2022 in UK Google Searches
As 2022 comes to a close, Google has released the UK’s biggest trending searches over the past 12 months.
The data reveals the questions we shared, the people who inspired us, the movies we wanted to see and more.
There was a massive difference in searches between 2022 and the previous year – which was marked with questions about lockdowns, Covid and vaccines.
There was only one Covid-related search in the top 10’s – as Brits asked about ‘omicron symptoms’. This year’s searches had a lot of questions relating to the Queen’s death, the World Cup and apparently, a lot of Britons really wanted to know how old Diana Ross is – it comes in at number 5 on the UK’s most searched questions.
Stranger Things dominated our TV searches, and the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard trial appeared to have dominated the celebrity news.
Here’s what was on Britain’s minds over 2022.
2022 UK Google searches – the top 10
The top UK searches of 2022 include Queen Elizabeth’s death and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It’s a stark contrast to last year’s searches which were largely lockdown and Covid related.
Searches
- Wordle
- World Cup
- Queen Elizabeth
- Ukraine
- Lateral flow test
- Mason Greenwood
- Russia
- Quordle
- Jeffery Dahmer
- Johnny Depp
The top 10 questions from the UK are dominated by the Queen’s passing. The monarch died at the age of 96 in Scotland back in September. Her son Prince Charles became King. It was a massive news story that dominated the globe for many weeks.
Questions
- Is the Queen dead?
- When is the Queen’s funeral?
- Why is Russia invading Ukraine?
- Where will the Queen be buried?
- How old is Diana Ross?
- What happens when the Queen dies?
- When is Father’s Day?
- When does the World Cup start?
- What is NATO?
- How did Jamal Edwards die?
The Queen’s death tops the news events category, and Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s messy trial also features in several UK searches. The train strikes and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine also make the news events list.
News Events
- Queen Elizabeth passing
- Ukraine
- Monkeypox
- Storm Eunice
- NATO
- Omicron symptoms
- Johnny Depp Amber Heard
- Train strikes
- Elizabeth Line
- Cost of living payments
Manchester United footballer Mason Greenwood tops the most googled people list. Greenwood was arrested on suspicion of raping and assaulting a woman, and a few days later on suspicion of sexual assault and threats to kill. In October 2022 for attempted rape, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and controlling and coercive behaviour.
Footballer Christian Eriksen dominated the 2021 list following his health emergency in the Euros.
People
- Mason Greenwood
- Johnny Depp
- Will Smith
- Liz Truss
- Amber Heard
- Rishi Sunak
- Penny Mordaunt
- Vladimir Putin
- Diana Ross
- Chris Moyles
The top actor’s list is not surprising, both Johnny Depp and Amber Heard were locked in a highly publicised legal case this year and Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith and Chris Rock are all tangled in the Oscar’s slap controversy.
Actors
- Johnny Depp
- Will Smith
- Amber Heard
- Chris Rock
- Jada Pinkett Smith
- Joseph Quinn
- Ncuti Gatwa
- Andrew Garfield
- Evan Peters
- Luke Evans
Diana Ross dominates the musicians list – with many asking how old the American singer is. Ross performed at the Party At The Palace in June to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Musicians
- Diana Ross
- Boy George
- Kate Bush
- Sam Ryder
- Mika
- Adam Levine
- Tommy Lee
- Matt Goss
- Brenda Edwards
- Darius
The top 10 film searches include Encanto and The Batman, compared to last year which was Dune and Black Widow. Both years see a high number of superhero movies in the top searches.
Films
- Encanto
- The Batman
- Uncharted
- Thor: Love and Thunder
- Black Adam
- Top Gun
- Everything Everywhere All At Once
- G.I Jane
- Jurassic World Dominion
- Morbius
It’s not surprising that the much-loved Netflix show Stranger Things dominates this list. Last year it was another Netflix show – the Squid Game topped the most searched TV shows in the UK.
TV
- Stranger Things
- The Watcher
- Stay Close
- The Tourist
- Euphoria
- House of Dragon
- Inventing Anna
- I’m a celeb
- Dahmer
- Moon Knight
Of course, the World Cup dominates the sports list – even though it only finished a week or so ago. But this is a UK list and there’ll be a lot of footballing searches in many different categories. The Euros, Premier League and Champions League dominated 2021 whereas the Women’s Euros, AFCON, World Cup and Nations League find space in the 2022 list.
Sport
- World Cup
- Australian Open
- Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON)
- UEFA Nations League
- Winter Olympics 2022
- Rugby League World Cup
- Women’s Euro
- Indian Wells
- Asia Cup
- Commonwealth Games
2021 Google searches
Look back on the top searches of 2021 and see how it compares with 2022.
Google reveals UK’s most popular searches of 2021 including Matt Hancock and Squid Game
