2000
#8,514
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,563
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.32
Rare Last name
Clardy
An English surname of uncertain origin, possibly derived from a place name or a nickname for a brave person.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,038 Americans carry the last name Clardy. That puts it at #8,918 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.18 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 84,882 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Clardy 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
4.0K
1 in 84,882
Census rank
#8,918
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,521 bearers of the surname Clardy in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.18 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8918th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Clardy, the largest self-reported group is White at 67.1%. The next largest groups are Black (23.8%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Clardy
The surname Clardy has its origins in England and dates back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "clard," meaning "clear" or "bright." The name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone with a bright complexion or a cheerful disposition.
The earliest recorded instance of the Clardy surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1199, where it appears as "Clardey." This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the late 12th century.
During the Middle Ages, the Clardy surname was primarily concentrated in the counties of Staffordshire, Derbyshire, and Warwickshire. It is possible that the name originated from a place name, although no definitive records of such a place have been found.
In the 14th century, a notable reference to the Clardy surname appears in the records of the Chancery Court of Westminster. A certain John Clardy was involved in a legal dispute over land ownership in the year 1372.
One of the earliest known bearers of the Clardy surname was William Clardy, who was born in Derbyshire in the late 15th century. He was a prominent landowner and served as a magistrate in the county.
Another individual of historical significance was Sir Thomas Clardy (1520-1591), a Member of Parliament for Staffordshire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He was also a prominent lawyer and served as a judge on the Court of Common Pleas.
In the 17th century, the Clardy surname gained recognition through the work of Richard Clardy (1612-1670), a renowned scholar and clergyman. He was the author of several theological works and served as the Archdeacon of Winchester.
During the English Civil War, Colonel John Clardy (1620-1678) was a notable military leader who fought for the Parliamentarian forces. He played a significant role in several battles and was later knighted for his service.
In the 18th century, the Clardy surname gained further prominence with the exploits of Captain James Clardy (1745-1821), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars. He was commended for his bravery and leadership in several naval engagements.
While the Clardy surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, through immigration and migration patterns.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Clardy
Among Census respondents with the surname Clardy, the largest self-reported group is White at 67.1%. The next largest groups are Black (23.8%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Clardy 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 Clardy surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White67.1% · 2,363
- Black or African American23.8% · 839
- Two or more races4.7% · 166
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 121
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 16
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 16
Timeline
Historical Census data for Clardy
Clardy 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
#8,817
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,713
+150 bearers (+4.2%)
Per 100,000 1.26
Rank movement Down 303 places
2020
#8,918
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,521
-192 bearers (-5.2%)
Per 100,000 1.18
Rank movement Down 101 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,514 | 3,563 | 1.32 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #8,817 | 3,713 | 1.26 | +150 bearers (+4.2%) | Down 303 places |
| 2020 | #8,918 | 3,521 | 1.18 | -192 bearers (-5.2%) | Down 101 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 Clardy 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 | #8,817 | #8,918 | -1.1% |
| Count | 3,713 | 3,521 | -5.2% |
| Per 100K | 1.26 | 1.18 | -6.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Clardy bearers went from 3,713 to 3,521 (-5.2% change). The surname moved down 101 positions in the national ranking, going from #8,817 to #8,918.
FAQ
Clardy surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Clardy?
Name Census estimates that about 4,038 living Americans carry the surname Clardy. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 84,882 residents.
How common is Clardy?
Clardy ranks #8,918 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.18 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,521 people with the surname Clardy. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,038), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.18 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.18 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Clardy.
Has Clardy become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Clardy went from 3,713 recorded bearers to 3,521. That is a decrease of 192 (-5.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #8,817 to #8,918.
What does the Census say about the background of Clardy?
Among Census respondents with the surname Clardy, the largest self-reported group is White at 67.1%. The next largest groups are Black (23.8%) and Two or More Races (4.7%). 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 Clardy in the 2020 Census, accounting for 67.1% (2,363 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Clardy appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (67.1%), Black (23.8%), Two or More Races (4.7%). 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 Clardy (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 Clardy mean?
An English surname of uncertain origin, possibly derived from a place name or a nickname for a brave person. 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 Clardy (1.18 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 Clardy?
You can see how common the surname Clardy is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.