Singer
What is the origin of the last name Singer?
Meaning and origin
Derived from the occupational surname "sengen," meaning "to singe" in German, it was likely initially bestowed upon someone who worked as a singe-maker or a tailor who trimmed cloth using heat.
The longer story
The etymology of the name suggests that it originated in Europe, particularly in regions where Latin-based languages were spoken.
It is believed that this surname was adopted by those who worked as cantors or synagogue singers. Over time, the name spread to other countries as well, carried by Jewish migrants who settled in different parts of the world.
Many Jewish families, seeking better opportunities and fleeing persecution, arrived in the US and brought their surnames with them.
Surname origins are rarely settled: one spelling can have several sources, and families often took a name for reasons nobody wrote down. Check it against the sources below before you rely on it.
#1,366
Singer was the 1,366th most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 25,828 people, about 8.4 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Surnames like Singer
Names it is linked with, then names with the same origin and a similar standing.
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Singer is found around the world
- The Internet Surname Database: a second opinion on the origin
- US Census Bureau: the 2010 surname figures used here
For a name you are serious about, compare the dictionaries: Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames; Hanks, Dictionary of American Family Names.