Clemmons
An English surname that usually began as a patronymic form of Clement, meaning “little merciful one.”
The #4,484 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 39,013 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Clemmons is generally understood as a surname built from the given name Clement, which comes through Old French from Latin Clemens, meaning “mild,” “merciful,” or “gentle.” The ending -s often marks a patronymic form, meaning “son of” or “belonging to.” In that sense, Clemmons would originally have meant “descendant of Clement.”
History
The name belongs to the wider family of surnames derived from the popular medieval given name Clement, which spread in England after the Norman Conquest. Spellings with -s are common in English surname formation and may also reflect later regional or clerical variation. Clemmons is most familiar today in English-speaking countries, especially the United States.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because Clement was a popular saint’s name, surnames from it often arose independently in more than one place.