NameCensus.

UK surname

Settle

An English habitational surname derived from places named Settle, or referring to someone who lived near a seat or bench.

In the 1881 census there were 1,036 people recorded with the Settle surname, ranking it #3,791 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 791, ranked #6,984, down from #3,791 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bolton-le-Moors, Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) and Bradford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bolton and Rossendale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Settle is 1,191 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 23.6%.

1881 census count

1,036

Ranked #3,791

Modern count

791

2016, ranked #6,984

Peak year

1901

1,191 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Settle had 1,036 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,791 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 791 in 2016, ranked #6,984.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,191 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Settle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Settle surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Settle 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 687 #3,787
1861 historical 832 #3,314
1881 historical 1,036 #3,791
1891 historical 1,073 #3,918
1901 historical 1,191 #4,125
1911 historical 1,160 #4,029
1997 modern 800 #6,538
1998 modern 789 #6,828
1999 modern 800 #6,795
2000 modern 810 #6,707
2001 modern 823 #6,505
2002 modern 812 #6,688
2003 modern 798 #6,665
2004 modern 773 #6,861
2005 modern 765 #6,847
2006 modern 764 #6,882
2007 modern 769 #6,918
2008 modern 770 #6,956
2009 modern 778 #7,041
2010 modern 815 #6,912
2011 modern 817 #6,826
2012 modern 788 #6,929
2013 modern 809 #6,885
2014 modern 811 #6,906
2015 modern 802 #6,926
2016 modern 791 #6,984

Geography

Back to top

Where Settles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bolton-le-Moors, Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth), Bradford and Leeds. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bolton and Rossendale. 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 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire
2 Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) Lancashire
3 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bolton 024 Bolton
2 Rossendale 010 Rossendale
3 Bolton 013 Bolton
4 Bolton 010 Bolton
5 Bolton 014 Bolton

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Settle

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Settle

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Settle surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Settle household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Settle is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Settle is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Settle falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Settle 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 Settle, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Settle

The surname SETTLE is of Anglo-Saxon origin, deriving from the Old English word "setl", which referred to a dwelling or homestead. It is believed to have originated in areas of northern England, particularly Yorkshire and Lancashire, where many early records of the name can be found.

One of the earliest known references to the name SETTLE appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which recorded landowners and their properties in England after the Norman Conquest. The entry mentions a village called "Setel" in the West Riding of Yorkshire, suggesting the name's long-standing association with this region.

In the 13th century, the surname SETTLE began to emerge as a distinct family name, often referring to individuals who hailed from the village of Settle in Yorkshire. The earliest recorded instance of this spelling dates back to 1273, when a Robert de Setill is mentioned in the Assize Court Rolls of Lancashire.

Over the centuries, various spellings of the name have been documented, including Setell, Settell, and Seatle. These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and inconsistencies in record-keeping practices.

Notable individuals bearing the surname SETTLE throughout history include:

1. John Settle (c. 1598-1679), an English composer and lutenist who served as a court musician during the reigns of James I and Charles I.

2. Elkanah Settle (1648-1724), an English poet and playwright best known for his work "The Empress of Morocco" and his involvement in the literary quarrel known as the "Dryden-Settle Controversy".

3. Thomas Settle (1789-1857), an English civil engineer and surveyor who played a key role in the construction of the Manchester Ship Canal and other major infrastructure projects.

4. Josiah Settle (1816-1893), a British industrialist and entrepreneur who founded the Settle Bedstead Company, a prominent manufacturer of iron bedsteads in the 19th century.

5. William Settle (1866-1924), an American lawyer and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Indiana from 1905 to 1911.

While the surname SETTLE has its roots in northern England, its bearers have since spread across the globe, carrying with them the legacy of this name's connection to the concept of a dwelling or settlement.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Settle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Settle 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. Lancashire leads with 544 Settles recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.57x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 544 4.57x
Yorkshire 315 3.17x
Middlesex 45 0.45x
Warwickshire 27 1.07x
Cheshire 22 0.99x
Cumberland 21 2.43x
Durham 12 0.40x
Surrey 8 0.16x
Lincolnshire 7 0.44x
Denbighshire 4 1.05x
Glamorgan 4 0.23x
Derbyshire 3 0.19x
Devon 3 0.14x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.22x
Sussex 3 0.18x
Kent 2 0.06x
Suffolk 2 0.16x
Berkshire 1 0.13x
Cornwall 1 0.09x
Flintshire 1 0.37x
Monmouthshire 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Little Bolton in Lancashire leads with 68 Settles recorded in 1881 and an index of 44.40x.

Place Total Index
Little Bolton 68 44.40x
Great Bolton 51 32.33x
Little Lever 49 321.73x
Tonge With Haulgh 39 168.18x
Armley 37 84.34x
Bury 32 23.52x
Horwich 24 184.76x
Manningham 24 19.59x
Leeds 22 3.92x
Salford 22 6.28x
Bradford 21 8.72x
Coventry St Michael 21 25.83x
Saddleworth 21 27.37x
Farnworth 20 28.03x
Halliwell 18 41.52x
Hipperholme Cum 17 38.90x
Radcliffe 17 29.61x
Aspull 15 53.53x
St Pancras London 15 1.86x
Hindley 14 27.57x
Blackrod 12 81.08x
Halifax 12 8.22x
Huddersfield 11 7.59x
Anderton 10 892.86x
Dacre 10 450.45x
Over Darwen 10 10.51x
Ashton Under Lyne 9 3.46x
Bassenthwaite 9 514.29x
Broughton In Salford 9 8.26x
Dewsbury 9 8.82x
Horsforth 9 41.27x
Islington London 9 0.93x
Castleton 8 6.73x
Northowram 8 11.47x
West Derby 8 2.30x
Wortley In Bramley 8 10.15x
Calverley Cum Farsley 7 24.79x
Clerkenwell London 7 2.95x
Holbeck 7 10.62x
Liverpool 7 0.97x
Monks Coppenhall 7 8.37x
Preston Quarter 7 28.90x
Rawdon 7 59.78x
Westhoughton 7 22.02x
Darlington 6 5.20x
Hulme 6 2.41x
Marsden In Huddersfield 6 254.24x
Menwith Cum Darley 6 303.03x
Openshaw 6 10.76x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 5 13.84x
Eccleshill 5 20.65x
Fulstone 5 68.68x
Holy Trinity 5 2.09x
Hook 5 22.85x
Horncastle 5 30.19x
Hyde 5 7.65x
Kearsley 5 19.95x
Millom 5 18.88x
Rumworth 5 29.38x
Sculcoates 5 3.17x
Southwark St George Martyr 5 2.48x
Spotland 5 3.78x
Stockton On Tees 5 3.47x
Toxteth Park 5 1.24x
Ulverston 5 14.41x
York All Sts North 5 101.63x
Atherton 4 9.23x
Darcy Lever 4 58.31x
Heaton 4 79.68x
Middlesbrough 4 3.09x
Pilkington 4 8.84x
Sheffield 4 1.26x
Stansty 4 95.69x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 4 11.67x
Westminster St John 4 3.27x
Wigan 4 2.40x
Dukinfield 3 2.93x
Oldham 3 0.78x
Turton 3 15.38x
Withington 3 7.82x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 95
Sarah 44
Elizabeth 38
Alice 32
Ann 28
Jane 25
Ellen 22
Annie 18
Emma 16
Margaret 16
Hannah 12
Martha 12
Emily 11
Eliza 9
Betsy 7
Clara 7
Edith 7
Harriet 7
Rachel 7
Ada 6
Esther 6
Fanny 5
Florence 5
Harriett 5
Louisa 5
Maria 4
Amelia 3
Betty 3
Caroline 3
Catherine 3
Elizth. 3
Grace 3
Isabella 3
Anne 2
Beatrice 2
Charlotte 2
Deborah 2
Ester 2
Frances 2
Gertrude 2
Lucy 2
Margt. 2
Priscilla 2
Susannah 2
Elizabet 1
Elizebeth 1
Jemima 1
Laura 1
Lettice 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 71
John 59
James 41
Thomas 39
Joseph 36
George 16
Samuel 14
Stephen 14
Henry 13
Peter 12
Robert 12
Arthur 9
Charles 9
Herbert 8
Richard 8
Frederick 7
Edward 6
Harry 6
Walter 6
Abner 4
Alfred 4
Fred 4
Geo. 4
Albert 3
Chas. 3
Ernest 3
Wm. 3
Benjamin 2
Bennett 2
Daniel 2
Earnest 2
Edmund 2
Frank 2
Harold 2
Joe 2
Mark 2
Michael 2
Miles 2
Percy 2
Ralph 2
Saville 2
Thurston 2
Tom 2
Christopher 1
Fletcher 1
Francis 1
Fred. 1
Frederic 1
Ivan 1
Wright 1

FAQ

Settle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Settle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,036 people were recorded with the Settle surname. That placed it at #3,791 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Settle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 791 in 2016. That gives Settle a modern rank of #6,984.

What does the Settle surname mean?

An English habitational surname derived from places named Settle, or referring to someone who lived near a seat or bench.

What does the Settle map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Settle 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.