Find out how popular the last name Claar is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Claar.

Claar, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Claar surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Claar in America

Claar is the 14316th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Claar surname appeared 2,090 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Claar.

We can also compare 2010 data for Claar to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Claar

The surname Claar has its roots in Germany, originating from the German word "klar," which means "clear" or "bright." It is believed to have emerged as a surname during the Middle Ages, possibly as early as the 12th century.

The name was initially found in various regions of Germany, particularly in the areas surrounding the Rhineland and Bavaria. It is also thought to have been derived from the Old High German word "klār," which carried a similar meaning of "clear" or "pure."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Claar surname can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of historical documents from the region of Saxony, dating back to the 13th century. The name appears in various spellings, such as Clarer, Klarer, and Klahr, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling during that time.

In the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the name Claar was Johannes Claar, a scholar and philosopher from the city of Tübingen. His writings and teachings contributed significantly to the intellectual discourse of his era.

During the 16th century, the Claar family held prominent positions in the city of Nuremberg, where they were involved in the local government and trade. One notable member was Hans Claar, a successful merchant and influential figure in the city's affairs.

As the name spread across Germany and into neighboring regions, it also found its way into other European countries. In the 17th century, a branch of the Claar family settled in the Netherlands, where they established themselves as respected traders and businessmen.

Over the centuries, the Claar surname has been associated with various notable individuals. In the 18th century, Johann Claar was a renowned composer and organist from Leipzig, whose works contributed to the musical landscape of his time.

Another prominent figure was Friedrich Claar, a German historian and writer from the 19th century, who authored several books on the history and culture of his native region.

In more recent times, the name Claar has been carried by individuals such as Willy Claar, a German actor and film director active in the early 20th century, and Hans Claar, a German politician who served as a member of the Bundestag (the German parliament) in the latter half of the 20th century.

While the surname Claar may have evolved in spelling and pronunciation over the centuries, its underlying meaning of "clear" or "bright" has remained constant, reflecting the linguistic and cultural heritage of its German origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Claar

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Claar.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Claar was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Claar has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Claar was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Claar, please contact us.

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