Contents [hide]

Senior History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand West Indies

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

Senior History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Italy

The name Senior is an ancient name that was given to a person in Britain soon after the arrival of the Normans in the 1066. It is a name for a person who was a person with lordly bearing, or the older of two people with the same name. The first is by analogy with the French seigneur, meaning lord.

Early Origins of the Senior family

The surname Senior was first found in Norfolk, where the family was granted lands by William the Conqueror for having assisted at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The earliest known bearer of the name was Walter Seignure, who was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk in 1164.

Early History of the Senior family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Senior research. Another 176 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1150, 1164, 1212, 1271, 1382, 1475, 1565, 1845 and 1887 are included under the topic Early Senior History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Senior Spelling Variations

Multitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Senior, Sinyeard, Singard, Sinyard, Sinor, Sayner, Saynor, Sayner and many more.

Early Notables of the Senior family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Senior of Fife, Henry Senior (c.1845), a naval lieutenant and writer, and...

Senior World Ranking

In the United States, the name Senior is the 11,454^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1 However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Senior is ranked the 689^th most popular surname with an estimated 63 people with that name. 2 And in New Zealand, the name Senior is the 962^nd popular surname with an estimated 777 people with that name. 3 The United Kingdom ranks Senior as 783^rd with 8,672 people. 4

Senior migration to the United States +

Because of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland, North America, and Australia in enormous numbers, traveling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Senior or a variant listed above:

Senior Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Senior, who arrived in Virginia in 1636 5
Sarah Senior, who landed in Virginia in 1636 5
Tho Senior, who arrived in Virginia in 1656 5
William Senior, who landed in Virginia in 1665 5
Eliz Senior, who landed in Virginia in 1666 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Senior Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Jane Senior, who settled in Virginia in 1728
George Senior, who emigrated from Scotland to Georgia in 1760

Senior Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Catherine Senior, who settled in New York in 1823 with her husband and five children
Richard Senior, who arrived in New York, NY in 1837 5
Ann Senior, who arrived in New York, NY in 1845 5
G Senior, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1850 5
Edwin Senior, who was naturalized in California in 1885
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Senior migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Senior Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. Bartholomew Senior U.E. who settled in Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1784 6

Senior Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Benjamin Senior, who arrived in Ontario in 1871

Senior migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Senior Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. James Senior, English convict who was convicted in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Dromedary" on 11th September 1819, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 7
Mr. Thomas Senior, (Seney, Sceney), (b. 1800), aged 23, English labourer who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years for larceny, transported aboard the "Commodore Hayes" in April 1823, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1872 8
Mr. Isaac Senior, English convict who was convicted in West Riding, Yorkshire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Barossa" on 8th December 1839, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 9
Thomas Senior, English convict from York, who was transported aboard the "Anson" on September 23, 1843, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 10
Mr. George Senior, English convict who was convicted in Wakefield, Yorkshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Equestrian" on 25th January 1844, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Island) 11
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Senior migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Senior Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Joseph Senior, aged 18, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Westminster" in 1843
Mr. J. Senior, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "George Canning" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 28th November 1857 12
Mr. Edward Senior, (b. 1838), aged 21, English agricultural labourer, from York travelling from London aboard the ship "Robert Small" arriving in Lyttlelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 29th January 1860 13

Senior migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 14

Senior Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Joseph Senior, who arrived in Barbados in 1680 with his four servants

Contemporary Notables of the name Senior (post 1700) +

Josiah L. Senior, American politician, U.S. Consular Agent in Coro, 1897-98 15
Harold E. Senior, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Connecticut State House of Representatives from North Haven, 1946 15
Harold B. Senior (b. 1887), American Republican politician; Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives from Bethel, 1927-30; Member of Connecticut State Senate 24th District, 1931 15
Clarence Ollson Senior (1903-1974), American politician, Candidate for Presidential Elector for Ohio, 1928 15
Clarence Senior (1903-1974), American socialist political activist, National Executive Secretary of the Socialist Party of America
Nassau William Senior (1790-1864), English economist, born at Compton Beauchamp, Berkshire, the eldest of ten children of the Rev. John Raven Senior, vicar of Durnford, Wiltshire
Russell Senior (b. 1961), English guitarist and violinist of the band Pulp
Trevor Senior (b. 1961), English former professional football striker from Dorset
Keith Senior (b. 1976), English rugby league player
Olive Marjorie Senior (b. 1941), Jamaican poet and short story writer
... (Another 4 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Senior family +

HMS Cornwall

Henry Charles Senior (d. 1942), British Mechanician 1st Class aboard the HMS Cornwall when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 16

HMS Hood

Mr. Reuben Senior (b. 1920), English Stoker 2nd Class serving for the Royal Navy from Dewsbury, Yorkshire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 17

HMS Repulse

Mr. Cyril Alderman Senior (b. 1922), English Royal Marine from Hemsworth, Yorkshire, England, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 18

HMS Royal Oak

Frederick Senior (1919-1939), British Marine with the Royal Marine aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 19

RMS Titanic

Mr. Harry Senior (d. 1912), aged 31, English Greaser from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 20

The Senior Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Medio tutissimus ibis
Motto Translation: Go most safely by the middle course

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/dromedary
Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th March 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/commodore-hayes
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barossa
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2015, January 8) Anson voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1843 with 499 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/anson/1843
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 4th May 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/equestrian
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 28) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Force Z Survivors Crew List HMS Cornwall (Retrieved 2018, February 13th) - Retrieved from https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listcornwallcrew.html#A
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html