Explore the Family Name Somerset
The meaning of Somerset
English: 1. habitational name from the English county of Somerset, which takes its name from Somerton in Somerset (see Summerton) + Old English sǣte ‘settlers, dwellers’. The Somerset family who are Dukes of Beaufort are descended from the Plantagenets. The surname was assumed by Charles Somerset (1460–1520), illegitimate son of Henry Beaufort, Duke of Somerset. The latter was himself descended illegitimately from Edward III through John of Gaunt. A later member of the family was Fitzroy Somerset (1788–1855), who, as Lord Raglan, was the commander of British forces in the Crimea, one of the men responsible for the charge of the Light Brigade. 2. possibly a habitational name from one or more places called with Old Norse sumar ‘summer’ + sætr ‘shieling, hill pasture’, such as Summerseat in Elton (Lancashire), but decisive northern early bearers are lacking.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Somerset in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname "Somerset" has slightly risen in rank from 42,677 in 2000 to 42,511 in 2010, a change of 0.39 percent. The count of individuals with this surname also rose by 6.69 percent from 478 in 2000 to 510 in 2010. However, the proportion of people named Somerset per 100k decreased by -5.56 percent from 0.18 in 2000 to 0.17 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #42,677 | #42,511 | 0.39% |
| Count | 478 | 510 | 6.69% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.18 | 0.17 | -5.56% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Somerset
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that most people with the surname Somerset identified as White, with an increase of 2.44 percent from 74.27 percent in 2000 to 76.08 percent in 2010. The number of people identifying as Black decreased by -9.93 percent from 21.34 percent in 2000 to 19.22 percent in 2010. Those identifying with two or more races saw a slight increase from 2.51 percent in 2000 to 2.55 percent in 2010. Similarly, the Hispanic population with the surname Somerset increased by 4.26 percent from 1.88 percent in 2000 to 1.96 percent in 2010. There was no change for those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native, with the data being suppressed in both years for privacy reasons.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 74.27% | 76.08% | 2.44% |
| Black | 21.34% | 19.22% | -9.93% |
| Two or More Races | 2.51% | 2.55% | 1.59% |
| Hispanic | 1.88% | 1.96% | 4.26% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |