2000
#148,244
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Clackler
A surname denoting a noise maker or rattle maker.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Clackler. That puts it at #152,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,856,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Clackler surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
120
1 in 2,856,286
Census rank
#152,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
105
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 105 bearers of the surname Clackler in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Clackler, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Black (2.9%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Clackler
The surname Clackler has its origins traced back to the 14th century in the northern regions of England and southern Scotland. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "clacc", which referred to a loud, sharp sound or noise, similar to the clanking of metal or a person's clacking footsteps.
Historically, the name Clackler was likely an occupational surname given to individuals who worked as blacksmiths, farriers, or in other professions involving metalwork, where the clacking or clanking sounds were a common occurrence. It may have also been attributed to individuals with a distinctive gait or walking pattern that produced a clacking sound.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Clackler can be found in the Cartulary of Coldstream Priory, a Scottish monastery dating back to the 12th century. The document, written in Latin, includes a reference to a certain "Robertus Clacclere" who was a landholder in the region.
In the 16th century, the name appeared in various parish records and tax rolls across northern England and the Scottish Borders. One notable bearer was John Clackler (c. 1520-1586), a renowned blacksmith from Northumberland, whose handiwork was widely celebrated for its quality and craftsmanship.
Another prominent figure was Margaret Clackler (1609-1683), a midwife from Yorkshire who gained recognition for her expertise in obstetrics and her dedication to serving the local community.
During the 17th century, variations of the name emerged, such as "Clackler", "Clacler", and "Clakler", reflecting the regional dialects and spelling conventions of the time.
In the 18th century, the name Clackler appeared in the parish records of Hawick, Scotland, where a family of weavers and textile workers bore the surname. One notable member was Robert Clackler (1745-1812), a renowned weaver known for his exceptional skills in creating intricate tartan patterns.
As the Industrial Revolution took hold in the 19th century, many Clacklers migrated from rural areas to urban centers, seeking employment in factories and workshops. One such individual was William Clackler (1825-1891), a skilled metalworker from Newcastle who contributed to the construction of iconic structures like the Tyne Bridge.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Clackler
Among Census respondents with the surname Clackler, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Black (2.9%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Clackler bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Clackler surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.3% · 98
- Black or African American2.9% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino1.9% · 2
- Two or more races1.9% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Clackler
Clackler appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#146,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
+11 bearers (+10.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 2,043 places
2020
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-8 bearers (-7.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,788 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #148,244 | 102 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #146,201 | 113 | 0.04 | +11 bearers (+10.8%) | Up 2,043 places |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | -8 bearers (-7.1%) | Down 6,788 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Clackler surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #146,201 | #152,989 | -4.6% |
| Count | 113 | 105 | -7.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -12.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Clackler bearers went from 113 to 105 (-7.1% change). The surname moved down 6,788 positions in the national ranking, going from #146,201 to #152,989.
FAQ
Clackler surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Clackler?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Clackler. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Clackler?
Clackler ranks #152,989 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 105 people with the surname Clackler. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (120), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Clackler.
Has Clackler become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Clackler went from 113 recorded bearers to 105. That is a decrease of 8 (-7.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #146,201 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Clackler?
Among Census respondents with the surname Clackler, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Black (2.9%) and Hispanic (1.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Clackler in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.3% (98 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Clackler appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.3%), Black (2.9%), Hispanic (1.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Clackler (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Clackler mean?
A surname denoting a noise maker or rattle maker. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Clackler (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Clackler?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Clackler is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.