NameCensus.

UK surname

Single

An English surname denoting a person who was unmarried or unattached.

In the 1881 census there were 156 people recorded with the Single surname, ranking it #15,114 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 124, ranked #26,975, down from #15,114 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ecclesfield (Ecclesfield), Rotherham (Dalton), Conisborough, Biggleswade and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Coventry, Dover and Central Bedfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Single is 401 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 20.5%.

1881 census count

156

Ranked #15,114

Modern count

124

2016, ranked #26,975

Peak year

1911

401 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Single had 156 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,114 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 124 in 2016, ranked #26,975.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 401 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Single surname distribution map

The map shows where the Single surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Single surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Single over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 139 #13,659
1861 historical 290 #8,686
1881 historical 156 #15,114
1891 historical 358 #9,655
1901 historical 265 #12,652
1911 historical 401 #9,262
1997 modern 144 #21,660
1998 modern 148 #21,841
1999 modern 145 #22,305
2000 modern 140 #22,752
2001 modern 141 #22,344
2002 modern 142 #22,687
2003 modern 131 #23,553
2004 modern 130 #23,902
2005 modern 121 #24,947
2006 modern 122 #25,010
2007 modern 122 #25,353
2008 modern 119 #26,067
2009 modern 116 #27,062
2010 modern 129 #25,900
2011 modern 127 #25,926
2012 modern 115 #27,717
2013 modern 119 #27,541
2014 modern 116 #28,253
2015 modern 117 #27,982
2016 modern 124 #26,975

Geography

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Where Singles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ecclesfield (Ecclesfield), Rotherham (Dalton), Conisborough, Biggleswade, London parishes, St Giles Camberwell and Northill, Sandy. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Coventry, Dover, Central Bedfordshire, Rochford and Bromley. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Ecclesfield (Ecclesfield), Rotherham (Dalton), Conisborough Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Biggleswade Bedfordshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Giles Camberwell London (South Districts)
5 Northill, Sandy Bedfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Coventry 019 Coventry
2 Dover 001 Dover
3 Central Bedfordshire 009 Central Bedfordshire
4 Rochford 001 Rochford
5 Bromley 024 Bromley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Single

These lists show first names that appear often with the Single surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Single

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Single, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Single surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Single household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Single is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Single is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Single falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Single is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Single, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Single

The surname Single has its origins in England, where it first appeared in the late 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "singal," meaning "single" or "unmarried." This suggests that the name may have originally been used as a descriptive nickname for someone who was unmarried or lived alone.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Single is found in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire from 1273, which mentions a person named Richard le Singel. The use of the prefix "le" before the surname indicates that it was still being used as a descriptive nickname at that time.

In the 14th century, the surname began to appear in various historical records, such as the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield from 1317, which mentions a John Single. The name is also found in the Poll Tax records of Yorkshire from 1379, which lists a Robert Single.

The surname Single may have been influenced by the place name Singleton, which is derived from the Old English words "singal" and "tun," meaning "single farm or homestead." However, it is not clear whether the surname was directly influenced by this place name or if it developed independently as a descriptive nickname.

One notable individual with the surname Single was John Single, a 16th-century English poet and playwright. He is known for his work "The Arraignment of the Damned Soul," published in 1615.

Another famous bearer of the surname was Thomas Single, an English composer and organist who lived in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. He served as the organist at several churches in London and composed various works for the church.

In the 19th century, Robert Single was a prominent English architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Royal Exchange in Manchester, which was completed in 1847.

Another notable figure was Sir John Single, a British politician and judge who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He served as a Member of Parliament and later became a judge in the High Court of Justice.

Finally, Charles Single was an English cricketer who played for Middlesex County Cricket Club in the late 19th century. He was a right-handed batsman and wicket-keeper and played several matches between 1876 and 1884.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Single families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Single surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 34 Singles recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.86x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 34 1.86x
Channel Islands 30 55.50x
Bedfordshire 29 30.70x
Surrey 18 2.03x
Essex 14 3.89x
Leicestershire 14 6.92x
Somerset 13 4.43x
Yorkshire 13 0.72x
Cambridgeshire 6 5.19x
Devon 4 1.05x
Lancashire 4 0.18x
Kent 2 0.32x
Berkshire 1 0.73x
Dorset 1 0.84x
Flintshire 1 2.04x
Gloucestershire 1 0.28x
Oxfordshire 1 0.89x
Royal Navy 1 4.60x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Helier in Channel Islands leads with 18 Singles recorded in 1881 and an index of 102.27x.

Place Total Index
St Helier 18 102.27x
Camberwell 17 14.59x
Belgrave 13 285.09x
Sandy 11 658.68x
Wortley In Bramley 8 55.87x
Chard 7 196.63x
Eaton Socon 7 472.97x
St Clement 7 853.66x
St George Martyr 7 228.01x
West Ham 7 8.81x
Chatteris 6 203.39x
Brightside Bierlow 5 14.10x
Paddington London 5 7.45x
Wayford 5 3571.43x
Biggleswade 4 129.45x
Mile End Old Town 4 13.89x
Plymouth St Andrew 4 13.68x
Spitalfields London 4 29.15x
Woodford 4 98.04x
Bedford St Mary 3 123.46x
Leyton 3 48.39x
St Giles In Fields 3 47.69x
St Martin 3 90.63x
Wigan 3 9.92x
Bethnal Green London 2 2.52x
Felmersham 2 645.16x
Greenwich 2 6.89x
Little Staughton 2 689.66x
St George In East 2 16.12x
St Saviour 2 66.89x
Clewer 1 17.83x
Clifton 1 5.53x
Ealing 1 6.14x
Finchley 1 14.31x
Hornsey 1 4.33x
Iwerne Courtnay 1 123.46x
Kensington London 1 0.99x
Leicester St Margaret 1 2.03x
Mixbury 1 588.24x
Northop Soughton 1 270.27x
Pennington In Leigh 1 24.10x
Royal Navy 1 5.38x
Shoreditch London 1 1.26x
St George Hanover 1 4.20x
Streatham 1 7.39x
Tottenham 1 3.44x
Wellington 1 25.13x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Single surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Single surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 12
William 9
George 7
James 7
Alfred 3
Arthur 3
Walter 3
Benjamin 2
Charles 2
Edward 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
Henry 2
Robert 2
Washington 2
Albert 1
Eugene 1
Fred. 1
Geo.A. 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Infant 1
Isador 1
Jacob 1
Jubez 1
Julius 1
Levi 1
Northcott 1
Percy 1
Squire 1
Stanley 1
Stanly 1
Thomas 1
Tom. 1
Vincent 1
W.G. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Single surname: questions and answers

How common was the Single surname in 1881?

In 1881, 156 people were recorded with the Single surname. That placed it at #15,114 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Single surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 124 in 2016. That gives Single a modern rank of #26,975.

What does the Single surname mean?

An English surname denoting a person who was unmarried or unattached.

What does the Single map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Single bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.