Setliff is a name of ancient
Anglo-Saxon origin and comes from the family once having lived in the area known as Sutcliffe which had three locations in the county of
Yorkshire. The surname Setliff is a
habitation name that was originally derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. The surname originated as a means of identifying individuals from a particular area. In the Middle Ages people often assumed the name of the place that they originally lived as their surname during the course of travel. In this case the surname was originally derived from the Old English words
sùd meaning
south and
clif meaning
slope or
cliff. Therefore the original bearers of the name were referred to as the
dwellers by the south cliffs.
Early Origins of the Setliff family
The surname Setliff was first found in
Lancashire where they held a
family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the
Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.
The name was originally spelled Cartcliff, later becoming Skatcliffe, late Scaytcliffe, later Scaitliffe, later Scaytcliffe, later Skaitcliff, and later particularly when the branches included Yorkshire, Sutcliffe. From about 1470 the Crossleys acquired Skatclyffe Hall in the parish of Rochdale in Lancashire, and continued a series of intermarriages with their cousins in Yorkshire.
Early History of the Setliff family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Setliff research.
Another 116 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1550 and 1629 are included under the topic Early Setliff History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Setliff Spelling Variations
Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore,
spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Setliff family name include Sutcliff, Sutcliffe, Sutliff, Southcliffe and many more.
Early Notables of the Setliff family (pre 1700)
Another 39 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Setliff Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Setliff family to the New World and Oceana
For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for
Ireland, Canada, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Setliff surname or a spelling variation of the name include:
Setliff Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
- Abram Setliff, aged 64, who settled in America, in 1907
Contemporary Notables of the name Setliff (post 1700)
- Adam Setliff (b. 1969), American discus thrower at the 1996 and 2000 Summer Olympics
The Setliff Motto
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Foy en tout
Motto Translation: Faith in all
Setliff Family Crest Products
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