CLARENCE

Meaning

Clarence is an English name that comes through a noble title rather than a direct personal-name form. In the excerpted etymology, a county name was amplified into Clarence when it became a dukedom and royal appanage, and it also gave rise to the office title Clarencieux. The deeper Latin place-name origin is often traced to the town of Clare in Suffolk, but that specific step is not stated in the excerpt, so this entry stays with the title-based history actually given.

Origin

Fun fact

Clarence is one of those names that began life as a noble title before becoming a personal name.