Clarke is an Anglo-Irish surname which means "clerk". The surname is of English and Irish origin but the original word comes from Latin for clericus. There are some surname variants, including Clark and Clerk. Clarke is also uncommonly chosen as a given name.
Clarke is a popular surname in Ireland. The Irish version of the surname is believed to have come from County Galway and County Antrim and spread to County Donegal and County Dublin. The name is derived from the Irish Gaelic sept Ó Cléirigh, meaning "clerk".
Clarke as well as Clark is also a widespread surname in England. The English version comes from Anglo-Saxon origin and was used in the Middle Ages for the name of a scribe or secretary. The word "clerc" came from the pre 7th century Olde English "Cler(e)c" (meaning priest) originally denoted to a member of a religious order only, but later grew rapidly outside the religious order. In the Middle Ages virtually the only people who could read and write were members of the religious order, making the word heavily associated with literacy. Thus the surname became a popular term for a literate man, particularly for the professional secretary and the scholar. The English surnames "Clarke" and "Clark" are both spelling variations of the surname "Clerk".
A. Clarke, English cricketerAdam Clarke, (1760-1832), British biblical scholarA. E. Clarke, Victorian architectAlan Clarke (1935–1990), British TV and film directorAllan Clarke (footballer born 1946) (born 1946), English footballerAlexander Ross Clarke, British geodesistSir Arthur C. Clarke (1917–2008), author (2001: A Space Odyssey); inventor of geostationary communication satellites and the space elevator; wrote Clarke's three "laws" of predictionSir Ashley Clarke (1903–1994), British ambassador to Italy, founder of the Venice in Peril FundAustin Clarke (poet) (1896–1974), IrishSir Basil Clarke (1879–1947), public relations, diplomat, newspaper war correspondentBertie Clarke, former West Indian cricketerBilly Clarke, Irish footballerBob Clarke (disambiguation), multiple peopleBobbie Clarke, rock drummerBobby Clarke, retired National Hockey League playerBruce B. G. Clarke, retired US Army officer, author and consultantBruce C. Clarke, American GeneralC. Clarke, English cricketerC. Clarke, English cricketerCarter Clarke (born c. 1928), American Brigadier General; founder of Gemesis CorporationCecil Vandepeer Clarke (1897–1961), British soldier and inventorCharles Clarke (born 1950), British politician, Home SecretaryChris Clarke, Canadian boxerChris Clarke, several peopleChris Clarke (politician) (d. 2009), politicianClem S. Clarke (1897-1967), American oilman and politicianProfessor Sir Cyril Clarke (1907–2000), English physician and medical researcherDarren Clarke, Northern Irish golferDrew Clarke, Australian public servantDon Clarke (1933–2002), New Zealand Rugby Union playerDonald Clarke, AmericanDonald C. Clarke, American law professorEdith Clarke (1883–1959), American electrical engineer and professorEdmund M. Clarke, computer scientistEllis Clarke, Lawyer, Diplomat, Governor General, President of the Republic of Trinidad and TobagoEmilia Clarke, actressFrancis Clarke (1856–1927), Australian politicianFrank L. Clarke (b. 1933), Australian business economistFrank Wigglesworth Clarke, geochemistGeorge Johnson Clarke (1857–1917), Premier of New BrunswickGeorge L. Clarke (1813–1890), 10th Mayor of Providence, Rhode IslandGillian Clarke, a Welsh poetGoland Vanhalt Clarke, British Army brigadier-general, big game hunter, naturalistHarold Clarke (disambiguation), multiple peopleHarry Clarke (1889–1931), Irish Stained glass artist and illustratorHelen Clarke (disambiguation), several peopleHenry Clarke (disambiguation), multiple peopleHorace Clarke (born 1940), Virgin Islander Major League Baseball playerHyde Clarke (1815–1895), English engineer, philologist and authorJacob Augustus Lockhart Clarke, British neurologistJames Clarke, British composerJason Clarke, American actorJennifer Ward Clarke (1935–2015), British cellistJeremiah Clarke (1674–1707), English baroque composerJeremy Clarke (disambiguation), multiple peopleJohn Clarke (dean of Salisbury) (1682–1757), English philosopher, mathematician, and translator; younger brother of Samuel ClarkeJohn Cooper Clarke (born 1949), British performance poetJohn Henry Clarke (1853–1931), English homeopathJohn Mason Clarke (1857–1925), American paleontologist, geologist and teacherKatie Rose Clarke (born 1984), American musical theatre actressKenneth Clarke (born 1940), British politician; Chancellor of the ExchequerMalcolm Clarke (disambiguation), multiple peopleMarcus Clarke (1846–1881), Australian novelist (For the Term of his Natural Life)Matthew Clarke, Australian rules footballerMatthew Clarke, footballer who has played for Darlington F.C. and Bradford City A.F.C.Matt Clarke, former football goalkeeperMatthew Clarke, Lord ClarkeMother Mary Frances Clarke, B.V.M., founder of the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.Maura Clarke (1931–1980), American nun, martyr, killed in El SalvadorMaurice Gordon Clarke, American football and baseball player and coachMichael Clarke (cricketer) (born 1981), Australian Test CricketerMitch Clarke (born 1985), Canadian mixed martial artistNaomi Clarke, (born 1982), New Zealand soccer playerNig Clarke (1882–1949), American baseball playerNoel Clarke, (born 1975), English actor, director and screenwriterOliver clarke (born sometime) EpicPauline Clarke (1921–2013), English writerPeter Clarke - Bass guitar player for Karoo The South African pop band.Peter Clarke (disambiguation), multiple peoplePhilip Clarke (disambiguation), multiple peoplePowhatan Henry Clarke (1862–1893), United States Army First Lieutenant who was a recipient of the Medal of Honor during the Indian WarsRalston Clarke (born 1989), Uber senior software engineerRebecca Helferich Clarke (1886–1979), English chamber string music composerRebecca Sophia Clarke (1833–1906), American author of children's fictionRichard A. Clarke (born 1951), American expert in counter-terrorismSir Richard W. B. Clarke, UK civil servantRichard Clarke, Jamaican boxer of the 1980s and '90sRichard Clarke (frontiersman) (1845–1930), English frontiersman and scout in the United States; inspiration for character Deadwood Dick.Richard Clarke, (died 1634), English preacherRobert Clarke (disambiguation), multiple peopleRoger Clarke, English rugby union administratorRotnei Clarke (born 1989), American basketball playerRozlyne Clarke, dance music singerSamuel Clarke (1675–1729), English philosopherSharon D. Clarke (born 1966), English actress and singerSidney Clarke (1831–1909), American politicianStanley Clarke (born 1951), American double bass and bass guitar musicianStephen Clarke (journalist and novelist) (born 1958), BritishStephen Clarke (swimmer) (born 1973), UK-born, competed for CanadaSteve Clarke (born 1963), Scottish footballer, assistant managerSusanna Clarke (born 1959), British novelist (Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell)Sylvester Clarke, (1954– 1999), former West Indian cricketerTheophilus Clarke, English plainterTom Clarke, English footballerTom Clarke (Irish republican) (1857–1916), executed for his part in the 1916 RisingTroy Clarke (disambiguation), multiple peopleVince Clarke (born 1960), British musician with the band ErasureWayne Clarke (broadcaster) (born 1961), British Christian ministerYvette D. Clarke (born 21 November 1964), member of the United States House of RepresentativesFictional characters:
Christian Clarke, character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by John PartridgeIsaac Clarke, main character of the Dead Space (series)