Background: The original sense was a man in a religious order, cleric, clergyman. As all writing and secretarial work in the Middle Ages was done by the clergy, the term came to mean scholar, secretary, recorder or penman. As a surname, it was particularly common for one who had taken only minor orders. Clerke is now rare.
Variations: Clark, Clarke, Clerk, Clerke.
More Info: http://heraldry.celticradio.net/search.php?id=189
Discussion of this family is welcomed.
--------------------
|