2000
#128,797
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Clocker
An occupational surname relating to a timekeeper or clock maker.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 131 Americans carry the last name Clocker. That puts it at #146,495 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,616,445 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Clocker 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
131
1 in 2,616,445
Census rank
#146,495
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
114
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 114 bearers of the surname Clocker in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 146495th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Clocker, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.8%) and Hispanic (7.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Clocker
The surname Clocker is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be an occupational name derived from the Old English word "cloccer," which referred to a maker or repairer of clocks or bells. This name likely arose as a descriptive term for someone who worked in this profession.
The earliest known recorded instances of the surname Clocker date back to the late 13th century. In 1273, a record mentions one John le Clocker in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire. This suggests that the name was already in use by this time, though it may have existed even earlier.
During the Middle Ages, the Clocker surname appeared to be concentrated primarily in the counties of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire. This could indicate that the name originated in this region of England, or that it was particularly common among clockmakers and bell-founders in these areas.
One notable early bearer of the Clocker name was William Clocker, who was mentioned in the Patent Rolls of 1349 as a clockmaker in the city of London. This record provides evidence of the occupation associated with the surname during the 14th century.
In the 16th century, the surname Clocker appeared in various spellings, such as Clocker, Clocker, and Clockare. This variation in spelling was common during this period, as standardized spellings had not yet been established.
Throughout history, several individuals with the surname Clocker have achieved notable accomplishments or recognition. One such individual was John Clocker (1570-1637), a renowned clockmaker from London who crafted several intricate clocks for the royal court and wealthy patrons.
Another notable bearer of the Clocker name was Thomas Clocker (1620-1692), a bell-founder from Gloucester who cast bells for numerous churches throughout England during the 17th century.
In the 18th century, the Clocker surname appeared in various parish records and legal documents across England. One example is William Clocker (1712-1784), a clockmaker from Oxfordshire who was known for his innovative clock designs.
The 19th century saw the Clocker surname spread beyond England, as some individuals with this name immigrated to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia. One such individual was James Clocker (1825-1901), a clockmaker from London who later settled in Toronto, Canada, and established a successful clockmaking business.
Throughout its history, the Clocker surname has been associated with the skilled trades of clockmaking and bell-founding, reflecting its occupational origins. While the name may have evolved over time, its connection to these professions has remained a consistent thread throughout its documented history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Clocker
Among Census respondents with the surname Clocker, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.8%) and Hispanic (7.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Clocker 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 Clocker surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White78.1% · 89
- Two or more races8.8% · 10
- Hispanic or Latino7.0% · 8
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.5% · 4
- Black or African American2.6% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Clocker
Clocker 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
#151,532
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
-14 bearers (-11.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 22,735 places
2020
#146,495
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
+6 bearers (+5.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 5,037 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #128,797 | 122 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #151,532 | 108 | 0.04 | -14 bearers (-11.5%) | Down 22,735 places |
| 2020 | #146,495 | 114 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.6%) | Up 5,037 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 Clocker 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 | #151,532 | #146,495 | 3.3% |
| Count | 108 | 114 | 5.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -4.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Clocker bearers went from 108 to 114 (+5.6% change). The surname moved up 5,037 positions in the national ranking, going from #151,532 to #146,495.
FAQ
Clocker surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Clocker?
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the surname Clocker. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,616,445 residents.
How common is Clocker?
Clocker ranks #146,495 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 114 people with the surname Clocker. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (131), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Clocker.
Has Clocker become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Clocker went from 108 recorded bearers to 114. That is an increase of 6 (+5.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #151,532 to #146,495.
What does the Census say about the background of Clocker?
Among Census respondents with the surname Clocker, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.8%) and Hispanic (7.0%). 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 Clocker in the 2020 Census, accounting for 78.1% (89 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Clocker appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (78.1%), Two or More Races (8.8%), Hispanic (7.0%). 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 Clocker (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 Clocker mean?
An occupational surname relating to a timekeeper or clock maker. 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 Clocker (0.04 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 many people are called Clocker?
Want to know how many people have the surname Clocker? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.