Clyde
A surname taken from the River Clyde or the Clyde valley in Scotland.
The #8,950 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 84,403 Americans shares it.
Etymology
This surname is generally locational, referring to the River Clyde in Scotland or to the district of Clydesdale. The river’s name is very old and is usually treated as pre-English, later appearing in Gaelic forms such as Cluaidh. In other words, the surname originally identified someone who lived near, or came from, the Clyde area.
History
The name is best known as a Scottish geographical surname, though it is not among the most common. Historical surname dictionaries also note Clydesdale as a related place-based form. Because the river name itself is ancient and partly obscure, the surname’s ultimate linguistic origin is less certain than its local Scottish association.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The River Clyde gave its name not only to the surname Clyde, but also to Clydesdale, the historic district famous for the Clydesdale horse.
From the historical record
“moreland. CLYDE. The great and beautiful Scot- tish river. CLYDESDALE. The dale or valley of the Clyde in Scotland. COACHMAN. The menial servant. COAD. COADE. A wood or forest. A Breton name, from the Celtic coit, sylva, nemus.”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom