Clarke

Clarke is a surname of English origin, a variant of Clark derived from the medieval occupational name clerk, meaning a cleric or secretary. The spelling Clarke is common in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and other English-speaking countries, and it is also used as a given name.

Arthur C. Clarke (1917–2008) is the most widely known bearer, a British science fiction writer, futurist, and inventor. His works include 2001: A Space Odyssey, and he formulated Clarke's Laws, three aphorisms on science and technology, the best known of which is that sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. He is also associated with the concept of the geostationary orbit for communications satellites, sometimes called the Clarke belt.

Place names: Several counties in the United States are named Clarke County (for example, Alabama, Georgia, Iowa, and Mississippi). There is also Clarke Island in Tasmania. The Clarke surname appears in many other place names and institutions around the world.

The name Clarke remains widely used in English-speaking countries and is associated with a variety of figures in literature, science, politics, and culture.