According to one embodiment of the present invention, a system performs a grouping operation for a database query. The system assigns data elements to groups and aggregates information for a group in response to assigning the group two or more data elements. The system passes the aggregated information for a group of two or more data elements for processing in accordance with the query, and passes information for a data element of a single-member group in a received form for processing in accordance with the query. Embodiments of the present invention further include a method and computer program product for grouping data elements in substantially the same manners described above.