2000
#116,123
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 139
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Setler
A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a salt pit or works.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Setler. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Setler surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Setler in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Setler, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Black (2.8%) and Hispanic (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Setler
The surname SETLER is believed to have originated in Germany during the 16th century. It is derived from the German word "siedler," which means "settler" or "colonist." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name were likely people who settled in new areas or colonies.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the SETLER name can be found in the village of Württemberg, where records from the 1600s mention a family with this surname. It is possible that this family had migrated from another region and settled in Württemberg, hence the name SETLER.
In the 17th century, the SETLER name appeared in church records in the town of Mecklenburg, indicating that some families with this surname had established themselves in that region. The name was also found in land records from the same time period in the area of Saxony, suggesting that SETLER families may have owned property or farms there.
A notable individual with the SETLER surname was Hans Setler, born in 1685 in the town of Bamberg, Bavaria. He was a skilled woodcarver and is known for his intricate carvings that adorned several churches in the region.
Another individual of note was Anna Setler, born in 1732 in the village of Augsburg. She was a renowned herbalist and midwife, known for her knowledge of medicinal plants and her expertise in assisting with childbirth.
In the 19th century, the SETLER name appeared in military records from the Prussian Army, indicating that some members of this family had served in the armed forces. One such individual was Wilhelm Setler, born in 1828 in Berlin, who achieved the rank of Major during his military career.
Johannes Setler, born in 1860 in the city of Cologne, was a respected academic and scholar. He authored several books on the history and culture of the Rhine region, where his family had lived for generations.
Another notable figure was Maria Setler, born in 1892 in the town of Munich. She was a renowned opera singer and performed on stages across Europe in the early 20th century, gaining acclaim for her powerful soprano voice.
While the SETLER surname has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world as a result of migration and immigration. However, its origins can be traced back to the German word "siedler," reflecting the history of the earliest bearers of this name as settlers or colonists in new lands.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Setler
Among Census respondents with the surname Setler, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Black (2.8%) and Hispanic (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Setler bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Setler surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.6% · 98
- Black or African American2.8% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Setler
Setler appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#148,347
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
-28 bearers (-20.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 32,224 places
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-4 bearers (-3.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,292 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #116,123 | 139 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #148,347 | 111 | 0.04 | -28 bearers (-20.1%) | Down 32,224 places |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | -4 bearers (-3.6%) | Down 3,292 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Setler surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #148,347 | #151,639 | -2.2% |
| Count | 111 | 107 | -3.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Setler bearers went from 111 to 107 (-3.6% change). The surname moved down 3,292 positions in the national ranking, going from #148,347 to #151,639.
FAQ
Setler surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Setler?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Setler. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Setler?
Setler ranks #151,639 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 107 people with the surname Setler. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Setler.
Has Setler become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Setler went from 111 recorded bearers to 107. That is a decrease of 4 (-3.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #148,347 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Setler?
Among Census respondents with the surname Setler, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Black (2.8%) and Hispanic (2.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Setler in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.6% (98 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Setler appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.6%), Black (2.8%), Hispanic (2.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Setler (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Setler mean?
A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a salt pit or works. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Setler (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Setler?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the surname Setler at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.