Clance
Of disputed meaning, possibly from Gaelic elements referring to a warrior or leader.
Name Census estimates that about 81 living Americans carry the first name Clance. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Clance today is around 82 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Clance births was 1932 (19 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Clance. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Clance is about 82 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Clances were born before 1954.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Clance. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
81
~ 1 in 4,231,535 Americans
Peak year
1932
19 babies that year
Average age
82
years old
1960 SSA rank
#3,728
Tracked since 1913
Popularity
Clance: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Clance from the 1910s through to the 1960s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1930s, with 101 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1930s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Clance by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Clance during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Clances live
Origin
Meaning and history of Clance
The name Clance is believed to have originated from the Old English language, with roots dating back to the Anglo-Saxon period in Britain. It is derived from the Old English word "clanc," which means "loud" or "resounding." The name was likely given to individuals who had a strong or resonant voice.
During the Middle Ages, the name Clance appeared in various medieval records and documents, particularly in the regions of England and Wales. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror.
In the 13th century, a notable bearer of the name was Clance of Woodstock, a renowned scholar and philosopher who lived from 1225 to 1292. He was known for his contributions to the field of logic and his teachings at the University of Oxford.
Another historical figure with the name Clance was Sir Clance Mortimer, a 14th-century English knight who fought alongside King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War. He was born in 1310 and died in battle in 1349.
In the 16th century, Clance Howard, a wealthy landowner and member of the English gentry, made his mark. He lived from 1520 to 1585 and was known for his philanthropic efforts and support of various charitable causes.
During the 17th century, Clance Fitzwilliam, a renowned actor and playwright, graced the stages of London's theaters. Born in 1635, he was celebrated for his performances in Shakespearean plays and his own original works.
In the late 18th century, Clance Beaumont, a pioneering explorer and naturalist, embarked on several expeditions to the Americas. He was born in 1760 and made significant contributions to the study of flora and fauna in the New World.
While the name Clance has diminished in popularity over time, it remains a unique and distinctive name with a rich historical heritage, reflecting the strength and resonance of those who bore it throughout the ages.
People
Clance + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Clance as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Clance: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Clance?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 81 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Clance going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 4,231,535 US residents.
Is Clance a common name?
We classify Clance as "Very Rare". It ranks above 61.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 336 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Clance most popular?
The single biggest year for Clance was 1932, when 19 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Clance is about 82 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Clance in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Clance a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Clance in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Clance still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Clance in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Clance can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Clance?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.