Clerk (surname)
A scribe or clerk, the occupation from which the name derives | |
| Origin | |
|---|---|
| Language(s) | Old English |
| Meaning | clerk, scribe, secretary, scholar |
| Region of origin | England |
| Other names | |
| Variant form(s) | Clark, Clarke Clerc, de Clerk, De Clerq, De Clerc, Klerk/de Klerk |
| Frequency Comparisons | |
Clerk (/klɑːrk/ or /klɜːrk/) is a patronymic surname of English-language and Scottish-Gaelic origin, ultimately derived from the Latin clericus meaning "scribe", "secretary" or a scholar within a religious order, referring to someone who was educated. Clark evolved from "clerk". First records of the name are found in 12th century England. The name has many variants.
The surname is attached to particular families or noble lineages, such as the Clerk baronets, created in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia by Letters Patent, dated 24 March 1679, and the Ghanaian historic Clerk family of Accra, a distinguished intellectual clan, founded in 1843, that produced a number of pioneering scholars and clergy on the Gold Coast.