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

Clemmer, 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 Clemmer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Clemmer in America

Clemmer is the 9446th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Clemmer surname appeared 3,444 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Clemmer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Clemmer 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 Clemmer

The surname Clemmer has its origins in Germany, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Middle High German word "klammer," which means "clip" or "fastener." This suggests that the name may have been an occupational surname for someone who worked as a maker or seller of clips or fasteners.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Clemmer name can be found in the church records of the town of Külsheim, located in the present-day state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. In these records, a "Hans Clemmer" is listed as a resident in the year 1567.

As the name spread across various regions of Germany, it underwent slight variations in spelling, such as "Klemmer" and "Klammer." These variations were likely due to regional dialects and the inconsistencies in record-keeping during that time.

In the late 17th century, the Clemmer surname began to appear in various regions of what is now modern-day Pennsylvania in the United States. This was likely due to German immigration to the British colonies in North America. One notable early bearer of the name was Johann Clemmer, who was born in 1673 in Sinsheim, Germany, and later settled in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania.

Another historically significant figure with the Clemmer surname was Jacob Clemmer, a German-American farmer and miller who lived in Berks County, Pennsylvania, in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He played a role in the early agricultural development of the region.

In the 19th century, the Clemmer name also appeared in various parts of Europe, including Switzerland and Austria. One notable individual from this period was Johann Clemmer, a Swiss politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Grand Council of the Canton of Bern in the 1870s.

As the name continued to spread across different regions, it also took on various forms, such as "Clemmers" and "Clammers." These variations were often influenced by local dialects and the preferences of individual families.

Throughout its history, the Clemmer surname has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including farmers, artisans, politicians, and professionals. While not a particularly common name, it has left its mark on the historical records of several countries, reflecting the diverse journeys and contributions of those who carried this surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Clemmer

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!