Surname Clint - Meaning and Origin
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Clint: What does the surname Clint mean?
The last name Clint has a simple and straightforward origin. Derived from the Old English word for a slope or hillside, the name is one of thousands of names from the Anglo-Saxon era.
Clint is an occupational surname referring to a dweller on a hilly terrain, someone who lived near the side of a hill. This could have been a person in charge of a upland farm, someone who owned or lived close to a hillside, or someone who worked the inclines of a hilly region.
In Old England, the name could also be used as a nickname for someone with clarity of sight, because of the ability to have a clearer view from the peak of a hill.
Today, the name is still quite popular in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Wales, the United States, Canada, and other English-speaking countries. It is also frequently seen as a first or middle name.
In addition to its simplicity in origin, Clint is also a unisex name, suitable for baby boys or girls, making it a popular and versatile choice for parents. It is also the family name of famous western actor, Clint Eastwood.
Order DNA origin analysisClint: Where does the name Clint come from?
The last name Clint is derived from an Old English given name Cleon or Clud, which was derived from the Proto-Germanic name Klītuh. It was popularized in England as early as 1066, and remains common in many places in Europe today.
In the United States, however, Clint is much more common. This is most likely due to its association with the notorious Hollywood western actor, Clint Eastwood, which made the name popular in the 1970s and 1980s.
As of the 2020 US Census, Clint is the 1073rd most common surname in the US, with 44,126 occurrences. It is particularly common in the Southern states, including Texas (117th), Louisiana (398th), Arkansas (354th), and Mississippi (573rd). California also has an above average prevalence of Clint, ranking it 1608th. It is more uncommon in Northeastern states such as Massachusetts and Rhode Island, indicating that the last name is associated with the region's primarily British-American heritage.
Outside of the US, the last name is most common in South Africa, where it ranks 119th. It also appears in the UK, where the spelling is generally registered as Clinton. In Australia, Clint is the 410th most common name, and in Canada it stands in at 752nd.
Overall, the last name Clint is fairly common throughout the US, as well as in countries with sizable British-American populations. Its popularity is likely due to its association with the late actor Clint Eastwood, whose surname contributed to the rise of the name's popularity in the late 20th century.
Variations of the surname Clint
The surname Clint has several variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. Some of the most common variants are Clinte, Clintz, Clynt, Clint and Clintt. All of these variants are believed to originate from the Old English word ‘clint’, which was used to refer to a bare hillside covered in stones and boulders.
Interestingly, many surnames that have a similar meaning to Clint are derived from the Gaelic and Irish languages. These surnames include MacGillintray, MacGillintre, McGillichan, McGlinty, O'Glinty, Glintan, Glinton, Glintene and Glintoune.
The Clint surname is fairly common in the United Kingdom and the United States. In fact, between 1880 and 2020, it was the 2,262nd most popular surname in the United States and the 4,162nd most popular surname in England and Wales. It is also popular in Scotland and Ireland, where it is derived from and has been in use for hundreds of years.
So, if you are researching your family history and have a surname that is similar to Clint, it is likely that the name has been in your family for centuries. The variants and spellings discussed above are just some of the options that you may encounter. No matter the spelling, all of these surnames are connected to the Old English word ‘clint’, making them all part of the same origin.
Famous people with the name Clint
- Clint Eastwood: An American actor, filmmaker, musician, and political figure, Eastwood has become a cultural icon for his work in film.
- Clint Bowyer: Bowyer is an American professional stock car racer. He competes in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 14 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing.
- Clint Black: An American country music singer, songwriter, musician, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and actor, Black has earned seven entries on the US Country Chart and has sold more than 20 million albums worldwide.
- Clint Robinson: Robinson is an American professional baseball player who has spent six years in Major League baseball, playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Washington Nationals, Kansas City Royals, and St. Louis Cardinals.
- Clint Frazier: Frazier is an American professional baseball outfielder with the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball.
- Clint Dempsey: Dempsey is an American retired professional soccer player who played as a second striker and attacking midfielder. He is the fourth-most capped American male soccer player of all time.
- Clint Lowery: Lowery is an American musician best known for being the lead vocalist and lead guitarist for the band Sevendust.
- Clint Walker: Walker is an American actor and singer who is known for his cowboy role as Cheyenne Bodie in the NBC Western television series Cheyenne.
- Clint Hill: Hill is an American author and retired Secret Service agent who was assigned to protect President John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy on the day of President Kennedy’s assassination.