NameCensus.

UK surname

Clements

Derived from the given name Clement, meaning "merciful" or "gentle," originally from Latin.

In the 1881 census there were 9,906 people recorded with the Clements surname, ranking it #434 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 15,202, ranked #418, up from #434 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Copeland, East Cambridgeshire and Redcar and Cleveland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Clements is 15,914 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 53.5%.

1881 census count

9,906

Ranked #434

Modern count

15,202

2016, ranked #418

Peak year

1998

15,914 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Clements had 9,906 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #434 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 15,202 in 2016, ranked #418.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 13,994 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Clements surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Clements surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Clements 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 5,552 #499
1861 historical 5,600 #491
1881 historical 9,906 #434
1891 historical 10,763 #408
1901 historical 13,161 #398
1911 historical 13,994 #349
1997 modern 15,363 #395
1998 modern 15,914 #397
1999 modern 15,904 #402
2000 modern 15,871 #400
2001 modern 15,474 #399
2002 modern 15,694 #401
2003 modern 15,210 #407
2004 modern 15,187 #406
2005 modern 14,827 #410
2006 modern 14,792 #414
2007 modern 14,907 #412
2008 modern 14,965 #412
2009 modern 15,315 #413
2010 modern 15,549 #414
2011 modern 15,311 #415
2012 modern 15,078 #413
2013 modern 15,463 #411
2014 modern 15,436 #418
2015 modern 15,283 #418
2016 modern 15,202 #418

Geography

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Where Clements' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, St Pancras and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Copeland, East Cambridgeshire, Redcar and Cleveland and Forest Heath. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Copeland 004 Copeland
2 East Cambridgeshire 006 East Cambridgeshire
3 Redcar and Cleveland 018 Redcar and Cleveland
4 Forest Heath 004 Forest Heath
5 Forest Heath 003 Forest Heath

Forenames

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First names often paired with Clements

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Clements

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Clements, 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 Clements surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Clements 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Clements is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Clements 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

Clements falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Clements 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 Clements, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Clements

The surname Clements has its origins in England, tracing back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Latin name Clemens, meaning "mild" or "merciful". The name was initially introduced to England by Norman settlers after the conquest in 1066.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Clements surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, where a Richard Clement is mentioned. The name also appears in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a census-like record of landowners in England.

During the Middle Ages, the Clements family held lands in various counties across England, including Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, and Gloucestershire. Some notable places associated with the name include Clements Inn in London, which was an inn of chancery (a law school) established in the 15th century.

The Clements surname has also been linked to several notable historical figures over the centuries. One of the earliest was Sir Robert Clements (c. 1508-1537), a prominent judge and Member of Parliament during the reign of Henry VIII. Another was Gregory Clements (1594-1660), an English clergyman and academic who served as the provost of Worcester College, Oxford.

In the 17th century, John Clements (1620-1694) was a successful merchant and Member of Parliament for Aldeburgh, Suffolk. His son, Samuel Clements (1656-1719), followed in his footsteps and became a prominent figure in the East India Company.

During the 18th century, Ralph Clements (1711-1774) was a British Army officer who served in the Seven Years' War and later became Governor of Bengal. In the 19th century, Samuel Clements (1786-1861) was a respected English lawyer and judge who served as a Baron of the Exchequer.

The Clements name has also been carried by several notable authors and writers, including the American novelist and short story writer, Samuel Langhorne Clemens (1835-1910), better known by his pen name Mark Twain.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Clements families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Clements 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. Middlesex leads with 1,773 Clements' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.83x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 1,773 1.83x
Surrey 804 1.70x
Kent 619 1.87x
Gloucestershire 569 2.99x
Essex 513 2.68x
Devon 460 2.28x
Warwickshire 429 1.76x
Lancashire 396 0.34x
Worcestershire 253 2.00x
Somerset 252 1.62x
Suffolk 251 2.13x
Hampshire 240 1.21x
Norfolk 230 1.54x
Sussex 224 1.37x
Berkshire 223 3.07x
Yorkshire 220 0.23x
Oxfordshire 211 3.53x
Nottinghamshire 187 1.43x
Wiltshire 183 2.14x
Staffordshire 181 0.55x
Cambridgeshire 156 2.54x
Hertfordshire 149 2.23x
Lanarkshire 143 0.46x
Northamptonshire 138 1.51x
Leicestershire 124 1.15x
Cornwall 120 1.09x
Buckinghamshire 110 1.88x
Lincolnshire 91 0.59x
Glamorgan 89 0.53x
Durham 70 0.24x
Derbyshire 62 0.41x
Monmouthshire 54 0.77x
Cheshire 41 0.19x
Cumberland 41 0.49x
Shropshire 38 0.45x
Northumberland 35 0.24x
Rutland 35 4.92x
Bedfordshire 34 0.68x
Ayrshire 23 0.32x
Renfrewshire 23 0.31x
Angus 22 0.25x
Huntingdonshire 22 1.14x
Royal Navy 20 1.73x
Herefordshire 15 0.38x
Midlothian 15 0.12x
Dorset 11 0.17x
Westmorland 10 0.47x
Channel Islands 5 0.17x
Inverness-shire 4 0.14x
Stirlingshire 3 0.08x
Berwickshire 2 0.17x
Radnorshire 2 0.26x
Brecknockshire 1 0.05x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.04x
East Lothian 1 0.08x
Flintshire 1 0.04x
Isle of Man 1 0.06x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.05x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.03x
Perthshire 1 0.02x
West Lothian 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 131 Clements' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.39x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 131 1.39x
Birmingham 127 1.56x
Camberwell 122 1.97x
Hackney London 116 2.13x
Aston 114 1.69x
Bermondsey 112 3.88x
St Pancras London 101 1.29x
Lambeth 99 1.17x
West Ham 97 2.30x
Battersea 96 2.69x
Kensington London 96 1.78x
Shoreditch London 89 2.12x
St Marylebone London 79 1.53x
Bethnal Green London 76 1.81x
Mile End Old Town London 75 3.64x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 72 4.02x
Newington 65 1.82x
Govan 64 0.83x
Nottingham St Mary 64 1.89x
Bristol St George 57 6.48x
Brighton 52 1.58x
St George Hanover Square 51 2.99x
West Derby 51 1.52x
Clerkenwell London 47 2.05x
Hailey 47 111.82x
Liverpool 46 0.66x
Cheltenham 45 3.07x
Hammersmith London 43 1.80x
Portsea 43 1.10x
Bromley London 42 1.97x
Fulham London 42 2.99x
Paddington London 41 1.15x
Chelsea London 39 1.34x
Tottenham 38 2.46x
Croydon 37 1.41x
Bow London 36 2.92x
Halstead 35 15.68x
Isleworth 35 8.12x
Mendlesham 35 93.71x
Norwood 35 15.79x
Toxteth Park 35 0.90x
Kings Norton 34 3.00x
Sawbridgeworth 34 33.61x
St George In East London 34 3.73x
Bedminster 33 2.25x
Deptford St Paul 32 1.25x
Evesham St Lawrence 32 47.59x
Rotherhithe 32 2.67x
Ealing 30 3.46x
Mildenhall 30 23.92x
Bray 29 13.57x
Bristol St James St Paul 29 4.58x
Dudley 29 1.88x
Exeter Heavitree 29 19.28x
Greenwich 29 1.88x
Poplar London 29 1.59x
Wandsworth 29 3.11x
Yeovil 28 8.83x
Everton 27 0.74x
Good Easter 27 156.52x
Harborne 27 2.58x
West Bromwich 27 1.44x
Wheatley 27 79.79x
Aldershot 26 3.91x
Soham 26 19.68x
Stapleton 26 7.21x
Walkern 26 92.53x
Lewisham 25 1.42x
Stokenham 25 43.99x
Barrow In Furness 24 1.53x
Clifton 24 2.50x
Edmonton 24 3.07x
St Woollos 24 3.07x
Willesden 24 2.63x
Henley On Thames 23 18.76x
Hungerford 23 23.37x
Ipswich St Margaret 23 5.74x
Leicester St Margaret 23 0.88x
Maidstone 23 2.34x
Southwark St George Martyr 23 1.18x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 571
Elizabeth 388
Sarah 305
Emma 192
Eliza 184
Ann 181
Alice 164
Ellen 159
Jane 159
Emily 157
Annie 117
Caroline 93
Louisa 80
Martha 78
Ada 74
Charlotte 74
Harriet 74
Florence 65
Hannah 61
Kate 61
Maria 57
Edith 55
Margaret 55
Fanny 45
Clara 43
Rose 43
Susan 43
Lucy 39
Catherine 38
Frances 36
Anne 31
Amelia 30
Elizth. 30
Matilda 30
Harriett 28
Gertrude 26
Rebecca 24
Laura 22
Julia 21
Agnes 20
Jessie 20
Sophia 20
Isabella 19
Minnie 19
Esther 18
Ethel 18
Lydia 17
Anna 16
Bertha 16
Rosa 16

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 619
John 495
George 424
Thomas 303
Henry 268
Charles 248
James 246
Alfred 151
Joseph 147
Arthur 123
Frederick 107
Walter 92
Edward 88
Robert 79
Albert 78
Samuel 75
Harry 73
Richard 68
Frank 57
Herbert 50
Ernest 43
David 38
Wm. 33
Benjamin 30
Francis 30
Thos. 26
Stephen 23
Edwin 21
Daniel 19
Geo. 18
Isaac 18
Mark 17
Chas. 14
Abraham 13
Fredrick 13
Fred 11
Fredk. 11
Jesse 10
Percy 10
H. 9
Sidney 9
Christopher 8
Richd. 8
Sydney 8
Willm. 8
Elijah 7
G. 7
Joshua 6
Peter 6
W. 6

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Clements households.

FAQ

Clements surname: questions and answers

How common was the Clements surname in 1881?

In 1881, 9,906 people were recorded with the Clements surname. That placed it at #434 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Clements surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 15,202 in 2016. That gives Clements a modern rank of #418.

What does the Clements surname mean?

Derived from the given name Clement, meaning "merciful" or "gentle," originally from Latin.

What does the Clements map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Clements 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.