NameCensus.

UK surname

Caren

An English surname derived from the ancient Welsh name "Caren" of unknown meaning.

In the 1881 census there were 33 people recorded with the Caren surname, ranking it #28,965 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 125, ranked #26,827, up from #28,965 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Mary, St George in the East and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sefton, Charnwood and South Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Caren is 134 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 278.8%.

1881 census count

33

Ranked #28,965

Modern count

125

2016, ranked #26,827

Peak year

2014

134 bearers

Map years

4

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Caren had 33 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,965 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 125 in 2016, ranked #26,827.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 100 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Caren surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Caren surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Caren 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 50 #24,274
1861 historical 65 #25,618
1881 historical 33 #28,965
1891 historical 100 #24,045
1901 historical 53 #28,271
1911 historical 63 #26,537
1997 modern 101 #26,774
1998 modern 103 #27,141
1999 modern 106 #26,885
2000 modern 103 #27,280
2001 modern 103 #26,927
2002 modern 110 #26,412
2003 modern 114 #25,664
2004 modern 111 #26,293
2005 modern 103 #27,531
2006 modern 110 #26,717
2007 modern 117 #26,066
2008 modern 114 #26,796
2009 modern 123 #26,098
2010 modern 118 #27,404
2011 modern 115 #27,634
2012 modern 118 #27,250
2013 modern 127 #26,452
2014 modern 134 #25,711
2015 modern 124 #26,944
2016 modern 125 #26,827

Geography

Back to top

Where Carens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Mary, St George in the East, London parishes, Camel, West and Toxteth Park. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sefton, Charnwood, South Somerset and Basingstoke and Deane. 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 St Mary Pembrokeshire
2 St George in the East London (East Districts)
3 London parishes London 1
4 Camel, West Somerset
5 Toxteth Park Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sefton 033 Sefton
2 Charnwood 022 Charnwood
3 South Somerset 002 South Somerset
4 Basingstoke and Deane 004 Basingstoke and Deane
5 South Somerset 005 South Somerset

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Caren

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Caren

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Caren surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Caren household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Caren 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

Caren is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Caren falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Caren 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 Caren, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Caren

The surname CAREN has its origins in the Germanic territories of central Europe, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "kar," meaning "man" or "warrior," suggesting that the name may have been initially bestowed upon a strong or brave individual.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name CAREN can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a compilation of medieval charters and documents from the region of Saxony, dating back to the 11th century. In these records, the name appears in various spellings, such as "Caren," "Keren," and "Karn."

During the 13th century, the name CAREN gained prominence in the Rhineland region of Germany, where it was associated with several notable families. One such example is Johannes Caren, a prominent merchant and landowner who lived in Cologne in the late 1200s.

As the name spread across Europe, it adapted to local dialects and languages. In the Low Countries, the name took on the form "Caeren" or "Keren," while in France, it became "Carenne" or "Carène."

Notable historical figures bearing the surname CAREN include:

1. Sir William Caren (1567-1638), an English military commander who fought in the Eighty Years' War and later served as the Governor of the Isle of Man.

2. Pieter Caren (1635-1701), a Dutch painter known for his landscapes and scenes of daily life in the Netherlands.

3. Maria Caren (1712-1788), a German composer and musician who was one of the first women to achieve recognition in the field of classical music.

4. Johann Caren (1789-1852), a Prussian philosopher and educator who contributed significantly to the development of Kantian idealism.

5. Émile Caren (1854-1928), a French politician and economist who served as the Minister of Finance during the Third Republic.

In addition to these notable individuals, the name CAREN has been associated with various place names throughout Europe, such as Carenberg in Germany, Carentan in France, and Carenby in Sweden, further highlighting the widespread presence and adaptations of this surname across different regions and cultures.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Caren families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Caren 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. Isle of Man leads with 30 Carens recorded in 1881 and an index of 262.93x.

County Total Index
Isle of Man 30 262.93x
Lancashire 23 3.15x
Devon 4 3.13x
Lanarkshire 2 1.01x
Rutland 1 22.17x
Somerset 1 1.01x
Surrey 1 0.33x
Sussex 1 0.97x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Onchan in Isle of Man leads with 20 Carens recorded in 1881 and an index of 607.90x.

Place Total Index
Onchan 20 607.90x
Liverpool 18 40.65x
Rushen 6 779.22x
Everton 4 17.22x
Braddan 3 483.87x
Stoke Damerel 3 33.52x
Barony 1 1.99x
Batheaston 1 294.12x
German 1 161.29x
Glasgow 1 2.83x
Godalming 1 53.19x
Hove 1 21.98x
Tedburn St Mary 1 769.23x
Toxteth Park 1 4.05x
Uppingham 1 185.19x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 7
John 6
Thomas 4
Alfred 2
James 2
Robert 2
Charles 1
Gaspard 1
Guy 1
Jno. 1
Joseph 1
Robt. 1
Samuel 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Caren households.

FAQ

Caren surname: questions and answers

How common was the Caren surname in 1881?

In 1881, 33 people were recorded with the Caren surname. That placed it at #28,965 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Caren surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 125 in 2016. That gives Caren a modern rank of #26,827.

What does the Caren surname mean?

An English surname derived from the ancient Welsh name "Caren" of unknown meaning.

What does the Caren map show?

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