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

Settle, 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 Settle surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Settle in America

Settle is the 4329th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Settle surname appeared 8,202 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Settle.

We can also compare 2010 data for Settle 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 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.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Settle

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

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 Settle 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 Settle 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 Settle was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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