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Updated June 9, 2019

Family name origins & meanings

  • English : probably a habitational name from clere, a component of several place names in north Hampshire (Highclere, Burghclere, Kingsclere). This is of uncertain origin, probably from a Celtic stream name meaning ‘bright’ (cognate with Latin clarus ‘clear’, ‘bright’).
  • English and Irish : variant of Clare.
  • Translation of German Klar 1.

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