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Singer History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Singer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany

Bavaria, Germany is the ancestral home of the Singer family. The Germans began using hereditary surnames in the 12th century. Singer is an occupational name, which was derived from the kind of work done by the original bearer. It is a name for a singer. The name probably evolved from the German word "sanger," and it indicates that the family has an historical association with the profession of singing ballads.

Early Origins of the Singer family

The surname Singer was first found in the ancient walled city of Noerdlingen, where the name was closely identified in early mediaeval times with the feudal society which would play a prominent role in Bavarian history. The name would later emerge as a noble family with great influence, having many distinguished branches, and become noted for its involvement in social, economic and political affairs.

Early History of the Singer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Singer research. Another 184 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1680, 1749, 1767, 1773 and 1840 are included under the topic Early Singer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Singer Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Singer include Senger, Saenger, Singer, Sengher, Sanger, Sang and many more.

Early Notables of the Singer family

Prominent among members of the name Singer in this period include Maria Renata Saenger von Mossau (1680-1749), a Bavarian nun executed for heresy, witch craft, apostasy and satanism, one of the...
Another 31 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Singer Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Singer Ranking

In the United States, the name Singer is the 1,454^th most popular surname with an estimated 19,896 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Singer is ranked the 3,631^st most popular surname with an estimated 1,500 - 2,000 people with that name. 2

Singer migration to the United States +

The great European flow of migration to North America, which began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century, was particularly attractive to those from Bavaria who wished to escape either poverty or religious persecution. For many Bavarian tenant farmers, the chance to own their own land was a major incentive. So the widespread colonization of the United States began in 1650, when many immigrants from Germany settled in pockets in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. In Canada, German settlement centered in Ontario and the prairie provinces. Among those of this surname listed in various historical records were:

Singer Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Singer, aged 18, who arrived in Virginia in 1634 aboard the ship "Bonaventure" coming via St. Domingo 3
John Singer, who settled in Virginia in 1663

Singer Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Caspar Singer, who settled in Philadelphia in 1734
Peter Singer, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1749 3
Michael Singer, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1750 3
Johannes Singer, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1753 3
Elliot Singer, who settled in New England in 1758
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Singer Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

James Singer, who landed in New York, NY in 1816 3
Frederick Singer, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1836 3
Francis Singer, who arrived in Somerset County, Pennsylvania in 1840 3
Simon Singer, aged 24, who landed in America in 1846 3
Johann Nepomuk Singer, who landed in New York, NY in 1852 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Singer Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Oscar Singer, who arrived in New York, NY in 1913 3
Carolina Singer, aged 20, who arrived in New York, NY in 1913 3

Singer migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Singer Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

Andreas Singer, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1902
Christian Singer, aged 33, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1902
Heinrich Singer, aged 9, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1902
Magdalena Singer, aged 7, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1902
Paulina Singer, aged 2, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1902
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Singer migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Singer Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. John Singer, (b. 1790), aged 30, English carpenter who was convicted in Wiltshire, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Earl St Vincent" on 6th April 1820, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 4
Mr. William Singer, English convict who was convicted in Maidstone, Kent, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Equestrian" on 30th June 1845, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Island) 5
John Singer, English Convict from Somerset, who was transported aboard the "Aboukir" on December 24, 1851, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 6
Mr. James Singer, English convict who was convicted in Derby, Derbyshire, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Fairlie" on 9th Mary 1852, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Island) 7

Singer migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Singer Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

William Singer, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1840
Mr. Singer, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "John Wesley" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 26th January 1852 8
Mrs. Singer, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "John Wesley" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 26th January 1852 8

Contemporary Notables of the name Singer (post 1700) +

Isaac Merritt Singer (1811-1875), American inventor, actor, and entrepreneur, founder of the Singer Sewing Machine Company; he built Oldway Mansion, Paignton, Devon
Harold Joseph Singer (1919-2020), also known as Hal "Cornbread" Singer, an American R&B and jazz bandleader and saxophonist, the last surviving male survivor of the Tulsa race massacre
Seymour Jonathan Singer (1924-2017), American cell biologist and professor of biology, emeritus, at the University of California, San Diego
Abner E. "Abby" Singer (1917-2014), American five-time Primetime Emmy Award nominated production manager and assistant director
Kyle Singer (b. 1980), American soccer goalkeeper
Winnaretta Singer (1865-1943), Princesse Edmond de Polignac, an American musical patron, heir to the Singer sewing machine fortune
Marc Singer (b. 1948), Canadian-born, American actor, best known for his roles in the Beastmaster film series
Isaac Bashevis Singer (1902-1991), Polish-born, Jewish-American author
Isadore Manuel Singer (b. 1924), American mathematics professor awarded the Abel Prize in 2004
Burns Singer (1928-1964), American poet and marine biologist
... (Another 36 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Singer family +

Empress of Ireland

Mr. Joseph Edward Singer (1893-1914), English Assistant Steward from Liverpool, England, United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 9

HMAS Sydney II

Mr. Michael Morgan Singer (1909-1941), English Lieutenant-Commander from Stoke, Staffordshire, England, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 10

Triangle Waist Company

Miss Ida Singer, American worker who was at Triangle Waist Company factory at the Asch building in Greenwich Village on the 25th March 1911 when fire broke out; she survived the fire 11

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 10th September 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-st-vincent
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 9th May 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/equestrian
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 18) Aboukir voyage to Van Diemen's Land and Norfolk Island. [These convicts appear to have all landed in Van Diemen's Land], Australia in 1851 with 280 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/aboukir/1851
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 26th September 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fairlie
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire (retrieved on 3rd August 2021.) Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangle_Shirtwaist_Factory_fire