NameCensus.

UK surname

Drakes

An English surname derived from the Old English word "draca" meaning dragon.

In the 1881 census there were 280 people recorded with the Drakes surname, ranking it #10,202 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 338, ranked #13,533, down from #10,202 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ludford Magna, Ludford Parve, Gainsborough, Paddocks and Six Hills. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Lincolnshire, West Lindsey and Coventry.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Drakes is 408 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 20.7%.

1881 census count

280

Ranked #10,202

Modern count

338

2016, ranked #13,533

Peak year

2000

408 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Drakes had 280 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,202 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 338 in 2016, ranked #13,533.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 342 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Drakes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Drakes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Drakes 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 154 #12,668
1861 historical 265 #9,355
1881 historical 280 #10,202
1891 historical 288 #11,450
1901 historical 332 #10,863
1911 historical 342 #10,445
1997 modern 387 #11,275
1998 modern 407 #11,212
1999 modern 401 #11,422
2000 modern 408 #11,232
2001 modern 381 #11,637
2002 modern 389 #11,667
2003 modern 383 #11,614
2004 modern 380 #11,717
2005 modern 371 #11,842
2006 modern 368 #11,990
2007 modern 362 #12,271
2008 modern 363 #12,359
2009 modern 379 #12,224
2010 modern 369 #12,726
2011 modern 368 #12,631
2012 modern 358 #12,724
2013 modern 352 #13,130
2014 modern 355 #13,125
2015 modern 342 #13,396
2016 modern 338 #13,533

Geography

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Where Drakes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ludford Magna, Ludford Parve, Gainsborough, Paddocks, Six Hills, Barton St Peter and St Mary and Grimsby, Great. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Lincolnshire, West Lindsey and Coventry. 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 Ludford Magna, Ludford Parve Lincolnshire
2 Gainsborough, Paddocks Lincolnshire
3 Six Hills Lincolnshire
4 Barton St Peter and St Mary Lincolnshire
5 Grimsby, Great Lincolnshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Lincolnshire 020 North Lincolnshire
2 West Lindsey 003 West Lindsey
3 Coventry 036 Coventry
4 North Lincolnshire 003 North Lincolnshire
5 North Lincolnshire 011 North Lincolnshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Drakes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Drakes

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Drakes, 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 Drakes surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Drakes 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

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Drakes is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Drakes is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Drakes falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Drakes is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Drakes

The surname DRAKES is of English origin and can be traced back to the early medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "draca", meaning dragon or serpent. This name likely originated as a descriptive nickname or occupational name for someone who worked with or displayed the image of a dragon, such as a standard bearer or heraldic artist.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the DRAKES surname appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name is listed as "Draco", which was the Latin form of the word at the time.

In the 13th century, the name is found in various records spelled as "Drake", "Drakes", and "Drak". During this period, the surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Devon and Somerset in southwestern England, where it may have been associated with specific place names or local landmarks bearing the dragon symbol.

One notable bearer of the DRAKES surname was Sir Francis Drake (c. 1540-1596), the renowned English sea captain, navigator, and explorer. He was the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe and played a crucial role in the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588.

Another significant figure was Sir William Drake (1545-1617), a distant cousin of Sir Francis Drake, who served as a naval administrator and politician. He was appointed the Mayor of Plymouth in 1596 and later became a Member of Parliament.

In the literary world, Nathan Drake (1766-1836) was an English essayist, physician, and writer known for his works on Shakespeare and his contributions to literary criticism.

During the 18th century, the DRAKES surname was also associated with the Drake family of Ashe, a prominent English landed gentry family based in Devon. Notable members included Sir Francis Henry Drake (1723-1794), a British naval officer and baronet, and Sir Francis William Drake (1788-1854), a British politician and baronet.

As the name spread across England and later to other parts of the British Isles and beyond, variations in spelling emerged, including Drackes, Draikes, and Draykes. However, the core meaning and connection to the dragon or serpent symbol remained consistent throughout its history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Drakes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Drakes 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. Lincolnshire leads with 204 Drakes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 46.72x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 204 46.72x
Yorkshire 20 0.74x
Middlesex 11 0.40x
Hampshire 8 1.43x
Nottinghamshire 7 1.90x
Kent 6 0.64x
Lancashire 6 0.19x
Essex 5 0.93x
Cornwall 4 1.29x
Sussex 4 0.87x
Derbyshire 2 0.47x
Flintshire 1 1.36x
Huntingdonshire 1 1.84x
Leicestershire 1 0.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Belton in Lincolnshire leads with 42 Drakes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2372.88x.

Place Total Index
Belton 42 2372.88x
Market Rasen 16 655.74x
Hainton 14 5000.00x
West Rasen 10 4347.83x
Glentworth 9 2647.06x
Christchurch 8 65.90x
Great Grimsby 8 28.86x
Hackney London 8 5.22x
Sixhills 8 5000.00x
Usselby 8 16000.00x
Barton St Mary 7 319.63x
Nettleham 7 777.78x
Barton St Mary St Peter 6 740.74x
Gainsborough 6 58.25x
Greasley 6 72.20x
Ludford Magna 6 1621.62x
Sutton Stoneferry 6 77.52x
Tealby 6 983.61x
Crowle 5 187.97x
East Torrington 5 4166.67x
Hornchurch 5 189.39x
Woolwich 5 14.52x
Cold Hanworth 4 5000.00x
Crosby Gunness West 4 1818.18x
Hove 4 19.79x
Crosby 3 30000.00x
Frodingham 3 192.31x
Greenhill 3 15000.00x
Kingstonupon Hull 3 138.25x
Messingham 3 283.02x
Morton In Lincoln 3 30000.00x
South Willingham 3 967.74x
Warbstow 3 1578.95x
Barton Upon Irwell 2 8.20x
Glossop Dale 2 9.99x
Newstead 2 3333.33x
Sheffield 2 2.32x
Somerby In Caistor 2 2222.22x
Swinderby 2 425.53x
Winteringham 2 317.46x
Appleby 1 196.08x
Bigby 1 294.12x
Blackburn 1 1.16x
Blyton 1 151.52x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 3.89x
Bow London 1 2.88x
Charterhouse London 1 77.52x
Dymeirchion 1 163.93x
Epworth 1 49.02x
Flixborough 1 454.55x
Glanford Brigg 1 64.10x
Hatfield In Thorne 1 59.17x
Hook 1 16.81x
Islington London 1 0.38x
Jacobstow 1 250.00x
Leeds 1 0.65x
Lewisham 1 2.01x
Loughborough 1 7.28x
Ludford Parva 1 312.50x
Middle Rasen 1 120.48x
Nottingham St Mary 1 1.05x
Oldham 1 0.96x
Rawmarsh 1 10.46x
Scunthorpe 1 51.02x
St Nicholas Lincoln 1 23.98x
Thornton Curtis 1 227.27x
Warboys 1 63.69x
Washingborough 1 147.06x
Windle 1 5.48x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 19
Sarah 15
Elizabeth 11
Hannah 6
Annie 5
Alice 4
Ann 4
Anne 4
Catherine 4
Eliza 4
Jane 4
Kate 3
Maria 3
Susanna 3
Emily 2
Emma 2
Fanny 2
Frances 2
Isabella 2
Mildred 2
A.L. 1
Ada 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Damaris 1
Eleanor 1
Elizbth. 1
Elizth. 1
Elones 1
Ethel 1
Florence 1
Francis 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Lavinea 1
Lucy 1
Mabel 1
Mable 1
Matilda 1
May 1
Nellie 1
Priscilla 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1
Susanne 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 25
Joseph 16
William 14
Thomas 11
George 10
Charles 6
Daniel 6
Robert 5
Arthur 4
Albert 3
Alfred 3
Herbert 3
Walter 3
Chas. 2
Edward 2
Francis 2
Frederic 2
Harry 2
Henry 2
Isaac 2
James 2
Jim 2
Algernon 1
Amos 1
Benjamin 1
Bernard 1
Burtwistle 1
Cooper 1
Coy 1
David 1
Enoch 1
Ernest 1
Ezra 1
Fletcher 1
Jabez 1
Jno. 1
Louis 1
Mawdsley 1
Moses 1
Percy 1
R. 1
Reuben 1
Richard 1
Roberet 1
Williie 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Drakes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Drakes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 280 people were recorded with the Drakes surname. That placed it at #10,202 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Drakes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 338 in 2016. That gives Drakes a modern rank of #13,533.

What does the Drakes surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old English word "draca" meaning dragon.

What does the Drakes map show?

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