Clarke is a common surname, being the 20th most common surname in England as of 2008. Clarke is an English surname and is a variant of Clark, Clerk or Clerke; the word deriving from the Old English word 'clerc' for a cleric or scribe

Scribe

A scribe is a person who writes books or documents by hand as a profession and helps the city keep track of its records. The profession, previously found in all literate cultures in some form, lost most of its importance and status with the advent of printing...

. It is from a medieval occupational name for a scribe or secretary

Secretary

A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...

.
Clarke is an uncommon given name. People with the name Clarke include:

• Anthony Clarke (disambiguation), multiple people
• Arthur C. Clarke
  Arthur C. Clarke
  Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, CBE, FRAS was a British science fiction author, inventor, and futurist, famous for his short stories and novels, among them 2001: A Space Odyssey, and as a host and commentator in the British television series Mysterious World. For many years, Robert A. Heinlein,...
  
  , English science fiction author, inventor, and futurist
• Bobby Clarke
  Bobby Clarke
  Robert Earle Clarke, OC , better known as Bobby Clarke or, in later life, Bob Clarke, is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played his entire National Hockey League career with the Philadelphia Flyers and is currently an executive with the team...
  
  , Canadian ice hockey player
• Bruce B.G. Clarke, retired US Army officer, author and consultant
• Cam Clarke
  Cam Clarke
  Cameron Arthur "Cam" Clarke is a prolific American voice actor and singer, well known for his work in animation and video games. Clarke is well known for providing the voices of Leonardo in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Shotaro Kaneda in the 1989 original English-dub of Akira. He often voices...
  
  , American voice actor
• Charles Clarke
  Charles Clarke
  Charles Rodway Clarke is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Norwich South from 1997 until 2010, and served as Home Secretary from December 2004 until May 2006.-Early life:...
  
  , British Labour Party politician
• Sir Charles Clarke, 3rd Baronet
  Sir Charles Clarke, 3rd Baronet
  General Sir Charles Mansfield Clarke, 3rd Baronet GCB GCVO was Quartermaster-General to the Forces.-Military career:Educated at Eton College, Clarke was commissioned into the 57th Regiment of Foot in 1856....
  
  , British Army Officer and Quartermaster-General to the Forces
• Dave Clarke (techno DJ), English Techno producer and DJ
• Eddie Clarke
  Eddie Clarke
  Edward Allan Clarke better known as "Fast" Eddie Clarke, is a guitarist who was a member of British heavy metal bands Fastway and Motörhead.-Early days:...
  
  , English rock guitarist
• Edmund Melson Clarke
  Edmund M. Clarke
  Edmund Melson Clarke, Jr. is a computer scientist and academic noted for developingmodel checking, a method for formally verifying hardware and software designs....
  
   (born 1945), American computer scientist
• Edward Ashley Walrond Clarke (died 1913), British diplomat and writer
• Elizabeth Clarke
  Elizabeth Clarke
  Elizabeth Clarke was the first woman persecuted by the Witchfinder General, Matthew Hopkins in 1645 in Essex, England. She was accused of witchcraft by local tailor John Rivet. Local magistrates appointed John Stearne and Hopkins to investigate. This led to further accusations and the deaths of...
  
  , an English woman accused of witchcraft during the Essex Witch Trials
• Frederick Robert Charles Clarke (F. R. C. Clarke)
  F. R. C. Clarke
  Frederick Robert Charles Clarke, known largely by his initials F. R. C. Clarke was a Canadian musician and composer who spent most of his musical career in Kingston, Ontario, Canada....
  
   (1931–2009), Canadian musician and composer
• Frank Wigglesworth Clarke
  Frank Wigglesworth Clarke
  Frank Wigglesworth Clarke of Boston, Massachusetts, and Washington, D.C. was an American scientist and chemist. Sometimes known as the "Father of Geochemistry," Clarke is credited with determining the composition of the Earth's crust...
  
   (1847–1931), an American scientist
• Gaylord J. Clarke
  Gaylord J. Clarke
  Gaylord Judd Clarke was an American newspaper editor, lawyer, poet and politician from New York and Texas.-Life:...
  
   (1836–1870), New York politician and Texas judge
• Gilby Clarke
  Gilby Clarke
  Gilbert "Gilby" Clarke is an American guitarist and record producer best known for a 3-year tenure as the rhythm guitarist of Guns N' Roses, replacing Izzy Stradlin in 1991 during the Use Your Illusion Tour...
  
  , U.S. guitarist and record producer
• Helen Clarke
  Helen Clarke
  Helen Margaret Clarke ONZM is a former field hockey goalkeeper for New Zealand, who competed in three Summer Olympics: 1992, 2000 and 2004....
  
   (born 1971), New Zealand field hockey player
• Henri Jacques Guillaume Clarke
  Henri Jacques Guillaume Clarke
  Henri-Jacques-Guillaume Clarke, 1st Count of Hunebourg, 1st Duke of Feltre , born in Landrecies, was a Marshal of France and French politician of Irish descent.Clarke entered the French army in 1782...
  
   (1765–1818), French politician of Irish descent
• Herbert L. Clarke
  Herbert L. Clarke
  Herbert Lincoln Clarke was a well-known American cornet player, feature soloist, bandmaster, and composer....
  
   (1867–1945), American cornetist
• Hilton Clarke
  Hilton Clarke
  Hilton Clarke is an Australian cyclist.He became a professional in 2001. He was introduced to the sport by his father, an Olympic cyclist, at the age of 9...
  
   (born 1979), Australian cyclist
• Jeremiah Clarke
  Jeremiah Clarke
  Jeremiah Clarke was an English baroque composer and organist.Thought to have been born in London around 1674, Clarke was a pupil of John Blow at St Paul's Cathedral. He later became organist at the Chapel Royal...
  
   (1674–1707), English baroque composer
• Jeremy Clarke (Governor)
  Jeremy Clarke (Governor)
  Jeremy Clarke was an early colonial settler and President of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations...
  
   (1605-1652), colonial president of Rhode Island
• John Clarke
  John Clarke
  -Canada:* John Clarke , Canadian political activist and founder of the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty* John Clarke C.M., Canadian mountaineer, explorer and wilderness educator* John Clarke -Canada:* John Clarke (activist), Canadian political activist and founder of the Ontario Coalition...
  
  , several people
• Kenneth Clarke
  Kenneth Clarke
  Kenneth Harry "Ken" Clarke, QC, MP is a British Conservative politician, currently Member of Parliament for Rushcliffe, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice. He was first elected to Parliament in 1970; and appointed a minister in Edward Heath's government, in 1972, and is one of...
  
  , a British Conservative Party politician
• Louis Clarke
  Louis Clarke
  Louis Alfred "Pinky" Clarke was an American athlete, winner of a gold medal in 4x100 m relay at the 1924 Summer Olympics.Clarke was Jewish, and was born in Statesville, North Carolina...
  
   (1901–77), American Olympic track champion
• Matthew Clarke (Australian rules footballer), Australian rules footballer
• Matthew Clarke (footballer born 1980), English footballer who has played for Darlington F.C. and Bradford City A.F.C.
• Matt Clarke (footballer born 1973)
  Matt Clarke (footballer born 1973)
  Matthew Clarke is an English former football goalkeeper.-Club career:Clarke's first club was Rotherham United, where his nickname was Matt the Cat, in reference to his agility. He won the 1996 Football League Trophy with Rotherham...
  
  , English former football goalkeeper
• Matthew Clarke, Lord Clarke
  Matthew Clarke, Lord Clarke
  Matthew Gerald Clarke, Lord Clarke is a Senator of the College of Justice, a judge of the Supreme Courts of Scotland, sitting in the High Court of Justiciary and the Inner House of the Court of Session.-Early life:...
  
  
• Rebecca Clarke
  Rebecca Helferich Clarke
  Rebecca Clarke was an English classical composer and violist best known for her chamber music featuring the viola. She was born in Harrow and studied at the Royal Academy of Music and Royal College of Music in London, later becoming one of the first female professional orchestral players...
  
  , English composer
• Melinda Clarke
  Melinda Clarke
  Melinda Patrice Clarke is an American actress who has primarily worked in television. Clarke is best known for playing Faith Taylor on the daytime drama Days of our Lives, the manipulative and cunning Julie Cooper-Nichol on The O.C., and the professional dominatrix Lady Heather on CSI...
  
  , U.S. T.V. and film actress
• Richard A. Clarke
  Richard A. Clarke
  Richard Alan Clarke was a U.S. government employee for 30 years, 1973–2003. He worked for the State Department during the presidency of Ronald Reagan. In 1992, President George H.W. Bush appointed him to chair the Counter-terrorism Security Group and to a seat on the United States National...
  
  , U.S. government employee and author
• Roy Clarke
  Roy Clarke
  Roy Clarke OBE is an English comedy writer.-Career:Clarke is best known for creating BBC Sitcoms; Last of the Summer Wine, Open All Hours and Keeping Up Appearances...
  
  , English writer
• Rufe Clarke
  Rufe Clarke
  Rufus Rivers "Rufe" Clarke was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Detroit Tigers in and .-External links:...
  
  , American baseball player
• Samuel Clarke
  Samuel Clarke
  thumb|right|200px|Samuel ClarkeSamuel Clarke was an English philosopher and Anglican clergyman.-Early life and studies:...
  
  , English philosopher
• Sarah Clarke
  Sarah Clarke
  Sarah Clarke is an American actress, best known for her role as Nina Myers on 24, and also for her roles as Renée Dwyer, Bella Swan's mother, in the 2008 film Twilight as well as Erin McGuire on the short-lived TV show, Trust Me.-Early life:Clarke was born in St...
  
  , American actress
• Stanley Clarke
  Stanley Clarke
  Stanley Clarke is an American jazz musician and composer known for his innovative and influential work on double bass and electric bass guitar as well as for his numerous film and television scores...
  
  , American musician and composer
• Susanna Clarke
  Susanna Clarke
  Susanna Mary Clarke is a British author best known for her debut novel Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell , a Hugo Award-winning alternate history. Clarke began Jonathan Strange in 1993 and worked on it during her spare time...
  
  , English novelist
• Tom Clarke (footballer)
  Tom Clarke (footballer)
  Thomas "Tom" Clarke is an English professional footballer who plays for Leyton Orient in Football League One on loan from Huddersfield Town...
  
  , English footballer
• Tom Clarke (Irish republican)
  Tom Clarke (Irish republican)
  Thomas James "Tom" Clarke was an Irish revolutionary leader and arguably the person most responsible for the 1916 Easter Rising. A proponent of violent revolution for most of his life, he spent 15 years in prison...
  
  , Irish revolutionary leader
• Tom Clarke (politician), Scottish politician
• Vince Clarke
  Vince Clarke
  Vince Clarke is an English synthpop musician and songwriter. Clarke has been involved with a number of successful groups, including Depeche Mode, Yazoo, The Assembly and Erasure....
  
  , English pop musician and songwriter
• Walter Clarke (governor)
  Walter Clarke (governor)
  Walter Clarke was an early Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations and the first native-born governor of the colony. The son of colonial President Jeremy Clarke, he was a Quaker like his father. While in his late 20s, he was elected as a Deputy from Newport, and in 1673...
  
  , colonial Rhode Island governor
• William Clarke (English politician)
  William Clarke (English politician)
  Sir William Clarke was an English politician. Born about 1623 in London of obscure parentage, he was admitted as a student to Inner Temple in 1645 and called to the bar in 1653. On 28 Jan. 1661 he was appointed Secretary at War, after having served for at least the previous twelve years as...
  
  , English Secretary at War
  Secretary at War
  The Secretary at War was a political position in the English and later British government, with some responsibility over the administration and organization of the Army, but not over military policy. The Secretary at War ran the War Office. It was occasionally a cabinet level position, although...
  
   who died during the Second Anglo-Dutch War
  Second Anglo-Dutch War
  The Second Anglo–Dutch War was part of a series of four Anglo–Dutch Wars fought between the English and the Dutch in the 17th and 18th centuries for control over the seas and trade routes....
  
  
• William Clarke
  William Clarke (apothecary)
  William Clarke was an apothecary who provided lodgings for a young Isaac Newton whilst he attended King's School in Grantham....
  
  , English 17th century apothecary
• Will Clarke (cyclist)
  Will Clarke (cyclist)
  William Clarke is a professional Australian road cyclist, currently riding for Leopard Trek.-Palmarès:20092010-References:* at Leopard Trek...
  
  , Australian professional cyclist

For a more extensive list see Clarke (name)

Clarke (name)

Clarke is an Irish surname from County Galway and County Antrim that spread to County Donegal and County Dublin. The name is derived from the Irish Gaelic sept O'Cleirigh, meaning "clerk". There are variants, including Clark. Clarke is an uncommon given name. People with the name Clarke...

Other

• 4923 Clarke
  4923 Clarke
  4923 Clarke is an asteroid. It was discovered on March 2, 1981 by Schelte J. Bus who also discovered 5020 Asimov on the same day. It orbits within the main asteroid belt....
  
  , an asteroid named for Sir Arthur C. Clarke
• The Clarke Orbit
• The Clarke Belt
• Clarke College
  Clarke College
  Clarke University is a four-year Catholic college located in Dubuque, Iowa, United States, with a general attendance of approximately 1,200 students. The school offers both undergraduate and graduate degree programs...
  
  , in Dubuque, Iowa, USA
• W. Tresper Clarke High School
  W. Tresper Clarke High School
  W. Tresper Clarke High School is a high school in Westbury New York, USA. It is operated by the East Meadow Union Free School District, also known as the East Meadow School District. The school opened in 1957, and was named in honor of W. Tresper Clarke, a former president of the East Meadow...
  
  , in Westbury, New York
• Clarke Historical Museum
  Clarke Historical Museum
  The Clarke Historical Museum in Eureka, California contains the area's premier collection of far California North Coast regional and cultural history, with significant focus on the 19th Century Victorian era...
  
  , in Eureka, California, USA
• Clarke Medal
  Clarke Medal
  The Clarke Medal is awarded by the Royal Society of New South Wales for distinguished work in the Natural sciences.Named in honour of the Reverend William Branwhite Clarke, one of the founders of the Society...
  
  , an Australian medal for distinguished work in the Natural sciences
• Clarke Range
  Clarke Range
  The Clarke Range is a rainforest-covered mountain range in Central Queensland, Australia. It forms part of the Great Dividing Range in central Queensland, lying about 30 km from the coast and 65 km west of the coastal city of Mackay...
  
  , mountain range in Queensland, Australia
• Clarke School for the Deaf
  Clarke School for the Deaf
  Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech, formerly Clarke School for the Deaf, is a private school located in Northampton, Massachusetts that specializes in educating deaf children using the oral method through the assistance of hearing aids and cochlear implants...
  
  , in Northampton, Massachusetts, USA
• Clarke Sound
  Clarke Sound
  Clarke Sound is an uninhabited Foxe Basin waterway in Qikiqtaaluk, Nunavut, Canada. It is located between North Tweedsmuir Island and Baffin Island....
  
  , Nunavut, Canada

See also

• Clark
  Clark
  Clark is surname in the English language, 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...
  
  
• Clarke County (disambiguation)
• Clarkesville
• Clarksville (disambiguation)