UK surname
A habitational name referring to someone from a place called Seat.
In the 1881 census there were 13 people recorded with the Seat surname, ranking it #31,761 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 9, ranked #37,705, down from #31,761 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Exmoor, Stockport and Chard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Seat is 108 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 30.8%.
1881 census count
13
Ranked #31,761
Modern count
9
2016, ranked #37,705
Peak year
1861
108 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Seat surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Seat surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.
| Year | Period | Count | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1851 | historical | 51 | #24,096 |
| 1861 | historical | 108 | #19,856 |
| 1881 | historical | 13 | #31,761 |
| 1891 | historical | 67 | #28,424 |
| 1901 | historical | 29 | #30,848 |
| 1911 | historical | 20 | #31,288 |
| 1997 | modern | 11 | #36,912 |
| 1998 | modern | 16 | #36,361 |
| 1999 | modern | 12 | #36,806 |
| 2000 | modern | 11 | #36,879 |
| 2001 | modern | 10 | #36,852 |
| 2002 | modern | 11 | #36,780 |
| 2003 | modern | 9 | #37,101 |
| 2004 | modern | 9 | #37,213 |
| 2005 | modern | 9 | #37,302 |
| 2006 | modern | 11 | #37,118 |
| 2007 | modern | 11 | #37,217 |
| 2008 | modern | 12 | #37,143 |
| 2009 | modern | 12 | #37,230 |
| 2010 | modern | 14 | #37,124 |
| 2011 | modern | 13 | #37,191 |
| 2012 | modern | 10 | #37,509 |
| 2013 | modern | 10 | #37,539 |
| 2014 | modern | 13 | #37,256 |
| 2015 | modern | 10 | #37,563 |
| 2016 | modern | 9 | #37,705 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Exmoor, Stockport, Chard, St Leonard Shoreditch and St Marylebone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exmoor | Devon |
| 2 | Stockport | Cheshire |
| 3 | Chard | Somerset |
| 4 | St Leonard Shoreditch | London (East Districts) |
| 5 | St Marylebone | London (North Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Seat surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Seat, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.
These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.
The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.
UK neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Seat surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Seat household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Seat is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Seat is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Seat, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname SEAT is of English origin, first appearing in records from the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "sæte," meaning a place where people settle or a dwelling. This word evolved into the Middle English "sete," which referred to a seat or residence.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name SEAT can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, where a person named William Sete is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 12th century in the southwestern regions of England.
In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Sete, Sette, and Sette, reflecting the variations in spelling common during that time. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 list a John de la Sete, indicating that the name was sometimes accompanied by the preposition "de la," meaning "of the."
The SEAT surname is also linked to several place names in England, including Seat Hill in Yorkshire and Seat Nook in Lancashire. These locations likely derived their names from the Old English word "sæte," and it is possible that some individuals bearing the surname SEAT may have originated from or resided in these areas.
One notable figure with the surname SEAT was Sir John Seat (c. 1480-1558), a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire during the reign of Henry VIII. He was a prominent figure in the local community and served as Sheriff of Gloucestershire in 1528.
Another individual of historical significance was Richard Seat (1561-1638), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge from 1634 to 1638.
In the 17th century, the SEAT surname appeared in various parish records across England, including in Oxfordshire, where a Thomas Seat was recorded as a resident of Banbury in 1642.
During the 18th century, the name continued to be found in various regions of England. One notable example is William Seat (1732-1799), a successful merchant and landowner from Yorkshire, who was involved in the wool trade and owned several mills in the region.
In the 19th century, the SEAT surname gained some prominence with individuals such as John Seat (1822-1897), a respected educator and headmaster of a grammar school in Lancashire, and Mary Ann Seat (1838-1918), a prominent philanthropist and social reformer from Gloucestershire.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Seat surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Surrey leads with 4 Seats recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.02x.
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Waltham Holy Cross in Essex leads with 3 Seats recorded in 1881 and an index of 1363.64x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Waltham Holy Cross | 3 | 1363.64x |
| Lambeth | 2 | 19.63x |
| Ardingly | 1 | 1666.67x |
| Clapham | 1 | 68.49x |
| Kensington London | 1 | 15.38x |
| Newington | 1 | 23.15x |
| Nottingham St Mary | 1 | 24.57x |
| Sidbury | 1 | 2000.00x |
| St Botolph Aldgate | 1 | 625.00x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Seat surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Seat surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Seat households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Boat Maker | 2 |
| Dressmaker | 2 |
| Cook | 1 |
| Grocer | 1 |
| Needle Woman | 1 |
| Parlour Maid Domestic | 1 |
| Railway Labourer | 1 |
| Servant (Dom) | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 13 people were recorded with the Seat surname. That placed it at #31,761 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 9 in 2016. That gives Seat a modern rank of #37,705.
A habitational name referring to someone from a place called Seat.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Seat bearers relative to the surrounding population.
The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.