NameCensus.

UK surname

Clare

An English and Irish surname derived from the Latin "clarus," meaning "clear," "bright," or "famous."

In the 1881 census there were 4,333 people recorded with the Clare surname, ranking it #1,032 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 6,267, ranked #1,076, down from #1,032 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolstanton, London parishes and Eccles. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include St. Helens, Fenland and Wirral.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Clare is 6,723 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 44.6%.

1881 census count

4,333

Ranked #1,032

Modern count

6,267

2016, ranked #1,076

Peak year

1999

6,723 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Clare had 4,333 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,032 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 6,267 in 2016, ranked #1,076.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 6,378 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Clare surname distribution map

The map shows where the Clare surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Clare surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Clare over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 2,551 #1,159
1861 historical 3,033 #951
1881 historical 4,333 #1,032
1891 historical 4,803 #965
1901 historical 5,699 #978
1911 historical 6,378 #803
1997 modern 6,402 #1,022
1998 modern 6,645 #1,018
1999 modern 6,723 #1,017
2000 modern 6,676 #1,020
2001 modern 6,573 #1,005
2002 modern 6,611 #1,030
2003 modern 6,505 #1,018
2004 modern 6,462 #1,031
2005 modern 6,341 #1,035
2006 modern 6,313 #1,040
2007 modern 6,332 #1,046
2008 modern 6,284 #1,056
2009 modern 6,428 #1,059
2010 modern 6,584 #1,054
2011 modern 6,452 #1,058
2012 modern 6,284 #1,065
2013 modern 6,420 #1,062
2014 modern 6,423 #1,069
2015 modern 6,320 #1,071
2016 modern 6,267 #1,076

Geography

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Where Clares are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolstanton, London parishes, Eccles, Manchester and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to St. Helens, Fenland, Wirral, Stockport and South Kesteven. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Wolstanton Staffordshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Eccles Lancashire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 St. Helens 020 St. Helens
2 Fenland 004 Fenland
3 Wirral 002 Wirral
4 Stockport 004 Stockport
5 South Kesteven 012 South Kesteven

Forenames

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First names often paired with Clare

These lists show first names that appear often with the Clare surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Clare

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Clare, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Clare surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Clare household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Clare is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Clare is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Clare falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Clare is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Clare, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Clare

The surname Clare originates from the town of Clare in Suffolk, England, which dates back to the 11th century. The name is derived from the Latin word "clarus," meaning "clear" or "bright," referring to the clear stream that flowed through the town.

The earliest recorded mention of the surname Clare can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which lists several landowners with the name in Suffolk and Essex. One notable entry is that of Richard de Clare, who held lands in Suffolk and Essex.

In the 12th century, the powerful de Clare family played a significant role in English history. Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke (1130-1176), was a prominent military leader during the reign of King Henry II. His son, Gilbert de Clare, 4th Earl of Hertford (1180-1230), was one of the leading barons who forced King John to sign the Magna Carta in 1215.

Another notable bearer of the surname was John Clare (1793-1864), an English poet known for his vivid descriptions of rural life and nature. His poems, such as "The Village Minstrel" and "The Shepherd's Calendar," capture the essence of the English countryside.

In Ireland, the name Clare is sometimes associated with the county of Clare, which takes its name from the medieval de Clare family who held lands in the region. The Irish variant of the name is often spelled as O'Clare or Cleirigh.

Other famous individuals with the surname Clare include:

1. Sir Ralph de Clare (c. 1285-1314), an English nobleman who fought in the Scottish Wars of Independence. 2. Elizabeth de Clare (1292-1360), an English noblewoman and the wife of Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March. 3. Richard de Clare (c. 1130-1176), 2nd Earl of Pembroke, a prominent figure in the Anarchy period in English history. 4. Patrick Clare (1918-1994), an Irish actor best known for his roles in films like "The Quiet Man" and "The Sundowners." 5. Ada Clare (1834-1874), an English author and poet who wrote under the pseudonym "A.L.O.E."

The surname Clare has a rich history spanning centuries, with its roots firmly planted in the medieval period of England and its connections to influential families and notable individuals throughout the ages.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Clare families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Clare surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 1,364 Clares recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.72x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,364 2.72x
Middlesex 426 1.01x
Cheshire 343 3.67x
Surrey 268 1.30x
Staffordshire 230 1.61x
Yorkshire 181 0.43x
Kent 170 1.18x
Norfolk 165 2.54x
Buckinghamshire 131 5.12x
Somerset 106 1.56x
Warwickshire 91 0.85x
Hertfordshire 61 2.09x
Lincolnshire 59 0.87x
Northamptonshire 55 1.38x
Oxfordshire 55 2.11x
Essex 54 0.65x
Sussex 53 0.74x
Bedfordshire 50 2.28x
Gloucestershire 37 0.45x
Cambridgeshire 36 1.34x
Dorset 32 1.15x
Leicestershire 32 0.68x
Hampshire 31 0.36x
Derbyshire 29 0.44x
Berkshire 27 0.85x
Durham 22 0.17x
Lanarkshire 20 0.15x
Shropshire 20 0.55x
Worcestershire 19 0.34x
Devon 17 0.19x
Northumberland 17 0.27x
Cornwall 15 0.31x
Glamorgan 14 0.19x
Monmouthshire 14 0.46x
Cumberland 12 0.33x
Montgomeryshire 12 1.24x
Wiltshire 12 0.32x
Rutland 9 2.90x
Huntingdonshire 8 0.95x
Suffolk 8 0.16x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.07x
Herefordshire 3 0.17x
Isle of Man 3 0.38x
Pembrokeshire 3 0.22x
Channel Islands 2 0.16x
Denbighshire 2 0.13x
Flintshire 2 0.18x
Midlothian 2 0.04x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.03x
Anglesey 1 0.13x
Cardiganshire 1 0.10x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.06x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.09x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.16x
Merionethshire 1 0.13x
Royal Navy 1 0.20x
Westmorland 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Warrington in Lancashire leads with 148 Clares recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.88x.

Place Total Index
Warrington 148 24.88x
Liverpool 100 3.28x
Lambeth 92 2.50x
Salford 64 4.34x
Manchester 60 2.66x
Hulme 58 5.54x
Islington London 51 1.24x
Lymm 49 72.21x
Toxteth Park 47 2.77x
Runcorn 46 21.37x
West Derby 45 3.07x
Aston 42 1.43x
Walton On Hill 41 15.08x
Wolstanton 41 9.46x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 40 27.69x
Barton Upon Irwell 39 10.32x
Farrington Gurney 39 501.93x
Everton 38 2.38x
Camberwell 37 1.37x
St Pancras London 35 1.03x
Kensington London 32 1.36x
Bedford 31 29.54x
Chesham 30 31.84x
Latchford 30 48.38x
Cheltenham 29 4.53x
Woolwich 28 5.25x
Oldham 26 1.61x
Ranworth 24 550.46x
Shoreditch London 24 1.31x
Birmingham 23 0.65x
Eccleston In Prescot 23 9.13x
Farnworth 23 7.65x
Higham 23 118.07x
Rushall 23 27.38x
Worsley 23 7.44x
Leicester St Margaret 22 1.92x
Newington 22 1.41x
Sedgley 22 4.15x
Widnes 22 6.08x
Birkenhead 21 2.82x
Clifton Reynes 21 681.82x
West Ham 21 1.14x
Windle 21 7.44x
Paddington London 20 1.29x
Sutton 20 11.88x
Cheadle 19 10.66x
Hackney London 19 0.80x
Helpstone 19 184.65x
Wisbech St Peter 19 14.15x
Newton In Makerfield 18 11.71x
St Luke London 18 2.65x
Haydock 17 19.66x
Stoke Upon Trent 17 1.12x
Winwick With Hulme 17 240.79x
Bermondsey 16 1.27x
Kirkdale 16 1.90x
Little Hulton 16 19.26x
Sculcoates 16 2.41x
Wolstanton Oldcott 16 30.94x
Atherton 15 8.21x
Chelsea London 15 1.18x
Luton 15 3.96x
Street 15 40.74x
Tilney St Lawrence 15 143.27x
Beaminster 14 45.38x
Clanfield 14 193.91x
Great Bolton 14 2.11x
Habergham Eaves 14 3.05x
Hornsey 14 2.62x
Leyland 14 16.04x
South Lynn 14 19.08x
St Clement Danes London 14 16.00x
Ware 14 16.76x
Bury 13 2.27x
Chorlton On Medlock 13 1.63x
North Crawley 13 128.46x
Openshaw 13 5.53x
Rainford 13 23.95x
St George Hanover Square 13 1.74x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 13 15.65x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Clare surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 298
Elizabeth 183
Sarah 138
Ann 97
Alice 90
Jane 77
Ellen 73
Annie 67
Eliza 64
Emily 60
Emma 52
Margaret 47
Harriet 44
Martha 43
Hannah 37
Charlotte 28
Edith 28
Maria 28
Caroline 25
Ada 23
Fanny 22
Florence 21
Louisa 21
Catherine 19
Esther 17
Anne 16
Susan 16
Agnes 15
Elizth. 15
Frances 14
Kate 13
Amelia 12
Clara 11
Harriett 11
Isabella 11
Matilda 11
Jessie 10
Julia 10
Lucy 10
Rachel 9
Rose 9
Lydia 8
Rebecca 7
Sophia 7
Ethel 6
Helen 6
Minnie 6
Amy 5
Betsy 5
Gertrude 5

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Clare surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 279
William 254
Thomas 166
James 157
George 131
Joseph 103
Charles 92
Henry 75
Edward 59
Arthur 50
Peter 45
Robert 45
Samuel 42
Walter 41
Alfred 40
Frederick 37
Albert 26
Richard 24
Harry 22
Herbert 20
Benjamin 18
David 15
Wm. 15
Isaac 14
Daniel 13
Jesse 13
Ernest 12
Stephen 12
Frank 11
Edwin 10
Thos. 10
Francis 7
Patrick 7
Philip 7
Edmund 6
Fredk. 6
Arnold 5
Fred 5
Fredrick 5
Phillip 5
Elijah 4
Geo. 4
Jabez 4
Joshua 4
Solomon 4
Infant 3
Jas. 3
Percy 3
Saml. 3
Sidney 3

FAQ

Clare surname: questions and answers

How common was the Clare surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,333 people were recorded with the Clare surname. That placed it at #1,032 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Clare surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 6,267 in 2016. That gives Clare a modern rank of #1,076.

What does the Clare surname mean?

An English and Irish surname derived from the Latin "clarus," meaning "clear," "bright," or "famous."

What does the Clare map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Clare bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.