Clark | |
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Family name | |
A scribe or clerk, the occupation from which the name derives
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Meaning | Clerk, scribe, secretary |
Region of origin | England |
Language(s) of origin | Old English |
Related names | Clarke, Clerk |
Footnotes: Frequency Comparisons |
Clark is an English language surname, 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.
Clark is the twenty-seventh most common surname in the United Kingdom, including placing fourteenth in Scotland. Clark is also an occasional given name, as in the case of Clark Gable.
According to the 1990 United States Census, Clark was the twenty-first most frequently encountered surname, accounting for 0.23% of the population. Notable people with the surname include: