The English surname of Singleton comes from the Old English term ‘sengel’ which means a farm in the burnt clearing. Variations on the spelling of Singleton include Shingleton and Singleturn. The Singleton surname originated in Lancashire and Sussex counties in England. In Yorkshire county many Singleton families reside. In Scotland Singleton families primarily lived in Lanarkshire and Ayrshire. The southern states of the United States have the higher populations of Singleton families, especially in Georgia and South Carolina. Famous: Dave Singleton (writer), Chris Singleton (Irish musician), Henry Singleton (co-founder of Teledyne), Sandy Singleton (cricket player from England), Penny Singleton (actress), John Singleton (film director and producer) and Alvin Singleton (music composer).