Exhibit 23.1

                          Independent Auditors' Consent

The Board of Directors
Century Bancorp, Inc.:

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the registration statement on
Form S-8 of Century Bancorp, Inc. of our report dated January 9, 2002, with
respect to the consolidated balance sheets of Century Bancorp, Inc as of
December 31, 2001 and 2000, and the related consolidated statements of income,
changes in stockholders' equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the
three-year period ended December 31, 2001, which report appears in the December
31, 2001, annual report on Form 10-K of Century Bancorp, Inc.


                                                 /s/ KPMG LLP

Boston, Massachusetts

March  26, 2002