Clare is a surname of English or Irish origin. The name is most often derived from the titular de Clare first held by Richard fitz Gilbert, a Welsh lord from a Norman family, who took it from Clare, Suffolk. The name is also prevalent among families of Irish origin, both from de Clare and from etymologically unrelated place names such as Clare County, Clare Island and River Clare in Ireland which attests to a long historical relationship with those places.

Notable people with the surname Clare

• Alex Clare (born 1985), English singer-songwriter
• Alys Clare (real name Elizabeth Harris, born 1944), author of English historical whodunnit novels
• Anthony Clare (1942–2007), Irish psychiatrist and broadcaster
• Cassandra Clare (real name Judith Rumelt, born 1973), American author of young adult fiction
• Craig Clare (born 1984), New Zealand professional rugby union player
• Daryl Clare (born 1978), Jersey-born Irish professional footballer and manager
• Denny Clare (1853–1928), American baseball player
• Diane Clare (1938–2013), English film and television actress
• Dustin Clare (born 1982), Australian actor
• George Clare (disambiguation), several people
• Horatio Clare (born 1973), author and journalist
• Ina Clare (1932/1933–2010), British actress
• James Clare (disambiguation), several people
• Jason Clare (born 1972), Australian politician
• Jillian Clare (born 1992), American actress and singer
• John Clare (disambiguation), several people
• Jonathan Clare (born 1986), English cricketer
• Kerry and Lindsay Clare, Australian wife and husband architects
• Leanne Clare, Australian judge
• Madelyn Clare (1894–1975), American actress
• Mary Clare (1892–1970), English actress
• Natalia Clare (1919–2007), American ballet dancer and instructor
• Octavius Leigh-Clare (1841–1912), English barrister and politician
• Osbert of Clare (died in or after 1158), English monk
• Patti Clare (born 1958), English actress
• Robert Clare (born 1983), English professional football player and manager
• Roy Clare (born 1950), English Royal Navy admiral and senior civil servant
• Sidney Clare (1892–1972), American comedian, dancer and composer
• Thomas Clare (disambiguation), several people

Notable people with the surname de Clare

• de Clare family, a Norman and English aristocratic family in medieval times
• Amice de Clare (c. 1220–1284), daughter of Gilbert de Clare, 4th Earl of Hertford
• Gilbert de Clare (disambiguation), various people
• Isabel de Clare (disambiguation), several people
• Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke (1130–1176)
• Richard fitz Gilbert (1035–1090), 1st Lord of Clare, known as "Robert de Clare"
• Richard de Clare, 3rd Earl of Hertford (1153–1217)
• Walter de Clare (1075–1137), Lord of Nether Gwent

Fictional characters

• Angel Clare in Tess of the d'Urbervilles
• Ada Clare in Bleak House

See also

• Clare (disambiguation)
• Clare (given name)

Surname list

This page lists people with the surname Clare.
If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name(s) to the link.