Clark is an English language surname with historical links to England, Scotland, and Ireland,[2] ultimately derived from the Latin clericus meaning "scribe", "secretary" or a scholar within a religious order, referring to someone who was educated.

Clark evolved from "clerk".

[3] Clark is the twenty-seventh most common surname in the United Kingdom,[1] including placing fourteenth in Scotland.

According to the 1990 United States Census, Clark was the twenty-first most frequently encountered surname, accounting for 0.23% of the population.

[5] According to the 2010 United States Census, Clark was the thirtieth most frequent surname, with a count of 562,679.