NameCensus.

UK surname

Senior

Derived from the Latin word "senior," meaning "older," referring to the elder of two individuals bearing the same name.

In the 1881 census there were 6,854 people recorded with the Senior surname, ranking it #618 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 8,244, ranked #796, down from #618 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kirkheaton, Batley and Sheffield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnsley and Kirklees.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Senior is 9,164 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 20.3%.

1881 census count

6,854

Ranked #618

Modern count

8,244

2016, ranked #796

Peak year

1911

9,164 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Senior had 6,854 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #618 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 8,244 in 2016, ranked #796.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 9,164 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Senior surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Senior surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Senior 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 4,192 #683
1861 historical 3,871 #723
1881 historical 6,854 #618
1891 historical 7,283 #614
1901 historical 8,463 #634
1911 historical 9,164 #536
1997 modern 8,556 #737
1998 modern 8,628 #768
1999 modern 8,772 #761
2000 modern 8,683 #767
2001 modern 8,444 #767
2002 modern 8,519 #777
2003 modern 8,299 #786
2004 modern 8,277 #785
2005 modern 8,099 #790
2006 modern 8,018 #802
2007 modern 8,097 #800
2008 modern 8,082 #805
2009 modern 8,271 #804
2010 modern 8,402 #805
2011 modern 8,379 #798
2012 modern 8,281 #788
2013 modern 8,389 #793
2014 modern 8,388 #797
2015 modern 8,298 #795
2016 modern 8,244 #796

Geography

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Where Seniors are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kirkheaton, Batley, Sheffield, Huddersfield and Kirkburton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnsley and Kirklees. 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 Kirkheaton Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Huddersfield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Kirkburton Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnsley 004 Barnsley
2 Barnsley 005 Barnsley
3 Kirklees 057 Kirklees
4 Kirklees 018 Kirklees
5 Kirklees 026 Kirklees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Senior

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Senior

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Senior 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

Senior 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

Senior falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Senior

The surname SENIOR originated in England and dates back to the medieval period. The name is derived from the Old French word "seigneur," meaning "lord" or "elder." It was initially used as a descriptive name for someone who held a position of authority or seniority within a community or organization.

In the early days, the name SENIOR was often associated with landowners, noblemen, or those in positions of power. It was not uncommon for individuals with this surname to appear in historical records, such as court documents or land deeds, as early as the 13th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name SENIOR can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1230, where a certain John le Seigneur is mentioned. This spelling variation highlights the name's French origins and its evolution over time.

During the medieval period, the surname SENIOR was particularly prevalent in the counties of Gloucestershire, Somerset, and Wiltshire in the southwest of England. It was also found in other regions, such as Yorkshire and Lancashire.

In the 14th century, the SENIOR surname appeared in the Chancery Rolls of Gloucestershire, where a Robert le Seignour was recorded. This historical document provides insight into the name's evolution and its use during that time.

One notable figure bearing the SENIOR surname was Sir Henry Senior, born in 1603 in Derbyshire. He was a prominent lawyer and served as the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas during the reign of King Charles II.

Another influential individual was William Senior, born in 1770 in Yorkshire. He was a renowned economist and political economist who contributed significantly to the development of economic thought in the 19th century.

The SENIOR surname was also associated with places like Seniorhill in Somerset and Seniorhall in Warwickshire, indicating its connection to specific locations and estates.

In the 17th century, the name appeared in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Cheltenham, where several SENIOR families were documented.

One notable SENIOR family hailed from the village of Diddlebury in Shropshire, where they held land and influence for generations. Samuel Senior, born in 1629, was a prominent member of this family and served as the High Sheriff of Shropshire in 1679.

Over the centuries, the SENIOR surname has been carried by many individuals across various professions and walks of life, cementing its place in the history and heritage of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Senior families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Senior 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. Yorkshire leads with 5,281 Seniors recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.96x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 5,281 7.96x
Lancashire 516 0.65x
Cheshire 215 1.46x
Middlesex 129 0.19x
Dorset 87 1.98x
Durham 80 0.40x
Derbyshire 62 0.59x
Surrey 47 0.14x
Lincolnshire 45 0.42x
Hampshire 39 0.28x
Kent 37 0.16x
Gloucestershire 27 0.21x
Nottinghamshire 23 0.26x
Fife 19 0.48x
Northumberland 18 0.18x
Somerset 17 0.16x
Buckinghamshire 16 0.40x
Midlothian 16 0.18x
Cumberland 15 0.26x
Staffordshire 15 0.07x
Norfolk 12 0.12x
Wiltshire 12 0.20x
Glamorgan 11 0.09x
Clackmannanshire 10 1.81x
Isle of Man 10 0.80x
Sussex 10 0.09x
Angus 9 0.15x
Monmouthshire 9 0.19x
Essex 8 0.06x
Lanarkshire 8 0.04x
Northamptonshire 8 0.13x
Warwickshire 7 0.04x
Selkirkshire 6 0.99x
Inverness-shire 5 0.25x
Devon 4 0.03x
Montgomeryshire 4 0.26x
Westmorland 4 0.27x
Worcestershire 3 0.03x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.07x
Channel Islands 2 0.10x
Denbighshire 2 0.08x
Leicestershire 2 0.03x
Berkshire 1 0.02x
Brecknockshire 1 0.07x
Herefordshire 1 0.04x
Hertfordshire 1 0.02x
Perthshire 1 0.03x
Ross-shire 1 0.05x
Royal Navy 1 0.13x
Rutland 1 0.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Soothill in Yorkshire leads with 448 Seniors recorded in 1881 and an index of 187.03x.

Place Total Index
Soothill 448 187.03x
Batley 295 46.81x
Dewsbury 294 43.23x
Leeds 186 4.97x
Huddersfield 175 18.11x
Skelmanthorpe 140 195.59x
Mirfield 132 36.26x
Barnsley 115 16.81x
Sheffield 115 5.45x
Hunslet 110 10.64x
Brightside Bierlow 97 7.46x
Lepton 96 138.59x
Ecclesfield 94 19.33x
Thornhill 91 47.03x
Almondbury 90 28.07x
Heckmondwike 88 41.26x
Honley 74 63.75x
Wooldale 73 64.91x
Ecclesall Bierlow 72 5.34x
Kirkheaton 72 66.95x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 72 30.40x
Liversedge 65 22.02x
Wakefield 63 12.38x
Dodworth 62 90.01x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 62 47.16x
Lockwood 59 24.73x
Cumberworth 58 171.80x
Hoyland Swaine 55 320.14x
Nether Hallam 55 6.13x
Fulstone 49 100.99x
Hulme 48 2.90x
Morley 47 13.63x
Stayley 47 27.84x
Worsbrough 45 23.16x
Normanton 43 21.58x
South Crosland 40 57.29x
Thurgoland 40 89.41x
Bradford 39 2.43x
Headingley Cum Burley 36 8.43x
Dalton In Huddersfield 35 23.56x
Stalbridge 35 83.85x
Oldham 34 1.33x
Salford 34 1.46x
Gomersal 33 10.66x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 32 5.18x
Manchester 32 0.90x
Bradfield 31 12.13x
Hemsworth 31 81.39x
Darton 30 44.17x
St Pancras London 30 0.56x
Elland Cum Greetland 29 9.71x
Sandal Magna 29 29.57x
Thurlstone 29 44.34x
Ashton Under Lyne 27 1.56x
Glossop Dale 27 5.50x
Wombwell 27 13.96x
West Derby 26 1.12x
Armley 25 8.55x
Beeston 25 37.27x
Bishopwearmouth 24 1.40x
Doncaster 24 4.95x
Manningham 24 2.94x
Upperthong 24 42.55x
Horbury 23 19.83x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 22 9.14x
Marsden In Almondbury 22 36.46x
Penistone 22 42.55x
Pudsey 22 6.21x
Chorlton On Medlock 21 1.66x
Golcar 21 11.98x
Swinton In Rotherham 21 11.98x
Barugh 20 35.71x
Dukinfield 20 2.93x
Hepworth 20 74.68x
Idle 20 6.50x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 20 11.96x
Nottingham St Mary 20 0.86x
Saddleworth 20 3.91x
Silkstone 20 60.92x
Whitwood 20 21.23x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 481
Sarah 323
Elizabeth 216
Ann 166
Emma 133
Jane 124
Annie 119
Hannah 112
Eliza 106
Martha 93
Emily 78
Ellen 76
Alice 72
Harriet 56
Clara 50
Ada 49
Edith 42
Fanny 42
Florence 37
Louisa 33
Margaret 33
Maria 33
Kate 29
Agnes 28
Charlotte 24
Lydia 24
Anne 23
Frances 23
Lucy 23
Caroline 22
Ruth 21
Amelia 19
Rachel 17
Matilda 16
Susan 16
Harriett 15
Ethel 14
Eva 14
Gertrude 14
Grace 14
Susannah 13
Amy 12
Bertha 12
Eleanor 12
Esther 12
Laura 12
Julia 11
Lilly 10
Rhoda 10
Elizth. 9

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 390
William 272
George 250
Joseph 195
James 160
Thomas 139
Charles 130
Henry 83
Arthur 66
Walter 64
Fred 62
Albert 58
Alfred 57
Harry 56
Edward 54
Samuel 49
Herbert 48
Tom 45
Joe 40
Robert 37
Frank 35
Richard 33
Sam 31
Ernest 30
Benjamin 27
Wm. 26
Frederick 25
Jonathan 25
David 23
Ben 20
Abraham 19
Mark 17
Seth 16
Willie 16
Joshua 15
Edwin 14
Francis 14
Job 14
Allen 13
Thos. 13
Amos 11
Isaac 11
Geo. 10
Percy 10
Reuben 9
Benjn. 8
Christopher 8
Jno. 8
Luke 8
Wilfred 8

FAQ

Senior surname: questions and answers

How common was the Senior surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6,854 people were recorded with the Senior surname. That placed it at #618 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Senior surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 8,244 in 2016. That gives Senior a modern rank of #796.

What does the Senior surname mean?

Derived from the Latin word "senior," meaning "older," referring to the elder of two individuals bearing the same name.

What does the Senior map show?

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