NameCensus.

UK surname

Draisey

An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "meadow or clearing on a hill".

In the 1881 census there were 83 people recorded with the Draisey surname, ranking it #21,808 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 296, ranked #14,882, up from #21,808 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Acton and Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swansea, Oxford and Wolverhampton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Draisey is 352 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 256.6%.

1881 census count

83

Ranked #21,808

Modern count

296

2016, ranked #14,882

Peak year

1999

352 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Draisey had 83 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,808 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 296 in 2016, ranked #14,882.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 244 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Draisey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Draisey surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Draisey 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 59 #22,756
1861 historical 53 #27,253
1881 historical 83 #21,808
1891 historical 125 #20,713
1901 historical 207 #14,803
1911 historical 244 #13,127
1997 modern 317 #13,053
1998 modern 346 #12,630
1999 modern 352 #12,552
2000 modern 342 #12,771
2001 modern 323 #13,083
2002 modern 332 #13,090
2003 modern 328 #13,026
2004 modern 317 #13,400
2005 modern 300 #13,837
2006 modern 299 #13,949
2007 modern 304 #13,927
2008 modern 306 #13,943
2009 modern 320 #13,796
2010 modern 313 #14,289
2011 modern 313 #14,200
2012 modern 294 #14,705
2013 modern 305 #14,577
2014 modern 298 #14,911
2015 modern 298 #14,832
2016 modern 296 #14,882

Geography

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Where Draiseys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Acton, Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Swansea, Oxford, Wolverhampton, Barnsley and The Vale of Glamorgan. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Acton Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
3 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
4 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
5 East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Swansea 016 Swansea
2 Oxford 007 Oxford
3 Wolverhampton 029 Wolverhampton
4 Barnsley 028 Barnsley
5 The Vale of Glamorgan 009 Vale of Glamorgan

Forenames

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First names often paired with Draisey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Draisey

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Draisey, 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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Draisey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Draisey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Draisey is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Draisey is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Draisey falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Draisey 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 Draisey, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Draisey

The surname Draisey originated in England, specifically in the county of Yorkshire, during the Middle Ages. Its roots can be traced back to the Old English words "dræge" and "eg," meaning "to draw" and "island" or "dry ground surrounded by water or marsh," respectively. This suggests that the name Draisey may have referred to someone who lived near an island or a piece of land surrounded by water or marshland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Draisey can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Dragheseg." This entry suggests that the name was already well-established in Yorkshire by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, a notable bearer of the name was Sir Richard Draisey, a knight who fought in the Battle of Evesham in 1265 during the Second Barons' War. He was born around 1230 and died in 1290.

During the 14th century, the name Draisey appeared in various records with different spellings, such as "Draghesey," "Draghesaye," and "Draysey." These variations reflect the fluid nature of spelling conventions during that time period.

In the 15th century, a prominent figure with the name Draisey was John Draisey, a wealthy merchant from York who was actively involved in the city's trade with the continent. He lived from 1420 to 1492.

In the 16th century, the name Draisey was associated with a place called Draiseyland, a small hamlet near the village of Seamer in North Yorkshire. This place name likely derived from the surname Draisey and reinforced the connection between the name and the Yorkshire region.

Another notable bearer of the name was Thomas Draisey, a member of the English Parliament who represented the borough of Northallerton in Yorkshire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He was born in 1545 and died in 1612.

Throughout history, the surname Draisey has maintained a strong presence in Yorkshire, particularly in the areas around York and the North Riding of Yorkshire. While it is not a widely common name, it has endured as a distinct Yorkshire surname with a rich and long-standing history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Draisey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Draisey 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. Gloucestershire leads with 25 Draiseys recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.94x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 25 15.94x
Middlesex 17 2.13x
Staffordshire 17 6.30x
Yorkshire 8 1.01x
Derbyshire 7 5.59x
Glamorgan 4 2.87x
Somerset 4 3.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Acton in Middlesex leads with 15 Draiseys recorded in 1881 and an index of 319.83x.

Place Total Index
Acton 15 319.83x
Stoke Upon Trent 12 41.91x
Cheltenham 7 57.85x
Chesterfield 6 127.93x
Flaxley 6 1714.29x
Bilston 5 95.60x
Hoyland Nether 5 257.73x
Bristol St George 4 55.10x
Llantrisant 4 113.96x
Lyncombe Widcombe 4 118.69x
Morley 3 72.82x
Kensington London 2 4.50x
Little Dean 2 869.57x
Thornbury 2 186.92x
Clifton 1 12.61x
Kingswood 1 384.62x
Litchurch 1 19.84x
Newnham 1 250.00x
Tidenham Beachley 1 588.24x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 5
Eliza 3
Hannah 3
Sarah 3
Ellen 2
Mary 2
Alice 1
Anna 1
Annie 1
Bessie 1
Charlotte 1
Dinah 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Georgina 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Lily 1
Margerett 1
Rhoda 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 7
John 5
Charles 3
Edwin 3
Henry 3
James 3
Alfred 2
Daniel 2
Frederick 2
George 2
Maurice 2
Thomas 2
Albert 1
Ambrose 1
Amos 1
Charlie 1
David 1
Lawford 1
Lewin 1
Ralph 1
Samuel 1
Samul 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
Winter 1

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 Draisey households.

FAQ

Draisey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Draisey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 83 people were recorded with the Draisey surname. That placed it at #21,808 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Draisey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 296 in 2016. That gives Draisey a modern rank of #14,882.

What does the Draisey surname mean?

An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "meadow or clearing on a hill".

What does the Draisey map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Draisey 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.