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

Clerkley, 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 Clerkley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Clerkley in America

Clerkley is the 79846th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Clerkley surname appeared 238 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 Clerkley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Clerkley 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 Clerkley

The surname Clerkley is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be an occupational name, derived from the Old English words "clerc" and "leah," meaning "clerk" and "meadow" or "clearing," respectively. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who worked as a clerk in a clearing or meadow area.

The earliest known recorded instance of the Clerkley surname dates back to the late 12th century, where it is mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1195. This document recorded the name as "Clerkelei," which is believed to be an early spelling variation.

In the 13th century, the Clerkley name appeared in several historical records, including the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1244, where it was spelled "Clerkelee." Additionally, the Hundred Rolls of 1273 mention a John de Clerkelay in Oxfordshire.

One of the earliest known individuals with the Clerkley surname was William Clerkley, who was born in Cheshire, England, around 1320. He was a prominent landowner and is mentioned in the Cheshire County Records of the time.

During the 15th century, the Clerkley name became more widespread, with several notable individuals bearing the surname. John Clerkley (1425-1492) was a wealthy merchant and landowner in Yorkshire, while Thomas Clerkley (1460-1520) was a respected scholar and clergyman who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Nottinghamshire.

In the 16th century, the Clerkley name continued to gain prominence. Sir Robert Clerkley (1520-1585) was a prominent courtier and diplomat who served under Queen Elizabeth I. He is mentioned in several historical records, including the State Papers of the time.

Another notable individual with the Clerkley surname was Elizabeth Clerkley (1575-1642), who was a wealthy landowner and philanthropist in Warwickshire. She is known for her generous donations to local churches and charities.

During the 17th century, the Clerkley name appeared in various parish records and court documents across England. One notable example is the case of Richard Clerkley (1640-1712), a successful merchant and landowner in Gloucestershire, who was involved in several legal disputes over property rights.

Throughout history, the Clerkley surname has been associated with various places in England, including Clerkley Hill in Shropshire and Clerkley Wood in Cheshire. Additionally, there are several variations of the name, such as Clarkley, Clerkly, and Clerkeley, which have been recorded over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Clerkley

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

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

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

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