History of your Surname
Get access to Clem family records.Start a free trial

Clem Family History

Clem Name Meaning

English (Somerset): from a short form of the personal name Clement or of the female form Clemence. Americanized form of German Klemm and German or Dutch Klem: from a short form of the personal name Klemens .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Lem, Klem, Clemo, Clee, Lim, Lex, Klim, Climo, Prem, Caleb

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Clem family from?

You can see how Clem families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Clem family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Clem families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 16 Clem families living in Virginia. This was about 22% of all the recorded Clem's in USA. Virginia had the highest population of Clem families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Clem surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Clem ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Clem. 23% of Clem men worked as a Farmer and 9% of Clem women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Clem were Truck Driver and Teacher. .

View Census Data for Clem | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    23%
  • Laborer
    14%
  • Salesman
    5%
  • Truck Driver
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    9%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
  • Secretary
    5%
  • Teacher
    5%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Clem family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 34,000 census records available for the last name Clem. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Clem census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Clem

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Clem. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Clem immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 9,000 military records available for the last name Clem. For the veterans among your Clem ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Clem military records

You've only scratched the surface of Clem family history

Discover More

What is the average Clem lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Clem life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Clem in 1940 was 33, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Clem

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Clem family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Clem last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial