Clarence

Clarence is a name that comes to us from England (although its root origins are likely Latin). It is actually taken from an English peerage title, the Duke of Clarence, traditionally given to junior members of the English/British monarchy. The first royal member to hold the title was Lionel of Antwerp, one of the younger sons of King Edward III of England who lived in the 14th century. Prince Lionel came into possession of the lands in Clare, Suffolk through marriage to his first wife, a noblewoman of Irish-Norman descent. The town of Clare was likely named for the “clear” stream which ran through it (from the Latin “clarus”). The title has been held by various British princes since the 14th century, but it wasn’t until the late 18th century when King George III created his third son William, Duke of Clarence and St. Andrews. Prince William later became King William IV of England in 1830 and was no longer stylized as the Duke of Clarence – however, it was probably he who generated interest in the name Clarence because the 19th century is really when the name came into use among English people.