * Brian P. Cleary (born 1959), American humorist, poet and author *

Daniel Cleary Daniel Michael Cleary (born December 18, 1978) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Chicago Blackhawks, Edmonton Oilers, Phoenix Coyotes and Detroit Red Wings. He currently s ...

(born 1978), Canadian hockey player *

Gabriel Cleary Gabriel Cleary (born 1945) is a former senior engineer in the Provisional IRA. A native of Tallaght, County Dublin, he was arrested in 1987 when the French and Irish governments intercepted a shipment of weapons from Libya. After spending five y ...

(born 1945), Irish engineer *

Ivan Cleary Ivan Cleary (born 1 March 1971) is an Australian professional rugby league coach who is the head coach of the Penrith Panthers in the NRL and a former professional rugby league footballer who played as a and in the 1990s and 2000s. He is a ...

(born 1971), Australian rugby league footballer and coach * Joe Cleary (1918–2004), Irish baseball player *

John Cleary (disambiguation) John Cleary may refer to: *John Cleary (actor) from List of Australian films of 1974 *John Cleary (Canadian politician) (1932–2012), Ontario state politician *John Cleary (Gaelic footballer) (born 1963), Irish footballer *John Cleary (golfer) ...

, many people *

Jon Cleary Jon Stephen Cleary (22 November 191719 July 2010) was an Australian writer and novelist. He wrote numerous books, including '' The Sundowners'' (1951), a portrait of a rural family in the 1920s as they move from one job to the next, and '' The ...

(1917–2010), Australian author *

Jon Cleary (musician) Jon Cleary (born August 11, 1962
BMA. ) is a British-born American

Mark Cleary (professor) Mark Cleary (born 1954) was the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bradford in Yorkshire from 2007 to 2013.Yorkshireuniversities.ac.uk (2007)New VC for Bradford Retrieved 31 October 2007. He took over in 2007 after the previous vice-chancellor, ...

(born 1954), Vice-Chancellor of the

University of Bradford The University of Bradford is a Public university, public research university located in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. A plate glass university, it received its royal charter in 1966, making it the 40th university to be creat ...

* Michael Cleary (disambiguation), various including **

Michael Cleary (rugby) Michael Arthur Cleary AO (born 30 April 1940) is an Australian former rugby union and rugby league and footballer of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, and politician. He represented Australia in both rugby codes as well as in athletics making him on ...

(born 1940), Australian politician and dual-code rugby footballer **

Michael J. Cleary Michael J. Cleary C.S.Sp. (1 September 1925 – 3 September 2020) was an Irish prelate, Roman Catholic Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Banjul, Gambia. He was born in Brickens, County Mayo, Ireland. He was educated at St Jarlath's College, ...

(1925–2020), Irish bishop **

Michael Cleary (hurler) Michael Cleary (born 16 August 1966) is a former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Nenagh Éire Óg and with the Tipperary senior inter-county team in the 1980s and 1990s. Early life Michael Cleary was born in Nenagh, ...

(born 1966), former Irish hurler for Nenagh Éire Óg and Tipperary ** Father Michael Cleary (1934–1993), Irish Roman Catholic priest * M. H. Cleary (1853–1933), American politician, lawyer, and physician *

Nathan Cleary Nathan Cleary (born 14 November 1997) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a the Penrith Panthers in the NRL and Australia at international level. He won both the 2021 and the 2022 NRL Grand Finals with the Panth ...

(born 1997), Australian rugby league footballer *

Nikki Cleary Brittney Rose "Nikki" Cleary (born May 11, 1988, Albany, New York) is an American pop-rock singing, singer. She first entered the pop market with the song "I.M. Me" while still using her given name. Her first album, ''Everything I Wished For'', w ...

(born 1988), American singer * Paul Cleary (born 1976), Australian middle-distance runner *

Phil Cleary Philip Ronald Cleary (born 8 December 1952) is an Australian commentator on politics and sport, particularly Australian rules football, and a former independent politician elected at the 1992 Wills by-election. Football playing career Cleary ...

(born 1952), Australian commentator *

Patrick Roger Cleary Patrick Roger Cleary (1858-1948) (known locally as P.R. Cleary) was the founder and namesake of Cleary University in Howell, Michigan. Patrick Roger Cleary was born in Nenagh in Ireland in 1858.Ann Cleary Kettles, ''Ypsilanti Gleanings'', Spring ...

(1858–1948), founder of

Cleary University Cleary University is a private university focused on business education with its main campus in Livingston County, Michigan. It also has an education center located in Detroit. Cleary University offers certificate, ABA, BBA, MS, and MBA programs. ...

* Russell G. Cleary (1933–1997), American businessman and lawyer *

Sean Cleary (footballer) Sean Cleary (born 26 February 1983) is a association football, football player from Northern Ireland. He signed for Cliftonville F.C., Cliftonville from Ards F.C., Ards in July 2005. He started his career with Cliftonville well, making his deb ...

(born 1983), Irish football player *

Sean Cleary (rugby league) Sean Cleary (birth unknown) is an Irish former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s. He played at representative level for Ireland, and at club level for Dublin Blues. International honours Sean Cleary won caps for Irel ...

, Irish rugby league footballer * Siobhán Cleary (born 1970), Irish Composer *

Thomas Cleary Thomas Cleary (24 April 1949 – 20 June 2021) was an American translator and writer of more than 80 books related to Buddhist, Taoist, Confucian, and Muslim classics, and of '' The Art of War'', a treatise on management, military strategy, an ...

(1949–2021), author and translator *

Timothy Cleary Sir Timothy Patrick Cleary (27 April 1900 – 15 August 1962) was a New Zealand lawyer and judge. He was born in Meeanee, New Zealand, on 27 April 1900. Throughout his life he was a devout Catholic. In the 1959 Queen's Birthday Honours, Cle ...

, (1900–1962), New Zealand lawyer and judge *

William J. Cleary William J. Cleary (May 14, 1870 – 1952) was a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan. From 1943 to 1950 he was member of the Michigan State House of Representatives for the second house district from Berrien County. Cleary was born ...

(1870–1952), American politician

See also