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

Cleer, 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 Cleer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cleer in America

Cleer is the 115639th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cleer surname appeared 151 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 Cleer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cleer 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 Cleer

The surname Cleer has its origins in England, dating back to the 12th century. The name is derived from the Old English word "clær," which means "clear" or "bright." It was likely given as a descriptive surname to someone with a fair complexion or someone who lived near a clear stream or body of water.

The earliest recorded instance of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, where a Richard le Clere is mentioned. This spelling variation, "le Clere," was common in medieval times and reflected the Norman-French influence on English surnames after the Norman Conquest.

Another early reference to the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273, which lists a Robert le Clere as a landowner. This document provides valuable insight into the distribution of the name in different regions of England during the 13th century.

One notable bearer of the Cleer surname was John Clere (c. 1370-1443), a prominent English landowner and member of the gentry from Norfolk. He served as a Member of Parliament for Norfolk in 1402 and 1404, further illustrating the standing of the Cleer family during the late medieval period.

In the 16th century, the surname Clere was also found in various parts of England, including Oxfordshire and Wiltshire. A notable example is Robert Clere (c. 1520-1568), who served as a Member of Parliament for Wiltshire in 1555 and was involved in local government affairs.

Another significant figure with the surname was Sir Edward Clere (1536-1606), a prominent English courtier and landowner from Norfolkshire. He held several important positions during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, including that of High Sheriff of Norfolk and a member of the Privy Council.

Throughout the centuries, the spelling of the surname has evolved, with variations such as Clere, Cleere, and Cleer appearing in different regions and records. While the exact origins of the name remain somewhat uncertain, it is clear that the Cleer surname has a long and rich history in England, dating back to the medieval period and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cleer

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

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

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

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