NameCensus.

UK surname

Caster

An occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of casks, barrels, or other vessels.

In the 1881 census there were 231 people recorded with the Caster surname, ranking it #11,722 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 138, ranked #25,127, down from #11,722 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Leonard Shoreditch, St Pancras and St James Clerkenwell. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rotherham and Redcar and Cleveland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Caster is 1,204 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 40.3%.

1881 census count

231

Ranked #11,722

Modern count

138

2016, ranked #25,127

Peak year

1861

1,204 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Caster had 231 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,722 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 138 in 2016, ranked #25,127.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,204 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Caster surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Caster surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Caster 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 483 #5,157
1861 historical 1,204 #2,356
1881 historical 231 #11,722
1891 historical 813 #4,969
1901 historical 154 #17,775
1911 historical 369 #9,867
1997 modern 148 #21,295
1998 modern 139 #22,720
1999 modern 132 #23,602
2000 modern 136 #23,155
2001 modern 131 #23,343
2002 modern 137 #23,198
2003 modern 135 #23,155
2004 modern 131 #23,756
2005 modern 137 #23,110
2006 modern 144 #22,520
2007 modern 142 #23,025
2008 modern 139 #23,635
2009 modern 140 #24,033
2010 modern 152 #23,282
2011 modern 145 #23,837
2012 modern 138 #24,614
2013 modern 141 #24,670
2014 modern 142 #24,734
2015 modern 140 #24,836
2016 modern 138 #25,127

Geography

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Where Casters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Leonard Shoreditch, St Pancras, St James Clerkenwell, Portsmouth, Portsea and St Marylebone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rotherham and Redcar and Cleveland. 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 Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
2 St Pancras London (North Districts)
3 St James Clerkenwell London (Central Districts)
4 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
5 St Marylebone London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rotherham 027 Rotherham
2 Redcar and Cleveland 022 Redcar and Cleveland
3 Redcar and Cleveland 011 Redcar and Cleveland
4 Redcar and Cleveland 015 Redcar and Cleveland
5 Rotherham 025 Rotherham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Caster

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Caster

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

City Support Workers

Within London, Caster is most associated with areas classed as City Support Workers, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 throughout Inner London, these areas house relatively few workers in the most senior roles within organisations, and greater prevalence of administrative roles relative to the Supergroup mean. Residents are less likely to be of Chinese ethnicity and are more likely to have been born in Africa. Relative to the Supergroup average, residents are also more likely to live in social housing and live in overcrowded conditions.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Caster is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Caster 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 Caster is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Caster

The surname CASTER is believed to have originated in England, with records dating back to the 12th century. The name is derived from the Old English word "cæster," which means "a fortified place" or "a town." This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name were likely associated with a particular town or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1176, which mention a Robert de Caster. The use of the preposition "de" indicates that the name was originally a locative surname, referring to a person's place of origin or residence.

The name CASTER can also be traced back to various place names in England, such as Caster in Lincolnshire, Caster in Norfolk, and Casterby in Yorkshire. These place names were likely derived from the Old English word "cæster," further reinforcing the connection between the surname and its locative origins.

In the 13th century, the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire recorded a Robert de Caster, while the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire mentioned a William de Caster. These historical records provide evidence of the name's widespread use across different counties in medieval England.

Notable individuals with the surname CASTER include:

1. John Caster (c. 1600-1670), an English Puritan clergyman and author. 2. Henry Caster (1680-1749), a British merchant and philanthropist. 3. Mary Caster (1742-1808), an English poet and author. 4. William Caster (1793-1867), a British soldier and explorer who served in the Napoleonic Wars. 5. Edward Caster (1837-1912), an English industrialist and founder of the Caster Engineering Company.

While the surname CASTER has retained its spelling over the centuries, it has also been subject to various variations, including Castor, Caster, and Castell, reflecting regional dialects and spelling conventions of different time periods.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Caster families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Caster 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. Middlesex leads with 81 Casters recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.69x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 81 3.69x
Nottinghamshire 20 6.76x
Lancashire 16 0.61x
Kent 15 2.00x
Durham 12 1.84x
Surrey 12 1.12x
Essex 11 2.54x
Yorkshire 9 0.41x
Huntingdonshire 8 18.36x
Lincolnshire 5 1.42x
Staffordshire 5 0.67x
Sussex 5 1.35x
Hampshire 4 0.89x
Devon 3 0.66x
Norfolk 3 0.89x
Northamptonshire 3 1.45x
Derbyshire 2 0.58x
Gloucestershire 2 0.46x
Hertfordshire 2 1.32x
Warwickshire 2 0.36x
Cheshire 1 0.21x
Cumberland 1 0.53x
Glamorgan 1 0.26x
Oxfordshire 1 0.74x
Royal Navy 1 3.82x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Clerkenwell London in Middlesex leads with 12 Casters recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.16x.

Place Total Index
Clerkenwell London 12 23.16x
Nottingham St Mary 11 14.38x
Bermondsey 10 15.30x
Trimdon 9 389.61x
Uxbridge 9 358.57x
Acton 8 62.16x
Barrow In Furness 8 22.59x
Bexley 8 120.85x
Fletton 8 575.54x
Isleworth 6 61.48x
Old Artillery Ground 6 317.46x
Radford 6 39.92x
Elmstead 5 714.29x
Spitalfields London 5 30.28x
St Marylebone London 5 4.27x
St Paul Lincoln 5 819.67x
St George Hanover Square 4 10.34x
West Bromwich 4 9.43x
Willesden 4 19.33x
Beeston 3 88.24x
Dawdon 3 37.36x
Hastings St Mary In The 3 38.02x
Kensington London 3 2.46x
Peterborough 3 20.07x
St Luke London 3 8.52x
St Pancras London 3 1.70x
Amport 2 392.16x
Burnley 2 9.12x
Dawlish 2 58.65x
Doncaster 2 12.59x
Fulstone 2 125.79x
Great Stanmore 2 202.02x
Great Yarmouth 2 7.16x
Hampton London 2 55.40x
Mile End Old Town London 2 4.28x
St George Bloomsbury 2 15.89x
Stanley 2 312.50x
West Ham 2 2.09x
Widford 2 869.57x
Barughs Ambo 1 500.00x
Bethnal Green London 1 1.05x
Beverley St Mary 1 31.45x
Birmingham 1 0.54x
Bow London 1 3.58x
Bristol St Paul In 1 8.72x
Chatham 1 4.85x
Chipping Barnet 1 37.74x
Clapham 1 3.64x
Costessey 1 136.99x
Dean 1 161.29x
Deptford St Paul 1 1.73x
Didsbury 1 28.90x
Dover St James 1 30.49x
Gloucester St Nicholas 1 50.25x
Goodmanham 1 434.78x
Great Bentley 1 144.93x
Hampton Lucy 1 344.83x
Hastings St Clement 1 28.74x
Higher Booths 1 21.32x
Holy Trinity 1 1.91x
Hove 1 6.16x
Hulme 1 1.84x
Islington London 1 0.47x
Kings Langley 1 90.91x
Kingsley 1 111.11x
Lambeth 1 0.52x
Leeds 1 0.81x
Liverpool 1 0.63x
Oxford St Clement 1 29.24x
Paignton 1 28.74x
Plumstead 1 4.01x
Rochester St Margaret 1 12.66x
Royal Navy 1 4.47x
Ryde 1 10.35x
Salford 1 1.31x
Sedgley 1 3.63x
St Nicholas Cole Abbey 1 2500.00x
St Thomas Winchester 1 31.45x
Upchurch 1 119.05x
Woodford St Mary 1 204.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 16
Jane 7
Sarah 7
Alice 6
Elizabeth 6
Emily 5
Ellen 4
Emma 4
Charlotte 3
Julia 3
Sophia 3
Annie 2
Catherine 2
Edith 2
Eliza 2
Esther 2
Eva 2
Fanny 2
Hannah 2
Harriet 2
Harriett 2
Kate 2
Louisa 2
Lucy 2
Martha 2
Rosa 2
Amila 1
Caroline 1
Daisy 1
Elizth. 1
Esmira 1
Ester 1
Ethel 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Helen 1
Joyce 1
Kezia 1
Laura 1
Leah 1
Lidia 1
Lilly 1
Louise 1
Matilda 1
Maude 1
Minnie 1
Prisscilla 1
Rachel 1
Sushanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 16
William 13
George 11
Thomas 6
Henry 5
Edward 4
James 4
Joseph 4
Robert 4
Charles 3
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
Isaac 2
Peter 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Able 1
Ann 1
Cornelious 1
Edmund 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
J.W. 1
Jacob 1
Matthins 1
Owen 1
Ralph 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Caster surname: questions and answers

How common was the Caster surname in 1881?

In 1881, 231 people were recorded with the Caster surname. That placed it at #11,722 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Caster surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 138 in 2016. That gives Caster a modern rank of #25,127.

What does the Caster surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of casks, barrels, or other vessels.

What does the Caster map show?

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