English occupational name from Middle English clerk/clark, Old French clerc, ultimately Latin clericus. Originally 'cleric'; since medieval writing was done by clergy, it came to mean scholar, secretary or scribe. Clerics in minor orders could marry, so the name became hereditary. In Ireland it was often adopted for Ó Cléirigh (Cleary). First records are 12th-century England.
Spellings and related forms: Clarke, Clerk, Clarkson, Cleary, O'Clery, De Klerk, Leclerc.
Clark means a clerk: a cleric or scribe, one of the few who could read and write.
Most surnames have no single "family crest". In heraldry, a coat of arms belonged to one person and passed down one line of descent. Sites that sell "the Clark coat of arms" usually show the arms of one historic family that shared the name. Ours is different on purpose: an original design built from what the name means, which any Clark can own honestly.
Blankets: soft velveteen plush (100% polyester), printed on one side; may run up to 3 in. short of the listed size. Rugs: polyester chenille with hemmed edges and a coated backing, for indoor use. Both are printed in the USA (Georgia and North Carolina).
Name meanings come from the sources above, checked 2026-10. Where scholars disagree, we say so.