Origin of the Name Singleton
The ancient history of the name
Singleton was found in the allfamilycrests.com archives. Singleton is a locality name meaning 'of Singleton', from a parish found in County Sussex. This name is of English descent and is found in many ancient manuscripts in that country. Examples of such are an Adam de Syngleton who was recorded in the 'Poll Tax' of the West Riding of Yorkshire in 1379 and a Thomas Singleton, of Shringley, who was recorded in the 'Wills at Chester' in 1616.
Names were recorded in these ancient documents to make it easier for their overlords to collect taxes and to keep records of the population at any given time. When the overlords acquired land by either force or gifts from their rulers, they created charters of ownership for themselves and their vassals. It was by creating, maintaining and updating these reference books that they were able to maintain their authority and enforce laws.
In Ireland families of this name were prominent in Counties Louth and Monaghan where they acquired estates centuries ago. Singleton is recorded in Oriel as early as 1387. A branch of the family settled in County Cork and became Gaelicized as the O'Siondhuile Sept.
The Singleton coat of arms came into existence centuries ago. The process of creating coats of arms (also often called family crests) began in the eleventh century although a form of Proto-Heraldry may have existed in some countries prior to this. The new art of Heraldry made it possible for families and even individual family members to have their very own coat of arms, including all Singleton descendants.