Does the phrase "the turn of the nineteenth century" mean around 1800 or 1900? Wikipedia reports that in British English it means 1800, while in AmE usage is not so clear. So what does “turn of the 19th century” refer to exactly. Does it depend mainly on context?
In British English the phrase the 'turn of the nineteenth century' refers to the years immediately preceding and immediately following 1801, the 'turn of the twentieth century' to the years surrounding 1901, and so on.
In American English it is not so clear cut. According to the Chicago Manual of Style online Q&A, there is no common agreement as to the meaning of the phrase "turn of the n-th century."