My name is Sarah Clear, and I was wondering if anyone over in the States or Australia knows when their ancestor's first got there. I'm trying to trace my family tree. We believe that Clear is originally from Ireland, and before that France so anyone with information please let me know.
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Hi Sarah,
I've discovered my CLEAR line to be from Bavaria, Germany - coming to the US in the 1840's... original spelling was K L I E R............. also have found over 20 different spellings in various documents and census'.
Happy Familying! Lynda Clear
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Our family traced back to the late1700's in the U.S. and then we hit a complete dead end. Turns out they arrived in the U.S. from Germany with the original surname of "Hell". Not a popular name of course so they renamed to "Clear", which is the english translation for "Hell" from German.
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Wow, thank you so much, i'm from England and had no idea that there was so many Clear's in the world, especially America and i had no idea that the surname might have a German origin, we always thought it was Irish, or maybe French.
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For your information I once found a reference to a John de la Clere who came over from France with William the Conqueror in 1066! They landed in Hastings. I've looked at the population of Clears and the numbers are very high on the south East Coast and over the centuries they seem to move westwards and the incidence of the name lessens.my Clear family were in Devon where I still reside. There is reference to Clears in the Totnes Dartmouth Tormoham area from the 1300s. Two of my relations went to New Zealand and founded a Clear dynasty over there. NOT Australia I know but in the right direction! I think my sister and I are the last of the Clear names in Devon. Good luck Jo
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Hallo, I am a Clear and desperately trying to research my family tree. i was fascinated by darneymill's response as I have always had an inkling that we came over with the French. Most of my ancestors as far back as my g g g grandfather originate from sussex and there are loads of Clears there. Some settled eventually in Kent where I am now but I'm sure a few must have gone in the other direction. It would be interesting to compare notes. I would love to see the reference to John de la clere - wow!
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Sorry to disappoint you but I cannot provide reference as it was many years ago before I became a tree freak and I simply cannot remember where i saw it. you may be interested to know that one of my Clear relations moved from Devon to Kent! George Hosking Clear and wife Ellen moved after 1860 and before 1866 three children I know of were Ellen bap 1857 Dartington Devon Mark bap 1860 Dartington Devon William J H bap 1866 Sheerness in 1881 living at 17 Clyde Terrace, Minster in sheppey, Kent by the way I am in Devon. good to hear from another CLEAR researcher'
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Myra I have just realised that we have been in contact before but i have lost lots of contacts when I got a new computer! Sorry to disappoint you but I cannot provide reference as it was many years ago before I became a tree freak and I simply cannot remember where i saw it. you may be interested to know that one of my Clear relations moved from Devon to Kent! George Hosking Clear and wife Ellen moved after 1860 and before 1866 three children I know of were Ellen bap 1857 Dartington Devon Mark bap 1860 Dartington Devon William J H bap 1866 Sheerness in 1881 living at 17 Clyde Terrace, Minster in sheppey, Kent by the way I am in Devon. good to hear from another CLEAR researcher'
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Sarah-Just read your message. My Clear family came from Ireland, and my great-grandmother's name was Sarah. Her father, John Patrick (went by Patrick), lived and died in Taylorville, Illinois. I believe Patrick's father was James, but not sure. Patrick was born Dec.5, 1835 in Parsonstown, Ireland. If you have any information to add to this, or if we are distant cousins, I would be very interested to hear from you. Theresa Hall
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I also am/was a Clear and have reserched for decades. There are many clears in the south East coast of England, in fact most seem to be in the area where william the conqueror landed in 1066 from France! There was I believe a John de la Clere but bother it, I can'f tell you where I read it!
The name has different spellings.
I am from a cluster of Clears from Devon, very few let now one of them emigrated to New Zealand and there is a cluster over there.
There is a St Cleer in Cornwall which is UK most south western county.
Probably no use to you but may slight interest, good luck with your research. Jo
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