NameCensus.

UK surname

Care

A surname derived from the Old English word "caru" meaning sorrow, anxiety or care.

In the 1881 census there were 677 people recorded with the Care surname, ranking it #5,320 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 843, ranked #6,627, down from #5,320 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lewes St John-under-the-Castle, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory and Hawkinge, Folkestone. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Shepway and Rother.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Care is 1,257 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24.5%.

1881 census count

677

Ranked #5,320

Modern count

843

2016, ranked #6,627

Peak year

1891

1,257 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Care had 677 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,320 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 843 in 2016, ranked #6,627.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,257 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Care surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Care surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Care 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 702 #3,715
1861 historical 1,088 #2,579
1881 historical 677 #5,320
1891 historical 1,257 #3,432
1901 historical 906 #5,124
1911 historical 949 #4,747
1997 modern 814 #6,445
1998 modern 838 #6,510
1999 modern 830 #6,610
2000 modern 836 #6,544
2001 modern 810 #6,585
2002 modern 801 #6,768
2003 modern 791 #6,710
2004 modern 796 #6,696
2005 modern 772 #6,800
2006 modern 800 #6,629
2007 modern 796 #6,721
2008 modern 837 #6,511
2009 modern 855 #6,543
2010 modern 841 #6,751
2011 modern 814 #6,837
2012 modern 809 #6,773
2013 modern 834 #6,724
2014 modern 846 #6,682
2015 modern 833 #6,706
2016 modern 843 #6,627

Geography

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Where Cares are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lewes St John-under-the-Castle, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory, Hawkinge, Folkestone, London parishes and West Bromwich. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Shepway and Rother. 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 Lewes St John-under-the-Castle Sussex
2 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire
3 Hawkinge, Folkestone Kent
4 London parishes London 2
5 West Bromwich Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 054 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 065 Cornwall
3 Cornwall 059 Cornwall
4 Shepway 003 Shepway
5 Rother 004 Rother

Forenames

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First names often paired with Care

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Care

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Care, 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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Care surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Care household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Care is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Care is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Care 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 Care is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Care

The surname CARE is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "caru" or "cæru," meaning "care" or "anxiety." It likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone with a worrisome or anxious disposition.

The earliest recorded instances of the CARE surname date back to the late 12th century in various counties of England, such as Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Oxfordshire. Some of the earliest spellings include Carus, Carre, and Kare.

In the renowned Domesday Book, a survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, there are references to individuals with names resembling CARE, such as Carus and Karus, suggesting the surname's existence at that time.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the CARE surname was William Carus, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1195. Another early bearer of the name was Hugh Carus, who was documented in the Curia Regis Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1212.

The CARE surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Carew in Pembrokeshire, Wales, and Carew Castle, the ancestral seat of the Carew family. The name Carew is believed to be derived from the Welsh words "car" (fort) and "rhiw" (slope), indicating a fortified location on a slope.

Notable individuals with the CARE surname throughout history include:

1. Henry Care (1646-1688), an English philosopher and writer known for his work "An English Expositor" and his defense of free will. 2. Sir Nicholas Care (1536-1596), an English courtier and diplomat during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. 3. Robert Care (1663-1723), an English clergyman and theologian who served as the Regius Professor of Greek at Cambridge University. 4. Edward Care (1622-1688), an English Puritan minister and writer known for his work "The Spiritual Guide" and his opposition to the Church of England. 5. John Care (1576-1661), an English Puritan minister and author who was a prominent figure in the English Reformation.

While the CARE surname has been present in England for centuries, it has also been adopted by families in other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, as a result of migration and cultural exchange.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Care families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Care 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. Cornwall leads with 127 Cares recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.29x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 127 17.29x
Kent 103 4.65x
Middlesex 66 1.02x
Staffordshire 56 2.56x
Lancashire 43 0.56x
Northamptonshire 42 6.88x
Sussex 42 3.84x
Yorkshire 35 0.54x
Warwickshire 19 1.16x
Buckinghamshire 15 3.82x
Somerset 13 1.25x
Hampshire 12 0.90x
Surrey 10 0.32x
Cheshire 9 0.63x
Gloucestershire 9 0.71x
Leicestershire 9 1.25x
Devon 8 0.59x
Nottinghamshire 8 0.91x
Northumberland 6 0.62x
Lanarkshire 4 0.19x
Midlothian 4 0.46x
Worcestershire 4 0.47x
Bedfordshire 2 0.60x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.49x
Dunbartonshire 2 1.15x
Essex 2 0.16x
Glamorgan 2 0.18x
Wiltshire 2 0.35x
Angus 1 0.17x
Berkshire 1 0.21x
Buteshire 1 2.54x
Channel Islands 1 0.52x
Hertfordshire 1 0.22x
Oxfordshire 1 0.25x
Renfrewshire 1 0.20x
Roxburghshire 1 0.85x
Shropshire 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Ives in Cornwall leads with 76 Cares recorded in 1881 and an index of 528.88x.

Place Total Index
St Ives 76 528.88x
West Bromwich 25 19.94x
Folkestone 22 51.25x
Harborne 22 31.35x
Brafield On Green 15 1260.50x
Whitchurch 15 931.68x
Ormskirk 14 95.04x
Mevagissey 13 266.39x
Northampton Priory St 12 32.78x
Lewes St John Southover 11 149.66x
Selling 11 604.40x
Walcot 11 19.78x
Budock 9 162.75x
Kensington London 9 2.50x
Rye 9 86.62x
St Giles In Fields London 9 28.28x
Aston Cantlow 8 326.53x
Northampton St Sepulchre 8 25.77x
Preston Next Faversham 8 153.85x
St Pancras London 8 1.53x
Whitechapel London 8 12.51x
Leicester St Margaret 7 3.99x
St Luke London 7 6.73x
Titteworth 7 208.33x
Winchcomb 7 110.94x
Birmingham 6 1.10x
Fairfield 6 5000.00x
Newhaven 6 67.57x
Sculcoates 6 5.89x
Sutton 6 26.24x
Uny Lelant 6 151.13x
Boldre 5 105.04x
Charlton 5 34.01x
Deptford St Paul 5 2.93x
Gulval 5 105.71x
Minster In Sheppey 5 13.64x
Salford 5 2.21x
Seasalter 5 178.57x
St Buryan 5 165.02x
Stayley 5 30.54x
Birkdale 4 20.53x
Boughton Under Blean 4 107.82x
Dunkirk 4 242.42x
Greenwich 4 3.87x
Holy Trinity St Mary 4 40.86x
Liverpool 4 0.86x
Monks Coppenhall 4 7.40x
Nottingham St Nicholas 4 33.59x
Plymouth Charles The 4 6.72x
Potter Newton 4 35.27x
Rotherfield 4 41.54x
Ticehurst 4 59.79x
West Derby 4 1.78x
Ashton Under Lyne 3 1.78x
Charlton Next Woolwich 3 13.00x
Cowpen 3 13.50x
Dallington 3 83.57x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 3 0.86x
Halsall 3 98.68x
Hurstbourne Tarrant 3 161.29x
Knowsley 3 107.91x
Ladock 3 144.23x
Little Houghton 3 265.49x
Maidstone 3 4.55x
Portsea 3 1.15x
Radford 3 6.75x
Salford Priors 3 163.93x
Towednack 3 208.33x
Warehorne 3 254.24x
Weel 3 1200.00x
Westminster St John 3 3.80x
Barony 2 0.38x
Charterhouse Hinton 2 162.60x
Habergham Eaves 2 2.84x
Hackington St Stephen 2 140.85x
Lambeth 2 0.35x
Margate St John Baptist 2 4.93x
St Hilary Marazion 2 100.00x
St Marylebone London 2 0.58x
Westminster St James 2 3.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 46
Sarah 23
Elizabeth 22
Jane 15
Ann 14
Ellen 11
Alice 10
Annie 9
Emma 8
Fanny 8
Maria 8
Margaret 7
Eliza 6
Frances 6
Martha 6
Emily 5
Grace 5
Hannah 5
Harriet 5
Ada 4
Anne 4
Charlotte 4
Louisa 4
Lucy 4
Susan 4
Catherine 3
Wilmot 3
Agnes 2
Barbara 2
Betsy 2
Clara 2
Edith 2
Ethel 2
Florence 2
Gertrude 2
Harriett 2
Kate 2
Laura 2
Lizzie 2
Margery 2
Margt. 2
Rose 2
Anitta 1
Blanch 1
Cath. 1
Elizth.Jane 1
Esther 1
Janie 1
Jenny 1
Jessie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 44
William 41
George 28
Thomas 27
Henry 18
Charles 17
James 16
Richard 11
Alfred 10
Arthur 8
Edward 8
Frederick 8
Joseph 7
Matthew 6
Albert 5
Ernest 4
Frank 3
Herbert 3
Jacob 3
Robert 3
Samuel 3
Walter 3
Chas. 2
David 2
Francis 2
Harry 2
Isaac 2
Ro. 2
Vivian 2
Willm. 2
Caleb 1
E. 1
Earnest 1
Ebenezer 1
Eli 1
G.G. 1
Harris 1
Hiram 1
Isaiah 1
Jabin 1
Loftus 1
Martin 1
Mattw. 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Phillip 1
Robt. 1
Roland 1
Rowland 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Care surname: questions and answers

How common was the Care surname in 1881?

In 1881, 677 people were recorded with the Care surname. That placed it at #5,320 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Care surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 843 in 2016. That gives Care a modern rank of #6,627.

What does the Care surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English word "caru" meaning sorrow, anxiety or care.

What does the Care map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Care 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.