Reference chart
Singer Serial Number Chart
Every Singer serial prefix we hold, with its factory, the years it was in use and a link to the original table. 65 prefixes and 266 numbered blocks, from 1850 to 1971.
Reading a serial
Two parts, two answers
The letters name the series, and with it the factory and period. The digits place your machine inside a block that Singer allotted on a known date.
Before 1900 there are no letters: the number alone is looked up in a year-by-year table.
At a glance
Prefixes in use, decade by decade
How many serial prefixes were in use in each decade, counted from the chart below. More prefixes in use usually means more factories numbering machines at the same time.
The chart
All prefixes
Filter by factory or type the first letters of your serial. Each row links to the table it came from.
| Prefix | Factory | Years in use | Period (1850–1975) | Coverage | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M | Kilbowie (Clydebank), Scotland | 1900 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| N | Elizabethport, New Jersey | 1900 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| P | Kilbowie (Clydebank), Scotland | 1900–1901 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| L | Elizabethport, New Jersey | 1901 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| K | Elizabethport, New Jersey | 1902–1904 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| R | Kilbowie (Clydebank), Scotland | 1902–1903 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| B | Elizabethport, New Jersey | 1904–1905 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| J | Kilbowie (Clydebank), Scotland | 1904–1905 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| H | Not recorded | 1906–1907 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| S | Kilbowie (Clydebank), Scotland | 1906–1907 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| C | Wittenberge | 1908 | Prefix only | ISMACS ↗ | |
| D | Elizabethport, New Jersey | 1908–1909 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| V | Kilbowie (Clydebank), Scotland | 1908–1909 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| F | Kilbowie (Clydebank), Scotland | 1910–1920 | Year table | ISMACS ↗ | |
| G | Elizabethport, New Jersey | 1910–1923 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| Y | Kilbowie (Clydebank), Scotland | 1920–1935 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| AA | Elizabethport, New Jersey | 1924–1926 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| JA | St Johns, Quebec | 1924–1936 | Prefix only | ISMACS ↗ | |
| AB | Elizabethport, New Jersey | 1926–1928 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| AC | Elizabethport, New Jersey | 1928–1930 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| AD | Elizabethport, New Jersey | 1930–1935 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| AE | Elizabethport, New Jersey | 1935–1938 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| EA | Kilbowie (Clydebank), Scotland | 1935–1937 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| SA | Bonnières-sur-Seine | 1935–1958 | Prefix only | ISMACS ↗ | |
| SB | Bonnières-sur-Seine | 1935–1958 | Prefix only | ISMACS ↗ | |
| JB | St Johns, Quebec | 1936–1948 | Prefix only | ISMACS ↗ | |
| EB | Kilbowie (Clydebank), Scotland | 1937–1939 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| AF | Elizabethport, New Jersey | 1938–1941 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| EC | Kilbowie (Clydebank), Scotland | 1939–1940 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| W | Bridgeport, Connecticut | pre-1940–1960+ | Year table | ISMACS ↗ | |
| AG | Elizabethport, New Jersey | 1941–1947 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| ED | Kilbowie (Clydebank), Scotland | 1941–1947 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| AH | Elizabethport, New Jersey | 1947–1948 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| EE | Kilbowie (Clydebank), Scotland | 1947–1949 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| AJ | Elizabethport, New Jersey | 1948–1950 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| JC | St Johns, Quebec | 1948–1954 | Prefix only | ISMACS ↗ | |
| EF | Kilbowie (Clydebank), Scotland | 1949–1950 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| AK | Elizabethport, New Jersey | 1950–1952 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| EG | Kilbowie (Clydebank), Scotland | 1950–1951 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| EH | Kilbowie (Clydebank), Scotland | 1951–1953 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| NA | Anderson, South Carolina | 1951–1959 | Prefix only | ISMACS ↗ | |
| AL | Elizabethport, New Jersey | 1952–1955 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| EJ | Kilbowie (Clydebank), Scotland | 1953–1954 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| EK | Kilbowie (Clydebank), Scotland | 1954–1956 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| JD | St Johns, Quebec | 1954–1961+ | Prefix only | ISMACS ↗ | |
| AM | Elizabethport, New Jersey | 1955–1959 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| EL | Kilbowie (Clydebank), Scotland | 1956 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| EM | Kilbowie (Clydebank), Scotland | 1956–1957 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| EN | Kilbowie (Clydebank), Scotland | 1958–1959 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| AN | Elizabethport, New Jersey | 1959–1964 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| EP | Kilbowie (Clydebank), Scotland | 1959–1960 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| NB | Anderson, South Carolina | 1959–1961 | Prefix only | ISMACS ↗ | |
| ER | Kilbowie (Clydebank), Scotland | 1960 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| ES | Kilbowie (Clydebank), Scotland | 1960–1961 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| EW | Kilbowie (Clydebank), Scotland | 1960–1970 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| ET | Kilbowie (Clydebank), Scotland | 1961–1962 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| JE | St Johns, Quebec | 1961+ | Prefix only | ISMACS ↗ | |
| NC | Anderson, South Carolina | 1961+ | Prefix only | ISMACS ↗ | |
| EV | Kilbowie (Clydebank), Scotland | 1962–1964 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| AP | Not recorded | 1964–1966 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| EX | Not recorded | 1964–1965 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| AR | Not recorded | 1967–1968 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| AS | Not recorded | 1968–1970 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ | |
| SC | Bonnières-sur-Seine | to 1968 | Prefix only | ISMACS ↗ | |
| AT | Not recorded | 1971 | Ledger ranges | ISMACS ↗ |
Dates after 1900 are the dates Singer allotted blocks of numbers, not the day a machine left the factory. Ranges sometimes overlap between years and some blocks were never used.
Before 1900
Early serial numbers without letters
Before about 1900 Singer used plain numbers. Published tables disagree in a few years, notably 1863 and 1872–1875; the ranges here follow sewalot, checked against the ISMACS pre-1900 database.
| Year | Serial range |
|---|---|
| 1850 | 1 – 100 |
| 1851 | 101 – 900 |
| 1852 | 901 – 1,711 |
| 1853 | 1,712 – 2,521 |
| 1854 | 2,522 – 3,400 |
| 1855 | 3,401 – 4,283 |
| 1856 | 4,284 – 6,847 |
| 1857 | 6,848 – 10,477 |
| 1858 | 10,478 – 14,071 |
| 1859 | 14,072 – 25,024 |
| 1860 | 25,025 – 43,000 |
| 1861 | 43,001 – 61,000 |
| 1862 | 61,001 – 79,396 |
| 1863 | 79,397 – 99,426 |
| 1864 | 99,427 – 123,058 |
| 1865 | 123,059 – 149,399 |
| 1866 | 149,400 – 180,360 |
| 1867 | 180,361 – 223,414 |
| 1868 | 223,415 – 283,044 |
| 1869 | 283,045 – 369,826 |
| 1870 | 369,827 – 497,660 |
| 1871 | 497,661 – 913,999 |
| 1872 | 914,000 – 963,999 |
| 1873 | 964,000 – 1,349,999 |
| 1874 | 1,350,000 – 1,914,999 |
| 1875 | 1,915,000 – 2,034,999 |
| 1876 | 2,035,000 – 2,154,999 |
| 1877 | 2,155,000 – 2,764,999 |
| 1878 | 2,765,000 – 2,924,999 |
| 1879 | 2,925,000 – 3,679,999 |
| 1880 | 3,680,000 – 3,939,999 |
| 1881 | 3,940,000 – 4,889,999 |
| 1882 | 4,890,000 – 5,483,999 |
| 1883 | 5,494,000 – 6,004,999 |
| 1884 | 6,005,000 – 6,524,999 |
| 1885 | 6,525,000 – 7,046,499 |
| 1886 | 7,046,500 – 7,471,599 |
| 1887 | 7,471,600 – 7,918,999 |
| 1888 | 7,919,000 – 8,615,499 |
| 1889 | 8,615,500 – 9,436,999 |
| 1890 | 9,437,000 – 9,809,999 |
| 1891 | 9,810,000 – 10,629,999 |
| 1892 | 10,630,000 – 11,338,999 |
| 1893 | 11,339,000 – 11,913,499 |
| 1894 | 11,913,500 – 12,745,499 |
| 1895 | 12,475,500 – 13,387,999 |
| 1896 | 13,388,000 – 14,047,999 |
| 1897 | 14,048,000 – 14,919,999 |
| 1898 | 14,920,000 – 15,811,499 |
| 1899 | 15,811,500 – 16,831,099 |
The factories
Where each series was made
Elizabethport, New Jersey
USASinger’s flagship US factory and the source of most American domestic machines.
Kilbowie (Clydebank), Scotland
United KingdomSinger’s Scottish works, maker of the ‘K’ models such as the 66K, 201K and 222K.
St Johns, Quebec
CanadaSinger’s Canadian factory; home of the tan 221J Featherweight.
Anderson, South Carolina
USAPost-war US plant behind the 301A and the 400/500-series slant-needles.
Bridgeport, Connecticut
USARecorded on Singer’s slide chart for the W series.
Bonnières-sur-Seine
FranceFrench factory; ISMACS notes dating is approximate as no records are known to survive.
Wittenberge
GermanyGerman factory; the C series is linked to it only indirectly in the sources.
Why aren’t the prefixes in alphabetical order by date?
Singer did not issue the letters alphabetically. ISMACS notes, for example, that the R series was issued before J, and V before F. Always look up the full serial rather than guessing from the letters.
What does ‘ledger ranges’ mean?
For these prefixes, ISMACS has transcribed Singer’s allotment ledger, which gives the exact number block and the date it was allotted. It is the most precise dating available.
Why do some prefixes show ‘prefix only’?
For some factories (for example St Johns, Anderson and Bonnières) no allotment records have been published, only the years each prefix was in use.
Why do two sources give different years for my prefix?
Singer’s summary table gives broad year ranges per prefix, while the ledgers record individual blocks. Where they differ we follow the ledger, and the lookup tells you which one it used.
My serial has a letter I can’t find in the chart.
Check the number carefully: a worn 1 can look like an I, and a 0 like an O. If it still doesn’t match, the machine may come from a factory whose records we don’t hold, such as Podolsk in Russia or Monza in Italy.
Where does this chart come from?
From ISMACS transcriptions of Singer’s records, cross-checked with sewalot and singersewinginfo. See sources and method.
Want the exact year of your machine?
Look up the full serial number and we’ll match it to the allotted block.