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Setter Family History

Setter Name Meaning

English: occupational name for a stone- or bricklayer from Middle English setter(e) ‘workman who lays stones bricks or tiles in building’ (an agent derivative of setten ‘to set’). English: occupational name from an agent derivative of Middle English setten ‘to place (decoration on a garment or metal surface)’ which in at least some cases denoted an embroiderer. In medieval London and probably in other major ecclesiastical centers setter(e) denoted a maker of opus anglicanum a kind of luxurious embroidery in which precious stones and silver and gold threads were ‘set’ or sewn onto ceremonial clothing. Scottish: perhaps a variant of Seatter a habitational name probably from Seatter in Stromness (Orkney) but perhaps also from any of various other Orcadian places called Seatter or Setter. These names are from Old Norse setr ‘seat residence farm dwelling’ or sætr ‘mountain pasture’. German: unexplained. Norwegian: variant of Sether .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Netter, Setzer, Senter, Sutter, Petter, Better, Wetter, Jetter

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Where is the Setter family from?

You can see how Setter families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Setter family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Setter families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 45 Setter families living in Manitoba. This was about 39% of all the recorded Setter's in Canada. Manitoba had the highest population of Setter families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Setter surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Setter ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Setter. 55% of Setter men worked as a Farmer and 100% of Setter women worked as a Housewife. .

View Census Data for Setter | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    55%
  • Laborer
    14%
  • Labourer
    11%
  • Fisher
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Housewife
    100%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Setter family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 21,000 census records available for the last name Setter. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Setter census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Setter

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Setter. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Setter immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Setter. For the veterans among your Setter ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Setter military records

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What is the average Setter lifespan?

Between 1959 and 2004, in the United States, Setter life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1963, and highest in 1995. The average life expectancy for Setter in 1959 was 65, and 68 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Setter

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