Clarke is a surname which means "clerk". The surname is of

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

and Irish origin and comes from the

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

. Variants include

Clerk A clerk is a white-collar worker who conducts record keeping as well as general office tasks, or a worker who performs similar sales-related tasks in a retail environment. The responsibilities of clerical workers commonly include Records managem ...

and

Clark Clark is an English language surname with historical links to England, Scotland, and Ireland, ultimately derived from the Latin ''clericus'' meaning "scribe", "secretary" or a scholar within a religious order, referring to someone who was educated ...

Clarke Clarke is a surname which means "clerk". The surname is of English and Irish origin and comes from the Latin . Variants include Clerk and Clark. Clarke is also uncommonly chosen as a given name. Irish surname origin Clarke is a common surname ...

is also uncommonly chosen as a given name.

Irish surname origin

Clarke is a common surname in Ireland. The Irish version of the surname is believed to have come from

County Galway County Galway ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Northern and Western Region, taking up the south of the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht. The county population was 276,451 at the 20 ...

and

County Antrim County Antrim (named after the town of Antrim, County Antrim, Antrim, ) is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, located within the historic Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the c ...

and spread to

County Donegal County Donegal ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county of the Republic of Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster and is the northernmost county of Ireland. The county mostly borders Northern Ireland, sharing only a small b ...

and

County Dublin County Dublin ( or ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland, and holds its capital city, Dublin. It is located on the island's east coast, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. Until 1994, County Dubli ...

. The name is derived from the

Irish Gaelic Irish (Standard Irish: ), also known as Irish Gaelic or simply Gaelic ( ), is a Celtic language of the Indo-European language family. It is a member of the Goidelic languages of the Insular Celtic sub branch of the family and is indigeno ...

sept A sept () is a division of a family, especially of a Scottish or Irish family. The term is used both in Scotland and in Ireland, where it may be translated as Irish , meaning "progeny" or "seed", and may indicate the descendants of a person ...

, meaning "clerk".

English surname origin

Clarke, as well as Clark, is also a widespread surname in England. The English version is of Anglo-Saxon origin and was used in the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

for the name of a scribe or secretary. The word "clerc", which came from the pre-7th century

Old English Old English ( or , or ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the Early Middle Ages. It developed from the languages brought to Great Britain by Anglo-S ...

(meaning priest), originally denoted a member of a religious order, but later became widespread. In the Middle Ages, virtually the only people who could read and write were members of religious orders, linking the word with literacy. Thus the surname became a popular term for a literate man, particularly for the professional secretary and the scholar. The English surnames Clarke and Clark are spelling variations. Beauclerk is a related surname, from the Anglo-Norman meaning "fine scholar", and the French surname Leclerc is in the same family of names.

People with the surname

* A. Clarke (Leicestershire cricketer), English cricketer *

Adam Clarke Adam Clarke (176226 August 1832) was an Irish writer and biblical scholar. As a writer and biblical scholar, he published an influential Bible commentary among other works. Additionally, he was a Methodist theologian who served three times as ...

(1760–1832), British biblical scholar *

Adele Clarke Adele Elizabeth Clarke (April 1, 1945 – January 19, 2024) was an American sociologist and women's health scholar. Clarke was considered a distinguished scholar and leader in the field of Science, Technology, and Medicine Studies (ST&MS). She ma ...

(1945–2024), American sociologist *

Adline Clarke Adline Cecilia Clarke is an American politician. She has served as a Democratic member of the Alabama House of Representatives for the 97th district since 2013. She is a former president and director of the Mobile, Alabama chapter of the Natio ...

, American politician *

A. E. Clarke Arthur Edward Clarke (born 13 April 1860) was a Victorian architect who emigrated to Western Australia in the late 1890s, and practiced in Kalgoorlie. Clarke was born in Topsham, Devon Topsham (, also ) is a town in Devon, England, located o ...

, architect working in Australia from the 1890s *

Alan Clarke Alan John Clarke (28 October 1935 – 24 July 1990) was an English television and film director, producer and writer. Life and career Clarke was born on 28 October 1935, in Wallasey. Most of Clarke's output was for television rather than cin ...

(1935–1990), British TV and film director *

Alexander Ross Clarke Alexander Ross Clarke Royal Society of London, FRS FRSE (1828–1914) was a British geodesist, primarily remembered for his calculation of the Principal Triangulation of Britain (1858), the calculation of the Figure of the Earth (1858, 1860, ...

(1828–1914), British geodesist *

Alf Clarke Alfred Clarke (23 August 1926 – 17 July 1971) was an English association football player and manager. He played as a centre forward for a number of Football League The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional association ...

(1926–1971), English footballer *

Alfie Clarke (disambiguation) Alfie Clarke may refer to: * Alfie Clarke (footballer) (1914–1953), Welsh footballer * Alfie Clark (born 2004), English footballer * Alfie Clarke (actor) (born 2007), English actor See also * Alfred Clarke (disambiguation) Alfred Clarke may ...

, several people *

Alfred Clarke (disambiguation) Alfred Clarke may refer to: * Alf Clarke (1926–1971), English footballer and manager * Alfred Clarke (Australian cricketer) (1868–1940), Australian cricketer * Alfred Clarke (Nottinghamshire cricketer) (1831–1878), English cricketer * Alf ...

, several people *

Allan Clarke (footballer) Allan John Clarke (born 31 July 1946), nicknamed "Sniffer", is an English former professional footballer who played in the Football League for Walsall, Fulham, Leicester City, Leeds United and Barnsley, and won 19 international caps for England ...

(born 1946), English footballer * Ann or

Anne Clarke (disambiguation) Ann or Anne Clarke may refer to: * Ann Clarke (artist) (born 1944), Canadian artist * Ann Clarke (immunologist), co-founder in 2004 of the Frozen Ark project * Anne Clarke (theatre producer) (born 1961), Irish theatre producer * Anne Clarke (the ...

* Anthony Clarke, several people *

Arianna Clarke Arianna Clarke (born 6 April 1999) is a retired Australian rules footballer who played for the Brisbane Lions in the AFL Women's. Early life Clarke was born in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. At the age of 13, she moved to the Gold Coast where ...

(born 1999), Australian rules footballer *

Arthur C. Clarke Sir Arthur Charles Clarke (16 December 191719 March 2008) was an English science fiction writer, science writer, futurist, inventor, undersea explorer, and television series host. Clarke co-wrote the screenplay for the 1968 film '' 2001: A ...

(1917–2008), English science-fiction author, futurist, inventor and undersea explorer *

Ashley Clarke Sir Henry Ashley Clarke (26 June 1903 – 20 January 1994) was a British diplomat who was ambassador to Italy. Later he was chairman of the Venice in Peril Fund. Early life Henry Ashley Clarke was a son of Henry Hugh Rose Clarke (a son of C ...

(1903–1994), British ambassador to Italy, founder of the Venice in Peril Fund *

Austin Clarke (novelist) Austin Ardinel Chesterfield "Tom" Clarke, (July 26, 1934 – June 26, 2016), was a Barbadian novelist, essayist, and short story writer who was based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Among his notable books are novels such as ''The Polished Hoe'' (2 ...

(1934–2016), Barbadian novelist, essayist and short-story writer *

Austin Clarke (poet) Austin Clarke (Irish: Aibhistín Ó Cléirigh) (9 May 1896 – 19 March 1974), born in 83 Manor Street, Stoneybatter, Dublin, was one of the leading Irish poets of the generation after W. B. Yeats. He also wrote plays, novels and memoirs. C ...

(1896–1974), Irish poet *

Basil Clarke Sir Thomas Basil Clarke (12 August 1879 – 12 December 1947) was an English war correspondent during the First World War and is regarded as the UK's first public relations professional. Early life Born in Altrincham, the son of a chemist, ...

(1879–1947), British writer and newspaper war correspondent * Bertie Clarke (1918–1993), West Indian cricketer *

Bethia Clarke Bethia Mary Clarke (1867–1959) was a British artist known for her paintings of portraits, landscapes and interior scenes. Biography Clarke was born at Blackheath in London and grew up in Hastings before studying art at Westminster, in Paris ...

(1867–1959), British artist * Bill or Billy Clarke – see

William Clarke (disambiguation) William or Bill Clarke may refer to: Entertainment * William Hanna Clarke (1882–1924), dentist, then an artist, from Glasgow, Scotland * William Clarke (musician) (1951–1996), blues harmonica player * Will Clarke (novelist) (born 1970), Ameri ...

Bob Clarke (disambiguation) Robert Clarke (1920–2005) was an American actor. Robert, Rob, Bob, Bobby, or Bobbie Clarke may also refer to: Arts and entertainment *Bob Clarke (illustrator) (1926–2013), American illustrator for ''Mad'' magazine *Bobbie Clarke (born Robert W ...

Bobbie Clarke Bobbie Clarke (born Robert William Woodman, 13 June 1940 – 29 August 2014) was an English rock drummer. He was regarded by critics as an important figure in the configuration of early British rock and roll, although he is often chiefly reme ...

(1940–2014), British rock drummer *

Bobby Clarke Robert Earle Clarke (born August 13, 1949) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played his entire 15-year National Hockey League (NHL) career with the Philadelphia Flyers and is currently an executive with the team. Popular ...

(born 1949), Canadian ice hockey player *

Brian Clarke Sir Brian Clarke (born 2 July 1953) is a British Painting, painter, architectural artist, designer and Printmaking, printmaker, known for his large-scale stained glass and mosaic projects, symbolist paintings, set designs, and collaborations w ...

(born 1953), British architectural artist and painter *

Brandon Clarke Brandon Clarke (born September 19, 1996) is a Canadian-American professional basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Gonzaga Bulldogs and San José State Uni ...

(born 1996), Canadian basketball player * Bruce B. G. Clarke (born 1943), US Army officer, author and consultant * Bruce C. Clarke (1901–1988), American general *

Buck Clarke William Lewis "Buck" Clarke (October 2, 1933 – October 11, 1988) was an American jazz percussionist. His many musical styles included soul, funk and contemporary jazz, with an Afrocentric perspective. Early life Clarke was born in Washin ...

(1933–1988), American jazz percussionist * C. Clarke (1837 English cricketer), English cricketer * C. Clarke (Sheffield cricketer), English cricketer *

Caitlin Clarke Caitlin Clarke (born Katherine Anne Clarke; May 3, 1952 – September 9, 2004) was an American actress best known for her roles as Valerian in the 1981 fantasy film ''Dragonslayer'' and Charlotte Cardoza in the 1998–1999 Broadway musical ...

(1952–2004), American actress *

Cam Clarke Cam Clarke is an American voice actor, known for his work in animation, video games, and commercials. Among his notable roles are Leonardo and Rocksteady in the 1987 ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' animated series, Shotaro Kaneda in the 1989 ...

(born 1957), American voice actor *

Campbell Clarke Sir Campbell Clarke (3 October 1845 – 26 August 1902)'CLARKE, Sir Campbell', Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2016; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014 was a British journalist and author. Career ...

(1835–1902), British journalist * Carter Clarke (1896–1987), American brigadier general *

Caspar Purdon Clarke Sir Caspar Purdon Clarke (21 December 1846 – 29 March 1911) was an English architect and museum director. Early years Born in 1846, Clarke was the second son of Edward Marmaduke Clarke and Mary Agnes Close. He was educated at Gaultier's Scho ...

(1846–1911), English architect and museum director * Catherine Clarke, British historian *

Catherine Goddard Clarke Catherine Goddard Clarke , also known as Sister Catherine, (August 21, 1900 – May 8, 1968) was an American Traditionalist Catholic writer, educator, and lay religious sister. She was the founder of the Saint Benedict Center in Cambridge, Mass ...

(1900–1968), American Catholic writer and religious community founder * Cecil Vandepeer Clarke (1897–1961), British soldier and inventor *

Charles Clarke (disambiguation) Charles Clarke may refer to: *Charles Clarke (born 1950), former British Member of Parliament. *Charles Clarke (judge) (died 1750), English barrister, judge and politician *Charles Clarke (numismatist) (1719–1780), English numismatist and antiquar ...

* Charlotte Clarke, Scottish academic researching dementia *

Chris Clarke (disambiguation) Chris Clarke may refer to: * Chris Clarke (sprinter) (born 1990), English sprinter * Chris Clarke (boxer) (born 1956), Canadian boxer * Chris Clarke (croquet player) (born 1971), English croquet player * Chris Clarke (footballer, born 1980), En ...

* Claire D. Clarke (d. 2022), American politician * Clem S. Clarke (1897–1967), American oilman and politician *

Coty Clarke Coty Clarke (born July 4, 1992) is an American professional basketball player for Shimane Susanoo Magic of the B.League. He played college basketball for Lawson State CC and Arkansas, and has since played in multiple professional leagues, incl ...

(born 1992), American basketball player in the Israeli National League *

Cyril Clarke Sir Cyril Astley Clarke (22 August 1907 – 21 November 2000) was a British physician, geneticist and lepidopterist. He was honoured for his pioneering work on prevention of Rh disease of the newborn, and also for his work on the genetics of the ...

(1907–2000), English physician and medical researcher *

Darren Clarke Darren Christopher Clarke (born 14 August 1968) is a professional golfer from Northern Ireland who currently plays on the PGA Tour Champions and has previously played on the European Tour and PGA Tour. He has won 21 tournaments worldwide on ...

(born 1968), Northern Irish golfer *

, Co Louth Gaa Footballer *

David Clarke (disambiguation) David or Dave Clarke may refer to: Entertainment * David Clarke (actor) (1908–2004), American actor * Dave Clarke (musician) (born 1948), American singer, guitarist, and keyboard player * Dave Clarke (DJ) (born 1968), English techno DJ * David ...

Dean Clarke (disambiguation) Dean Clarke may refer to: * Dean Clarke (footballer, born 1977), English footballer * Dean Clarke (Irish footballer) (born 1993), Irish footballer See also * Dean Clark (disambiguation) {{hndis, Clarke, Dean ...

Denzel Clarke Denzel Leslie Clarke (born May 1, 2000) is a Canadian professional baseball outfielder for the Athletics of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2025. Career Clarke attended Everest Academy in Thornhill, Ontario, Canada. He was ...

(born 2000), Canadian baseball player * Dominic Clarke (born 1997), Australian trampoline gymnast * Don or

Donald Clarke (disambiguation) Donald or Don Clarke may refer to: * Donald Henderson Clarke (1887–1958), American writer and journalist * Donald Clarke (GC) (1923–1942), British recipient of the George Cross * Donald Clarke (cricketer) (1926–2008), English cricketer * D ...

* Dora Clarke (1895–1989), English artist * Doug or

Douglas Clarke (disambiguation) Douglas Clarke can refer to: * Doug Clarke (Australian footballer) (born 1938), Australian rules footballer * Doug Clarke (English footballer) (1934–2019), English footballer * Douglas Clarke (conductor) (1893–1962), British conductor * Douglas ...

Drew Clarke Andrew Leigh Clarke is a former senior Australian public servant who served as Secretary of several departments and as Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister (Australia), Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, before his retirement in ...

, Australian public servant *

Dudley Clarke Brigadier Dudley Wrangel Clarke, ( – ) was an officer in the British Army, known as a pioneer of military deception operations during the Second World War. His ideas for combining fictional orders of battle, visual deception and doubl ...

(1899–1974), British intelligence officer * Eddie Clarke (musician) (1950–2018), British guitarist and podcaster * Edith Clarke (1883–1959), American electrical engineer and professor * Edmund M. Clarke (1945–2020), American computer scientist * Edward Clarke (disambiguation) * Edwin Clarke (1919–1996), British neurologist and medical historian * Ellis Clarke (1917–2010), lawyer, diplomat, Governor General, President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago * Emilia Clarke (born 1986), English actress * Ernest Clarke (1856–1923), English historian of agriculture * Eva Clarke (born 1945), British-Czech Holocaust survivor * Frank Clarke (disambiguation), also Francis and Franklin * George Clarke (disambiguation) * Gillian Clarke (born 1937), Welsh poet * Goland Vanhalt Clarke (1875–1944), British Army brigadier-general, big game hunter, naturalist * Gordon Luke Clarke (born 1945), New Zealand-born 1970s fashion designer * Graeme Clarke (born 2001), American ice hockey player * Harold Clarke (disambiguation) * Harry Clarke (disambiguation) * Helen Clarke (disambiguation) * Henri Jacques Guillaume Clarke (1765–1818), Franco-Irish general under Napoleon I * Henry Clarke (disambiguation) * Heroy Clarke, Jamaican politician * Horace Clarke (born 1940–2020), Virgin Islander Major League Baseball player * Hyde Clarke (1815–1895), English engineer, philologist and author * Ian Clarke (disambiguation) * Jacob Augustus Lockhart Clarke (1817–1880), British neurologist * James Clarke (disambiguation), also Jim Clarke * Jason Clarke (born 1969), Australian actor * Jay Clarke (disambiguation) * Jennie Thornley Clarke (–?), American educator, writer, anthologist * Jennifer Ward Clarke (1935–2015), British cellist * Jeremiah Clarke (1674–1707), English baroque composer * Jeremy Clarke (disambiguation) * John Clarke (disambiguation) * Justine Clarke (born 1971), Australian actress and singer * Katie Rose Clarke (born 1984), American musical theatre actress * Kathleen Clarke (1878–1972), Irish political activist * Kenneth Clarke (born 1940), British politician; Chancellor of the Exchequer * Lennox Clarke (born 1991), English professional boxer * Lige Clarke (1942−1975), American LGBT activist, journalist and author * Luther W. Clarke (1825–1869), American politician * Lydia Clarke (1923–2018), American actress and photographer * Mae Clarke (1910–1992), American actress * Malcolm Clarke (disambiguation) * Marcus Clarke (1846–1881), Australian novelist * Maree Clarke, Australian multidisciplinary artist and educator * Martin Clarke (disambiguation) * Mary Clarke (disambiguation) * Matthew Clarke (disambiguation), also Matt Clarke * Maura Clarke (1931–1980), American nun, martyr, killed in El Salvador * Maurice Gordon Clarke (1877–1944), American football and baseball player and coach * Megan Clarke, American cancer epidemiologist * Michael Clarke (disambiguation), also Mike Clarke * Mitch Clarke (born 1985), Canadian mixed martial artist * Mitch Clarke (basketball) (born 1999), Australian basketball player * Nancy Clarke (entrepreneur) (died 1811 or 1812), Barbadian hotelier and free woman of colour * Naomi Clarke, (born 1982), New Zealand soccer player * Nevelle Clarke (born 1996), American football player * Nig Clarke (1882–1949), American baseball player * Nobby Clarke (1907–1981), English footballer * Noel Clarke (born 1975), British actor, director and screenwriter * Norm Clarke (1942–2025), American journalist * Olive Clarke (1922–2023), English farmer and public figure * Patrick Clarke, (born 1965), Irish actor, director, producer and screenwriter * Pauline Clarke (1921–2013), British writer * Peter Clarke (disambiguation) * Philip Clarke (disambiguation) * Powhatan Henry Clarke (1862–1893), United States Army first lieutenant, recipient of the Medal of Honor during the Indian Wars * Ralph Clarke (mayor) (died 1660), mayor of Chesterfield, 1598 * Rebecca Clarke (disambiguation) * Richard Clarke (disambiguation) * Robert Clarke (disambiguation) * Roger Clarke (disambiguation) * Rotnei Clarke (born 1989), American basketball player * Rozlyne Clarke (born 1967), Australian make-up artist, musical theatre actor and dance music singer * Ryan Clarke (disambiguation) * Samuel Clarke (disambiguation) * Sarah Clarke (disambiguation) * Sharon D. Clarke (born 1966), English actress and singer * Sidney Clarke (1831–1909), American politician * Simon Clarke (disambiguation) * Stanley Clarke (born 1951), American double bass and bass guitar musician * Stephen or Steve Clarke – see Stephen Clark (disambiguation) * Susanna Clarke (born 1959), British novelist (''Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell'') * Sylvester Clarke, (1954–1999), West Indian cricketer * Taylor Clarke (born 1993), American baseball player * Terrel E. Clarke (1920–1997), American businessman and politician * Theo Clarke (born 1985), British Member of Parliament elected 2019 * Theophilus Clarke (1776?–1831), English painter * Tom or Thomas Clarke (disambiguation) * Troy Clarke (disambiguation) * Vince Clarke (born 1960), British musician with the band Erasure * Wayne Clarke (broadcaster) (born 1961), British Christian minister * Wayne Clarke (footballer) (born 1961), English former footballer *

* Yvette D. Clarke (born 1964), American politician, member of the United States House of Representatives * Murder of Hannah Clarke, Hannah Clarke/Baxter (1988–2020), Australian sportsperson and murder victim

Fictional characters

* Christian Clarke, in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' * Franklin Clarke, in Agatha Christie's novel ''The A.B.C. Murders'' * Isaac Clarke, main protagonist of the ''Dead Space'' video game series * Linda Clarke, in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' * Roger Clarke (EastEnders), in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' * Ryan Clarke, recurring character in the American television series ''Legacies (TV series), Legacies'' * Shane Clarke, in the ''Power Rangers Ninja Storm''

References

{{surname, Clarke Occupational surnames English-language surnames English-language occupational surnames Surnames of Irish origin Surnames of English origin