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

Singleton, 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 Singleton surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Singleton in America

Singleton is the 126018th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Singleton surname appeared 136 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Singleton.

We can also compare 2010 data for Singleton 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 Singleton

The surname Singleton has its origins in England, where it first emerged in the late 12th century. It is a locational name, referring to someone who lived in a single or solitary homestead or farm. The name is derived from the Old English words "singl" and "tun," meaning "single" and "enclosure" or "homestead," respectively.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Singleton can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, where a Walter de Singletone is mentioned. The surname also appears in the Curia Regis Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1208, referencing a Robert de Singletoune.

In the 13th century, the surname Singleton was well-established in Lancashire, particularly in the area around Singleton, a village near Poulton-le-Fylde. The village's name, recorded asSingletun in the Domesday Book of 1086, is thought to be the source of the surname.

Notable individuals with the surname Singleton include Robert Singleton (c. 1510-1570), an English Catholic priest and martyr who was executed during the Elizabethan period for his religious beliefs. Another prominent figure was Sir John Singleton (1588-1644), a British lawyer and politician who served as Speaker of the House of Commons from 1623 to 1625.

In the 17th century, the Singleton family established themselves as landowners and gentry in Lancashire. One notable member was Henry Singleton (1638-1700), a wealthy merchant and landowner who served as High Sheriff of Lancashire in 1688.

Across the Atlantic, one of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Singleton in America was William Singleton (c. 1635-1690), a planter and landowner in Virginia. He was a prominent figure in the colony and served as a member of the House of Burgesses.

Another notable American with the surname Singleton was Otis Singleton (1914-2008), a jazz drummer and percussionist who played with various notable musicians, including Dizzy Gillespie and Charles Mingus.

In the literary world, Mary Singleton (1844-1921) was an English novelist and children's author who wrote under the pen name Mary Singleton.

These are just a few examples of the many individuals who have borne the surname Singleton throughout history, a name that has its roots in the English countryside and has since spread across the globe.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Singleton

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

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

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

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