This interesting surname has nothing whatsoever to do with mountaineering. Recorded in many spellings including Climar, Climer, Clymer, Clyma, Clymo, Clemow and others, it is of early medieval English and Cornish origins, and a form of the personal name "Clement". Clement derives from the Roman (Latin) personal name Clemens, meaning "mild and merciful", a name which achieved considerable popularity. It was firstly borne by an early saint who was a disciple of St. Paul, and later it was selected as a symbolic name by a number of popes. The name was further introduced into Europe by returning Crusader knights of the 12th century, fresh from their (always unsuccessful) attempts to free the Holy Land from the Muslim grip. It became the fashion for these returning warriors to call their children by biblical names, and this one was a popular example. Early surname recordings include such Robert Clymant of Sussex in 1327, John Clemoe of Cornwall in 1544, and Roger Clymer who married Mary Bedley at St Margarets, Westminster, on January 16th 1592. Other recordings include the marriage of Thomas Clymo and Jana Chenals on April 28th 1638, at Gulval in Cornwal, and Edward Climar or Climer, who was christened at St Dunstans in the East, Stepney, city of London, on July 1st 1701. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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