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

Clara, 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 Clara surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Clara in America

Clara is the 23205th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Clara surname appeared 1,099 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Clara.

We can also compare 2010 data for Clara 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 Clara

The surname Clara is of Spanish origin and dates back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Latin word "clarus," meaning "clear" or "bright." The name likely originated in the Iberian Peninsula during the medieval period.

In Spain, the surname Clara was often associated with individuals from the region of Catalonia, where the name was particularly prevalent. It is believed that some of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in medieval documents and records from this area.

One notable historical reference to the surname Clara is in the "Libro de Repartimiento de Mallorca," a document from the 13th century that recorded the distribution of land and property on the island of Mallorca after its conquest by the Crown of Aragon. Several individuals with the surname Clara are listed in this document, suggesting the name's presence in the region during that time.

The surname Clara is also found in other parts of Spain, as well as in Latin America, where it was carried by Spanish settlers and colonists. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Juan de Clara, a Spanish explorer and conquistador who participated in the conquest of Peru in the 16th century.

Other notable individuals with the surname Clara include:

1. Pedro Clara (c. 1525 - c. 1590), a Spanish painter and sculptor active in the Renaissance period.
2. Gaspar de Clara (1616 - 1686), a Spanish playwright and poet during the Golden Age of Spanish literature.
3. María Clara (1785 - 1874), a Venezuelan writer and educator who played an important role in promoting women's education in her country.
4. Antonio Clara (1859 - 1927), a Spanish artist and painter known for his landscapes and genre scenes.
5. Josefa Clara (1920 - 2005), a Mexican actress and singer who appeared in numerous films and television shows throughout her career.

While the surname Clara has its roots in Spain and the Iberian Peninsula, it has since spread across the globe and can be found in various countries and cultures, reflecting the migration and diaspora of Spanish-speaking populations over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Clara

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

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 Clara 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 Clara 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 Clara was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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