Senter History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany
Spain

Etymology of Senter

What does the name Senter mean?

The distinguished surname Senter 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 Senter family

The surname Senter 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 Senter family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Senter 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 Senter History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Senter Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Center, Centers, Senter, Senters, Sainter, Santer and others.

Early Notables of the Senter family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Alexander Jenkins Center (1808-1879), an American infantry lieutenant and civil engineer, and the Senter family of Yorkshire

Senter Ranking

In the United States, the name Senter is the 8,695^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Senter migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Senter or a variant listed above:

Senter Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

William Senter, who arrived in Virginia in 1652 2

Senter Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

F. G. Senter, aged 39, who landed in America from London, in 1892

Senter Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Albert Senter, aged 0, who landed in America, in 1905
Johann Senter, aged 33, who immigrated to the United States, in 1905
Johanna Senter, aged 26, who settled in America, in 1905
Louis Senter, aged 10, who immigrated to the United States from London, England, in 1907
Michael Senter, aged 2, who landed in America from London, England, in 1907
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Senter (post 1700) +

William Tandy Senter (1801-1848), American politician, Representative from Tennessee 2nd District, 1843-45 3
William Senter, American Republican politician, Mayor of Portland, Maine, 1880-82 3
John H. Senter, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Vermont, 1888; U.S. Attorney for Vermont, 1894-98; Candidate for Vermont State Attorney General, 1914 3
Harry Lee Senter, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Tennessee, 1952 3
George Senter, American politician, Mayor of Cleveland, Ohio, 1859-61 3
E. W. Senter, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Virginia, 1948 3
DeWitt Clinton Senter (1830-1898), American politician, Speaker of the Tennessee State Senate, 1867-69; Governor of Tennessee, 1869-71 3
D. H. Senter, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from North Carolina, 1912 3

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 28) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html