Mac Cléirich is an Irish surname meaning “son of the clerk,” derived from Irish cléireach (“clerk”). The name originates from the Gaelic patronymic system, where “Mac” (son) and “Ó” (descendant) prefixes denoted lineage. Along with its variant Ó Cléirigh, it was historically common among Gaelic learned families, particularly in Connacht. The best-known bearer of the related form Cléirigh is Mícheál Ó Cléirigh (c. 1590–1643), a Franciscan scribe and principal compiler of the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of Irish history. The Anglosized spelling Cleary is widespread in Ireland and abroad, alongside other counterparts such as Clery, MacClery, and McCleary. The name likewise has cognates in Dutch, e.g. De Clerc, De Clercq, and De Klerk, which also mean “clerk” or “the cleric.”
- Meaning: Son of the clerk
- Origin: Irish
- Type: Surname (patronymic)
- Usage regions: Ireland, Irish diaspora
Sources: Forebears — mac-cléirich