NameCensus.

UK surname

Dragon

A nickname-derived surname referring to a fierce or brave person, or one with a connection to the creature.

In the 1881 census there were 22 people recorded with the Dragon surname, ranking it #30,464 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 153, ranked #23,408, up from #30,464 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Purbeck, Hillingdon and Rugby.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dragon is 153 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 595.5%.

1881 census count

22

Ranked #30,464

Modern count

153

2016, ranked #23,408

Peak year

2016

153 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dragon had 22 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,464 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 153 in 2016, ranked #23,408.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 38 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Dragon surname distribution map

The map shows where the Dragon surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Dragon surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dragon over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 7 #32,070
1861 historical 38 #29,216
1881 historical 22 #30,464
1891 historical 15 #32,956
1901 historical 30 #30,724
1911 historical 32 #29,838
1997 modern 89 #28,490
1998 modern 89 #29,026
1999 modern 90 #29,056
2000 modern 90 #29,068
2001 modern 88 #29,056
2002 modern 82 #30,181
2003 modern 80 #30,425
2004 modern 81 #30,569
2005 modern 78 #31,058
2006 modern 78 #31,385
2007 modern 87 #30,666
2008 modern 90 #30,567
2009 modern 95 #30,393
2010 modern 95 #31,000
2011 modern 104 #29,424
2012 modern 112 #28,174
2013 modern 119 #27,541
2014 modern 129 #26,352
2015 modern 139 #24,956
2016 modern 153 #23,408

Geography

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Where Dragons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Purbeck, Hillingdon, Rugby and Cornwall. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Purbeck 005 Purbeck
2 Hillingdon 028 Hillingdon
3 Rugby 005 Rugby
4 Cornwall 051 Cornwall
5 Purbeck 006 Purbeck

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dragon

These lists show first names that appear often with the Dragon surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dragon

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Dragon, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Dragon surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Dragon household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Dragon is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Dragon is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Dragon falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dragon is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Dragon, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Dragon

The surname DRAGON has its origins in England, with records dating back to the Middle Ages. The name is derived from the Old English word "draca," which means "dragon" or "serpent." It is believed that the name was initially given as a nickname to someone who was fierce or formidable in battle, or perhaps to someone who bore a dragon symbol on their coat of arms.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the DRAGON surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Drago." This suggests that the name was already established in England by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the DRAGON surname began to spread across various regions of England, with variations in spelling such as "Dragoun" and "Dragone." These variations reflect the way the name was pronounced and recorded by local scribes.

In the 15th century, a notable figure bearing the DRAGON surname was Sir William Dragon, a knight who fought alongside Henry V at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. Sir William's bravery and valor on the battlefield likely contributed to the prestige associated with the DRAGON name.

Another prominent individual was John Dragon, a wealthy merchant who lived in London during the 16th century. He is mentioned in several historical records, including the City of London's archives, where his name appears in connection with various business transactions and property ownership.

The DRAGON surname can also be found in the historical records of Warwickshire, where a family by the name of Dragon resided in the village of Stratford-upon-Avon during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. This coincides with the lifetime of William Shakespeare, leading some to speculate that the playwright may have been familiar with the DRAGON family.

In the 18th century, a notable bearer of the DRAGON surname was Sir John Dragon, a member of the British Royal Navy. He served with distinction during the Seven Years' War and was later appointed as the Governor of Newfoundland in 1765.

Throughout its history, the DRAGON surname has been associated with strength, courage, and a formidable presence, reflecting the symbolic meaning of the dragon in English folklore and heraldry.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dragon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dragon surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Hampshire leads with 15 Dragons recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.13x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 15 34.13x
Yorkshire 6 2.82x
Middlesex 1 0.47x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Southampton St Mary in Hampshire leads with 9 Dragons recorded in 1881 and an index of 326.09x.

Place Total Index
Southampton St Mary 9 326.09x
Linthorpe 6 472.44x
Southampton St Michael 5 3571.43x
Islington London 1 4.81x
Lymington 1 312.50x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Dragon surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Ellen 2
Alice 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Emma 1
Jane 1
Rose 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Dragon surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Dragon households.

FAQ

Dragon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dragon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 22 people were recorded with the Dragon surname. That placed it at #30,464 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dragon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 153 in 2016. That gives Dragon a modern rank of #23,408.

What does the Dragon surname mean?

A nickname-derived surname referring to a fierce or brave person, or one with a connection to the creature.

What does the Dragon map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Dragon bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.