NameCensus.

UK surname

Setters

A surname derived from the occupation of setting or maintaining traps or snares for animals.

In the 1881 census there were 74 people recorded with the Setters surname, ranking it #23,062 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 154, ranked #23,293, down from #23,062 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bovey Tracey, Hennock, Tormoham with Torquay and Kingskerswell. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Doncaster, Herefordshire and Tandridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Setters is 159 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 108.1%.

1881 census count

74

Ranked #23,062

Modern count

154

2016, ranked #23,293

Peak year

2013

159 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Setters had 74 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,062 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 154 in 2016, ranked #23,293.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 121 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Setters surname distribution map

The map shows where the Setters surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Setters surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Setters over time

The 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 46 #28,170
1881 historical 74 #23,062
1891 historical 85 #26,080
1901 historical 121 #20,444
1911 historical 106 #21,948
1997 modern 132 #22,821
1998 modern 130 #23,603
1999 modern 134 #23,378
2000 modern 130 #23,785
2001 modern 129 #23,557
2002 modern 131 #23,793
2003 modern 129 #23,783
2004 modern 127 #24,224
2005 modern 125 #24,398
2006 modern 126 #24,493
2007 modern 131 #24,282
2008 modern 130 #24,695
2009 modern 137 #24,371
2010 modern 140 #24,569
2011 modern 147 #23,627
2012 modern 155 #22,762
2013 modern 159 #22,706
2014 modern 153 #23,537
2015 modern 152 #23,507
2016 modern 154 #23,293

Geography

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Where Setters' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bovey Tracey, Hennock, Tormoham with Torquay, Kingskerswell, Totnes and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Doncaster, Herefordshire, Tandridge and Torbay. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Bovey Tracey, Hennock Devon
2 Tormoham with Torquay Devon
3 Kingskerswell Devon
4 Totnes Devon
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Doncaster 035 Doncaster
2 Herefordshire 005 Herefordshire, County of
3 Tandridge 010 Tandridge
4 Doncaster 032 Doncaster
5 Torbay 001 Torbay

Forenames

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First names often paired with Setters

These lists show first names that appear often with the Setters surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Setters

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Setters, 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

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Setters surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Setters household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Setters is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Setters is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Setters falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Setters is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Setters, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Setters

The surname "Setters" is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "settor," meaning "one who sets or places things." It is believed to have emerged as an occupational surname during the Middle Ages, referring to someone who worked as a setter or placer of materials, such as tiles or bricks.

The earliest known record of the surname dates back to the late 13th century, with references found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire and the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire. These ancient documents mention individuals with the spelling variations "Settere" and "Settour."

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various forms, including "Seter," "Seter," and "Satter." During this period, the name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Norfolk, where many families bearing this surname were recorded.

One notable early bearer of the name was John Setter, a landowner mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Norfolk in 1348. Another was William Setters, a merchant from York, whose name appears in the city's guild records in the late 15th century.

By the 16th century, the spelling had largely settled on the modern form of "Setters." Among the notable individuals from this era was Richard Setters, a prominent lawyer and member of the Inner Temple in London, who lived from around 1520 to 1585.

In the 17th century, the surname gained further recognition with the birth of Sir William Setters (1610-1672), a prominent English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Hertford.

During the 18th century, the name became associated with the trade of setting or placing tiles and bricks. One noteworthy figure was James Setters (1732-1804), a master bricklayer and builder who was responsible for the construction of several notable buildings in the city of Bristol.

In the 19th century, the name continued to spread throughout England and beyond, with individuals bearing the surname Setters found in various trades and professions. One prominent example was John Setters (1826-1892), a renowned architect and civil engineer who designed numerous public buildings and infrastructure projects in London and the surrounding areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Setters families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Setters surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Devon leads with 39 Setters' recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.34x.

County Total Index
Devon 39 22.34x
Yorkshire 19 2.29x
Channel Islands 12 48.29x
Middlesex 11 1.31x
Derbyshire 2 1.52x
Surrey 2 0.49x
Northumberland 1 0.80x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Peter Port in Channel Islands leads with 12 Setters' recorded in 1881 and an index of 260.87x.

Place Total Index
St Peter Port 12 260.87x
Islington London 9 11.07x
Plymouth Charles The 7 91.03x
Plymouth St Andrew 6 44.61x
Thornton In Bradford 6 216.61x
Brightside Bierlow 5 30.67x
Kingskerswell 5 1724.14x
Upton Pyne 5 4166.67x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 3 38.76x
Dartmouth St Saviour 3 600.00x
Sheffield 3 11.34x
Tormoham 3 40.60x
Bakewell 2 277.78x
Buckfastleigh 2 246.91x
Kimberworth 2 43.38x
Whitchurch 2 645.16x
Berry Pomeroy 1 344.83x
Chudleigh 1 181.82x
Holne 1 1111.11x
Ilsington 1 322.58x
Lambeth 1 1.37x
St Marylebone London 1 2.23x
Staines 1 75.19x
Tynemouth 1 14.97x
West Down 1 666.67x
Woking 1 40.65x
Wolborough 1 45.25x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Setters surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 7
Ann 5
Bertha 3
Elizabeth 3
Clara 2
Frances 2
Sarah 2
Susannah 2
Allice 1
Amy 1
Caroline 1
Cordelia 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Emely 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Flora 1
Florance 1
Jane 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Katherine 1
Louisa 1
Mabel 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Matilda 1
Rebecca 1
Sellars 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Setters surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 7
James 5
Joseph 3
Arthur 2
Francis 2
George 2
John 2
Samuel 2
Wm. 2
Albert 1
Albt. 1
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
Benjamin 1
Ernest 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Ishmael 1
Robert 1

FAQ

Setters surname: questions and answers

How common was the Setters surname in 1881?

In 1881, 74 people were recorded with the Setters surname. That placed it at #23,062 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Setters surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 154 in 2016. That gives Setters a modern rank of #23,293.

What does the Setters surname mean?

A surname derived from the occupation of setting or maintaining traps or snares for animals.

What does the Setters map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Setters bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

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.