Surname Clery - Meaning and Origin

Clery: What does the surname Clery mean?

The last name Clery originates in France. It derives from the French word "clerc," meaning priest or clerk. This suggests that people bearing the Clery surname may have once been associated with religious institutions or even held clerical positions.

The Clery family was known to have been a prominent and noble family in France during the Middle Ages. They held many seats throughout the country, including in Anjou, Maine, Midi-Pyrenees, and Normandy. It's believed they had a steady flow of income from various estates, including agricultural land, mines, mills, and more.

The French Clery name has been adopted and proliferated across many countries around the world. It is now a common surname in the United States, France, Romania, The Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Additionally, Clery is typically interpreted as "follower of Christ," and is a fairly common name found in the Catholic faith.

People with the Clery name often place high importance on personal values and ethics. In addition, they strive to establish close relationships and cherish family traditions. They enjoy outdoor activities and have creative minds.

Overall, the Clery surname is steeped in history and carries with it a rich sense of heritage and pride.

Clery: Where does the name Clery come from?

The last name Clery is a French surname that is most commonly found today in France and its former colonies. In France, the surname originated in Normandy and is mainly found in western and central France. In the French Caribbean, the Clery surname is found in Martinique, Guadeloupe, Haiti, and Dominica. It is also common in French-speaking parts of Canada, particularly in the provinces of Quebec and Ontario.

In the United States, the surname Clery is not particularly common, but it has been found in virtually every state at some point in time. It is particularly common in Louisiana and California, likely due to the waves of French and French-Canadian immigrants that came to these states during the 19th century. In other parts of the world, the Clery surname can be found in countries such as Philippines, Tunisia, Portugal, Eritrea, and Indonesia.

The Clery name has also been passed on to a variety of anglicised forms, such as Clerk, Clark, and Clarke. As a result, it is common to find members of the Clark, Clarke, and Clerk families who have French ancestry.

Variations of the surname Clery

The surname Clery can have several variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. These can include Clary, Cleary, O'Cleary, McCleary, McClary, and Cleerey.

The name Clery is an anglicised Irish surname, derived from the Gaelic Ó Cleirigh, which is a patronymic surname based on the forename Cleireach. In Gaelic, cleireach means clerk, so this surname was likely used to denote a clerk or scribe.

The surname can also be a variant of the Welsh surname Clarry, which is derived from the Cleirach or Clericus spelling. It is likely that this surname was used to refer to an officer in the Welsh court.

The surname Clery is predominantly found in the country of Ireland, as it was first used to refer to people who were native to the island as well as those who were sent from Britain to govern the land. Today, the surname in its various forms is found throughout the world.

In some regions, the surname Clery can have other variants or spellings, such as Kler and Klier in Germany, or Klery in Poland. It also may have been misspelled into various other surnames, such as Clary, Cleere, Cleary, Cleary, Cleerey, McCleary, and McClary.

Famous people with the name Clery

• Aaron Clery: English television presenter
• Angelo Clery: Italian naval officer
• Arthur Clery: American judge and politician
• Chris Clery: English professional football player
• Dave Clery: English rugby union player
• Denise Clery: English actress
• Doris Clery: American stage and film actress
• Eddie Clery: Irish boxer
• Joe Clery: English professional football player
• John Clery: Irish barrister and politician
• Joseph Clery: French explorer and travel writer
• Julian Clery: English composer and pianist
• Mary Clery: Irish opera singer
• Nicholas Clery: English Civil War general
• Philip Clery: English priest and antiquarian
• Richard Clery: English landscape painter and draughtsman
• Robert Clery: English actor and playwright
• Sandra Clery: South African-born British actress
• Steve Clery: American abrasives engineer and entrepreneur
• William Clery: American military officer and politician

Other surnames

ClereClergyClerk