Show ContentsSenters History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The distinguished surname Senters came to England in the wake of the Norman Conquest of 1066, and stems from two possible sources. Firstly, it is a metonymic for the surname "Century," which is derived from the Old French "centurier," meaning "belt maker or girdler"; in this instance, the name would have been originally borne by someone who made or sold belts. Alternatively, the name is derived from the Old French "seintier," meaning "bell founder"; thus, the name referred to someone who made bells.

Early Origins of the Senters family

The surname Senters was first found in the records of the Early London Personal Names, where Edmund Sein(e)tier was recorded between 1160 and 1168. Another early London bearer of the name was Benedict le Seintier, who was listed in the Pipe Rolls of London in 1197.

Early History of the Senters family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Senters research. Another 177 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1160, 1168, 1197, 1206, 1219, 1275, 1298, 1333, 1808 and 1879 are included under the topic Early Senters History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Senters Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Center, Centers, Senter, Senters, Sainter, Santer and others.

Early Notables of the Senters family

More information is included under the topic Early Senters Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Senters Ranking

In the United States, the name Senters is the 18,447th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Migration of the Senters family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Senters or a variant listed above were: William Senter, who immigrated to Virginia in 1652; John Center, who settled in Massachusetts in 1656; John Senter, who came to New Hampshire in 1722.



  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/


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