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

Clark, 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 Clark surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Clark in America

Clark is the 27th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Clark surname appeared 562,679 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 191 people would have the surname Clark.

We can also compare 2010 data for Clark 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 Clark

The surname Clark is of English origin, derived from the occupational term "clerk" or "clericus" in medieval Latin. It emerged in the 12th century as a descriptive name for those employed as clerks, scribes, or scholars, often in religious or administrative roles.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Clericus" and "Le Clerc." These early forms reflect the name's direct link to the profession of clerks, who were responsible for record-keeping and administrative tasks.

During the Middle Ages, the name Clark spread across various regions of England, particularly in areas with significant ecclesiastical or governmental presence, such as London, Yorkshire, and Lincolnshire. As the name became more widespread, variations in spelling emerged, including Clarke, Clerke, and Clerques.

One notable figure bearing the name Clark was John Clark (c. 1370-1437), a renowned English mathematician and astronomer from Yorkshire. He was a Fellow of the University of Cambridge and authored several works on astronomical calculations and astrological tables.

Another prominent Clark was William Clark (1770-1838), the American explorer and co-leader of the famous Lewis and Clark Expedition. Together with Meriwether Lewis, he led the first American overland expedition to the Pacific coast, greatly expanding the knowledge of the western territories of the United States.

In literature, Samuel Clark (1675-1729) was an influential English philosopher and theologian. He is best known for his work "The Being and Attributes of God," which defended the existence of God and argued against the materialist philosophies of the time.

The name Clark has also been associated with several places, such as Clarkebury in Oxfordshire and Clark's Green in Buckinghamshire, which likely derived their names from individuals bearing the surname.

Another notable figure was Abraham Clark (1726-1794), a signer of the Declaration of Independence and a delegate to the Continental Congress from New Jersey during the American Revolutionary War.

Throughout history, the surname Clark has maintained its strong presence, with notable bearers from various fields, including politics, exploration, academia, and literature. Its origins as an occupational name reflect the importance of clerks and scribes in medieval society, and its enduring use is a testament to its historical significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Clark

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

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

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

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