Explore the Family Name Clement
The meaning of Clement
English, Catalan, German, Flemish, and Dutch; French and Walloon (Clément): from the Latin personal name Clemens meaning ‘merciful’ (genitive Clementis). This achieved popularity firstly through having been borne by an early Christian saint who was a disciple of Saint Paul, and later because it was selected as a symbolic name by a number of early popes. There has also been some confusion with the personal name Clemence (from Latin Clementia, meaning ‘mercy’, an abstract noun derived from the adjective; in part a masculine name from Latin Clementius, a later derivative of Clemens). In North America, the English form of the surname has absorbed cognates from other languages, especially Italian Clemente, and also their derivatives. Some characteristic forenames: French Pierre, Alcide, Alphonse, Andre, Marcel, Armand, Cecile, Christophe, Gaston, Olivier, Aime.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Clement in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Clement underwent a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 1398th most common surname in the United States, but by 2010, it had slipped to the 1505th position, marking a decline of approximately 7.65%. However, the actual count of individuals with the Clement surname increased slightly over the decade, from 23,233 in 2000 to 23,830 in 2010, reflecting a growth of 2.57%. The proportion of people bearing the Clement surname per 100,000 individuals also declined slightly by 6.16% over the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,398 | #1,505 | -7.65% |
| Count | 23,233 | 23,830 | 2.57% |
| Proportion per 100k | 8.61 | 8.08 | -6.16% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Clement
When examining the ethnic identity associated with the surname Clement, based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, some shifts become apparent between 2000 and 2010. The largest proportion of individuals with this surname identified as White, although this group saw a decrease from 84.69% to 81.28% over the decade. During the same period, those identifying as Black showed a moderate increase, moving from 9.90% to 11.37%. Additionally, there were notable percentage increases among those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (0.66% to 1.24%) and Hispanic (2.17% to 3.18%). The group identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native also experienced growth, increasing their representation from 0.84% to 1.07%. Those reporting two or more races marginally increased their share from 1.75% to 1.85%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 84.69% | 81.28% | -4.03% |
| Black | 9.9% | 11.37% | 14.85% |
| Hispanic | 2.17% | 3.18% | 46.54% |
| Two or More Races | 1.75% | 1.85% | 5.71% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.66% | 1.24% | 87.88% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.84% | 1.07% | 27.38% |
Clement ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Clement is British & Irish, which comprises 46.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (27.6%) and Spanish & Portuguese (4.3%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Eastern European, Italian, Nigerian, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 46.5% |
| French & German | 27.6% |
| Spanish & Portuguese | 4.3% |
| Other | 21.6% |
Possible origins of the surname Clement
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Clement have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 80.00% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 79.50% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 79.40% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 79.20% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 79.00% |
What Clement haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Clement is I-Y4760, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup I-Y4760 is descended from haplogroup I-M170. Other common haplogroups include E-V13 and R-P311, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Clements, Clemons, Roth, Walter, Wolf, Hoffman, Meyers, Snider, Schaefer, Miller.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Clement surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins I-M170Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Clement have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Clement" Surname 41.8%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Clement" Surname 33.5%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Clement" Surname 18.3%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Clement" Surname 14.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Clement?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Clement are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition