NameCensus.

UK surname

Caesar

A cognomen of the Julii, likely meaning "hairy", though it could also refer to having blue-grey eyes.

In the 1881 census there were 200 people recorded with the Caesar surname, ranking it #12,836 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 592, ranked #8,814, up from #12,836 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Tinwald, London parishes and Elstead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Woking, Wycombe and Stroud.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Caesar is 596 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 196.0%.

1881 census count

200

Ranked #12,836

Modern count

592

2016, ranked #8,814

Peak year

2010

596 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Caesar had 200 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,836 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 592 in 2016, ranked #8,814.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 254 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Caesar surname distribution map

The map shows where the Caesar surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Caesar surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Caesar over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 48 #24,615
1861 historical 72 #24,643
1881 historical 200 #12,836
1891 historical 104 #23,388
1901 historical 254 #13,005
1911 historical 253 #12,776
1997 modern 544 #8,739
1998 modern 545 #8,987
1999 modern 559 #8,872
2000 modern 549 #8,956
2001 modern 538 #8,950
2002 modern 556 #8,909
2003 modern 541 #8,955
2004 modern 555 #8,804
2005 modern 545 #8,842
2006 modern 552 #8,786
2007 modern 572 #8,657
2008 modern 568 #8,753
2009 modern 574 #8,880
2010 modern 596 #8,831
2011 modern 570 #9,019
2012 modern 559 #9,063
2013 modern 581 #8,945
2014 modern 594 #8,872
2015 modern 586 #8,884
2016 modern 592 #8,814

Geography

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Where Caesars are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Tinwald, London parishes, Elstead and Battersea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Woking, Wycombe, Stroud, The Calders and Brent. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Tinwald Dumfries
2 London parishes London 1
3 Elstead Surrey
4 London parishes London 3
5 Battersea London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Woking 001 Woking
2 Wycombe 006 Wycombe
3 Stroud 003 Stroud
4 The Calders City of Edinburgh
5 Brent 033 Brent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Caesar

These lists show first names that appear often with the Caesar surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Caesar

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Caesar, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Caesar surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Caesar household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Caesar is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Caesar is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Caesar falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Caesar is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Caesar, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Caesar

The surname Caesar is derived from the Latin word "Caesar", which was a Roman family name. It originated in ancient Rome and was first associated with the gens (clan) Iulia, one of the most prominent patrician families in the city.

The name Caesar is believed to have been derived from the Latin word "caesaries", meaning "head of hair" or "head of long hair". This is thought to have been a nickname given to an early bearer of the name who had a thick head of hair.

The most famous bearer of the name was Gaius Julius Caesar, the Roman military leader, statesman, and author who lived from 100 BC to 44 BC. He played a critical role in the events that led to the demise of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire.

In the Middle Ages, the name Caesar was sometimes used as a personal name or as a surname, particularly in areas that were once part of the Roman Empire or had strong cultural ties to Rome. It can be found in various medieval documents and records from Italy, France, and other parts of Europe.

One early recorded bearer of the surname Caesar was Otto Caesar, a German nobleman who lived in the 12th century. He was a member of the House of Hohenstaufen and served as the Duke of Bavaria from 1155 to 1180.

Another notable figure with the surname Caesar was Giulio Cesare, an Italian painter and architect who lived from 1570 to 1636. He was known for his work on the Basilica of St. Peter's in Rome and was a prominent figure in the Baroque architectural movement.

In England, the name Caesar was sometimes anglicized as "Cesar" or "Sesar". One early recorded bearer of this variant spelling was Robert Sesar, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1195.

During the Renaissance period, several Italian families adopted the surname Caesar, including the Cesari family of Bologna and the Cesarini family of Rome. These families claimed descent from the ancient Roman gens Iulia and used the name as a way to connect themselves with the legacy of ancient Rome.

Other notable individuals with the surname Caesar include Sir Julius Caesar (1558-1636), an English judge and politician who served as Master of the Rolls, and Arthur Alphonse Caesar (1892-1953), a British composer and conductor known for his work in the field of light music.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Caesar families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Caesar surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Surrey leads with 83 Caesars recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.73x.

County Total Index
Surrey 83 8.73x
Middlesex 33 1.69x
Hampshire 19 4.75x
Sussex 16 4.86x
Cheshire 10 2.32x
Dumfriesshire 10 23.20x
Glamorgan 9 2.65x
East Lothian 7 27.09x
Buckinghamshire 3 2.54x
Essex 2 0.52x
Hertfordshire 2 1.49x
Worcestershire 2 0.79x
Derbyshire 1 0.33x
Huntingdonshire 1 2.58x
Lancashire 1 0.04x
Yorkshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Farnham in Surrey leads with 35 Caesars recorded in 1881 and an index of 473.61x.

Place Total Index
Farnham 35 473.61x
Brighton 16 24.11x
Battersea 10 13.93x
Tinwald 10 1754.39x
Seale 9 1475.41x
Godalming 7 117.06x
Tranent 7 200.57x
Alton 6 199.34x
Camberwell 6 4.81x
Chester St John Baptist 6 77.52x
Ystradyfodwg 6 20.13x
Aldershot 5 37.31x
Lambeth 5 2.94x
Twickenham 5 59.81x
Islington London 4 2.12x
St Marylebone London 4 3.84x
Willesden 4 21.75x
Frensham 3 214.29x
Kensington London 3 2.77x
Knutsford Nether 3 115.38x
Portsea 3 3.83x
Roath 3 19.44x
Tottenham 3 9.66x
West Meon 3 566.04x
Westminster St John 3 12.63x
Claines 2 28.61x
Elstead 2 434.78x
Iver 2 131.58x
Newington 2 2.78x
Royston 2 173.91x
Westminster St Margaret 2 21.25x
Altrincham 1 13.30x
Chesterfield 1 8.73x
Dorking 1 15.67x
Hackney London 1 0.91x
Hursley 1 107.53x
Kingston On Thames 1 4.38x
Leeds 1 0.92x
Mile End Old Town London 1 2.41x
Silchester 1 312.50x
St George Hanover Square 1 2.91x
St Ives 1 49.75x
St Pancras London 1 0.64x
Stoke Newington London 1 6.58x
Thames Ditton 1 50.76x
Upton Cum Chalvey 1 21.28x
Walton On Thames 1 22.94x
West Derby 1 1.48x
West Ham 1 1.18x
West Thurrock 1 78.13x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Caesar surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Elizabeth 10
Mary 9
Ellen 7
Sarah 5
Jane 4
Alice 3
Caroline 3
Emma 3
Fanny 3
Ann 2
Annie 2
Beatrice 2
Charlotte 2
Eliabeth 2
Eliza 2
Harriet 2
Julia 2
A.F.H. 1
Agnes 1
Alma 1
Amy 1
Anne 1
Avis 1
Catherine 1
Clementina 1
Constance 1
Dulgrief 1
Eleanor 1
Elenor 1
Emily 1
Ethel 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Harriett 1
Henrietta 1
Isabella 1
June 1
Kate 1
L.Jane 1
Lily 1
Louisa 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
Ruth 1
Selina 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Caesar surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 11
Julius 9
Thomas 8
George 7
William 6
Arthur 5
Henry 4
Joseph 3
Richard 3
Ben 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
James 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
Augustus 1
C.Fredk. 1
Charles 1
Chas.A. 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Eli 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
J.E.H. 1
Julious 1
Mark 1
Percy 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
T.S.J. 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
W.S.J. 1
Wilfred 1

FAQ

Caesar surname: questions and answers

How common was the Caesar surname in 1881?

In 1881, 200 people were recorded with the Caesar surname. That placed it at #12,836 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Caesar surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 592 in 2016. That gives Caesar a modern rank of #8,814.

What does the Caesar surname mean?

A cognomen of the Julii, likely meaning "hairy", though it could also refer to having blue-grey eyes.

What does the Caesar map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Caesar bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.