Find out how popular the last name Seth is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Seth.

Seth, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Seth surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Seth in America

Seth is the 9701st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Seth surname appeared 3,344 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Seth.

We can also compare 2010 data for Seth to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Seth

The surname Seth is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "sæd," meaning "seed" or "sowing," suggesting that the name may have originally referred to someone who worked as a sower or planter.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Seth can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which contains records of land holdings and landowners in England at the time of the Norman Conquest. The name is listed as "Sede" and is believed to have been a variant spelling of Seth.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Seth was often associated with families who lived in rural areas and worked as farmers or agricultural laborers. The name may have also been adopted by individuals who lived near a place called "Seth" or a variation of that name.

In the 14th century, records show a John Seth being mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379. Another notable individual bearing the surname was Robert Seth, who was born in Yorkshire in the late 15th century and served as a member of the English Parliament in 1554.

As the surname spread throughout England, it also appeared in various place names and locations. For instance, there is a village called Sethbury in the county of Somerset, which may have derived its name from the Seth surname or vice versa.

Other notable individuals with the surname Seth throughout history include:

1. Sir Andrew Seth (1784-1856), a Scottish merchant and politician who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1833 to 1838.
2. James Seth (1860-1924), a Scottish philosopher and academic who taught at the University of Edinburgh and wrote extensively on moral philosophy and idealism.
3. John Seth (1907-1975), a British writer and journalist who worked for various publications, including The Times and The Observer.
4. Vikram Seth (born 1952), an Indian novelist and poet best known for his novel "A Suitable Boy" and his poetry collection "The Golden Gate."
5. Govind Seth (1936-2022), an Indian businessman and philanthropist who founded the Govind Group and established several educational institutions in India.

While the surname Seth has its roots in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including India, where it is also a common surname among certain communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Seth

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Seth.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Seth was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Seth has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Seth was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Seth, please contact us.

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