Surname Cleere - Meaning and Origin
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Cleere: What does the surname Cleere mean?
The last name Cleere is of English origin, and is a topographical or occupational surname. It is derived from the Old English word "clēre," meaning "cliff or sloping meadow," both of which were common features of the English landscape. Cleere is most often used as an occupational surname, referring to a person who worked near or on a cliff or sloping meadow. The suffix "er" was likely added as a spoken form, resulting in the surname "Cleerer" or "Cleere."
Cleere is an uncommon name in England, but has akin found in Scotland where it is mainly confined to the Angus region. It is also found in Ireland, particularly in parts of Ulster. According to records, the earliest spelling of the name is Clere, which is found in records with dates as early as 1301. Several spellings of the surname have been noted over the centuries, including: Clerk, Clear, Cleire, and Cleyre.
The Cleer surname is of Anglo-Saxon origin and sometimes referred to as a "follower of the cliff." It is a very old form of personal name, which is believed to have evolved from a popular medieval given name.
Cleer is also an uncommon but interesting surname from Welsh. It is thought to have derived from the Welsh word "cleir," which means "soft or gentle." This may refer to a quiet and gentle person, but it’s unknown how this interpretation evolved.
Overall, the Cleer surname is quite rare. It refers to those who were connected to a cliff or hillside, or a gentle and quiet person. The surname likely originated in England, and then spread to other parts of the British Isles over the centuries.
Order DNA origin analysisCleere: Where does the name Cleere come from?
The last name Cleere is most commonly seen in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The greatest concentrations of people with the surname Cleere are in Essex, Kent, and London in England, and Cork County and Galway in Ireland.
Research conducted by the Great Britain Family Name Society stated that the surname Cleere was first recorded in the 13th century in the county of Kent. The original spelling of the name, Cleere, is a variation of the Anglo-Norman French language, and it was an occupational name meaning a servant or a member of the court.
Gravestone records indicate that members of the Cleere family were living in various towns and counties in England and Ireland as early as the 16th century. Some of the earliest records include the burial of Margarett Cler of Wiltshire, England in 1572 and the marriage of John Cleere and Alice Wallett of Gittisham, England in 1598.
The Cleere family also had connections to other prominent families in England and Ireland during the 19th century and beyond. According to sources, three of Joseph Cleere’s sons, John, Joseph, and William, all emigrated to Australia in the 1840s.
Today, the Cleere family have connections and branches in various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia, as well as in the UK and Ireland.
Variations of the surname Cleere
The surname Cleere has several alternate spellings and variant spellings, as well as other surnames with the same origin. These include Cleare, Cleer, Cleere, Cler, Clare, Cleereman, Cleerman, Cleir, Clere and Clair. Most of these variations of the surname come from the Anglo-Norman French word “claer” which means “clear” or “plain”.
The surname Cleere is typically an English surname, and is especially common in the counties of Somerset and Buckinghamshire. It is also sometimes found in Ireland, as there were Norman settlers in this area.
The surname Cleere can also be spelt Clerke, Clark, Clarke or Clerk, which comes from the Old English and Norman words “clericus” and “clerke” meaning “scribe” or “scholar”, thus denoting someone who was an administrator in the Middle Ages.
The surname Cleere can also be spelt Cleirman, Clearman or Clerman, which derives from the Middle English word “cleir” meaning “bright” or “excellent”.
Finally, the surname Cleere can also be spelt Cleary, Clary or Clearye, which is derived from the Irish Gaelic word “O’Cleirge”, meaning “descendant of the scholar”.
In summary, the surname Cleere has multiple variations and is derived from several Anglo-Saxon, Norman and Irish origins. Common variant spellings of Cleere include Cleare, Cleer, Cler, Clare, Cleereman, Cleerman, Cleir, Clere and Clair, as well as Clerke, Clark, Clarke, Clerk, Cleirman, Clearman, Clerman and Cleary, Clary and Clearye.
Famous people with the name Cleere
- Mark Cleere: an Irish singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer who has worked with artists like Take That and Charmaine.
- Robert Cleere: a Canadian actor who has appeared in films such as A Little Bit Zombie, The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz and Jason X.
- Katie Cleere: an American former child actress who appeared in the sitcom Just the Ten of Us as well as in films such as The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and Must Love Dogs.
- Thomas Cleere: an Irish storyteller and mood music artist, and founder of Sound Stories.
- Bill Cleere: an American country music singer and songwriter. He was once signed to Asylum Records and released the album Ready or Not in 1991.
- Floyd Cleere: a Texas-based actor, stuntman, and fight choreographer who won awards for his portrayal of the main character in CastleFight, an action-adventure film released in 2008.
- Will Cleere: a former British theatre director and the Artistic Director for CMT's pop-up theatre in London. He was also a drama producer for the BBC.
- Edward Cleere: a British politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Gainsborough from 1961 to 1974.
- Stacy Cleere: an American actress, best known for her appearances in films and television series such as Barb Wire, Beverly Hills, 90210 and Major Dad.
- Ark Cleere: a British special effects artist, best known for his work on films such as The Time Machine, The Matrix Reloaded and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.