UK surname
An occupational surname referring to someone who lived in the center of a town or village.
In the 1881 census there were 57 people recorded with the Center surname, ranking it #25,575 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 59, ranked #34,401, down from #25,575 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to New Deer, St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Center is 104 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.5%.
1881 census count
57
Ranked #25,575
Modern count
59
2016, ranked #34,401
Peak year
1861
104 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Center surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Center surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 43 | #25,518 |
| 1861 | historical | 104 | #20,477 |
| 1881 | historical | 57 | #25,575 |
| 1891 | historical | 68 | #28,300 |
| 1901 | historical | 70 | #26,383 |
| 1911 | historical | 5 | #33,427 |
| 1997 | modern | 48 | #32,878 |
| 1998 | modern | 49 | #33,000 |
| 1999 | modern | 50 | #33,041 |
| 2000 | modern | 49 | #33,187 |
| 2001 | modern | 48 | #33,129 |
| 2002 | modern | 50 | #33,282 |
| 2003 | modern | 55 | #32,895 |
| 2004 | modern | 55 | #33,154 |
| 2005 | modern | 53 | #33,528 |
| 2006 | modern | 51 | #33,992 |
| 2007 | modern | 53 | #34,115 |
| 2008 | modern | 53 | #34,315 |
| 2009 | modern | 52 | #34,544 |
| 2010 | modern | 52 | #34,726 |
| 2011 | modern | 54 | #34,563 |
| 2012 | modern | 57 | #34,452 |
| 2013 | modern | 58 | #34,488 |
| 2014 | modern | 61 | #34,343 |
| 2015 | modern | 64 | #34,112 |
| 2016 | modern | 59 | #34,401 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around New Deer, St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju, Edinburgh, Midsomer Norton, Paulton, Chilcompton and Longside. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Deer | Aberdeen |
| 2 | St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju | Norfolk |
| 3 | Edinburgh | Edinburgh |
| 4 | Midsomer Norton, Paulton, Chilcompton | Somerset |
| 5 | Longside | Aberdeen |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Center surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Center, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Center surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Center household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Center is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Center is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Center, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Center originated in England and dates back to the late medieval period. It is an occupational name derived from the Old English word "centre," which referred to a person who lived or worked in the center of a town or village. The name was likely first given to individuals who lived or worked in the central part of a settlement.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Center can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, where a John Centre is listed in 1327. The name also appears in various other historical records from the 14th and 15th centuries, such as the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1381, where a William Center is mentioned.
The surname Center has connections to several place names in England, including Center Hill in Hertfordshire and Center Green in Bedfordshire. These place names likely influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.
Notable individuals with the surname Center throughout history include:
1. Thomas Center (c. 1590-1666), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Southwark. 2. William Center (1670-1723), an English clergyman and author who wrote several works on theology and philosophy. 3. Joseph Center (1738-1805), an American soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War. 4. Henry Center (1804-1879), an American businessman and philanthropist who was one of the founders of the Center College in Kentucky. 5. John Center (1888-1973), a British painter and illustrator known for his landscape paintings and book illustrations.
While the surname Center has its roots in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia, due to immigration and migration patterns.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Center surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Aberdeenshire leads with 41 Centers recorded in 1881 and an index of 79.63x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Aberdeenshire | 41 | 79.63x |
| Midlothian | 12 | 16.11x |
| Worcestershire | 2 | 2.75x |
| Ayrshire | 1 | 2.40x |
| Roxburghshire | 1 | 9.93x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberdeen St Nicholas in Aberdeenshire leads with 13 Centers recorded in 1881 and an index of 134.99x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen St Nicholas | 13 | 134.99x |
| Edinburgh St Cuthberts | 12 | 40.05x |
| New Deer | 11 | 1182.80x |
| Peterhead | 9 | 330.88x |
| Longside | 5 | 819.67x |
| King Edward | 3 | 508.47x |
| Lulsley | 2 | 6666.67x |
| Ayr | 1 | 51.02x |
| Melrose | 1 | 114.94x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Center surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Harriett | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Center surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| William | 1 |
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 Center households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Labourer | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 57 people were recorded with the Center surname. That placed it at #25,575 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 59 in 2016. That gives Center a modern rank of #34,401.
An occupational surname referring to someone who lived in the center of a town or village.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Center bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.