NameCensus.

UK surname

Drane

An English locational surname derived from a place meaning "drain" or "channel."

In the 1881 census there were 613 people recorded with the Drane surname, ranking it #5,735 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 753, ranked #7,270, down from #5,735 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Great and Little Sampford, London parishes and Thaxted. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kensington and Chelsea, Merthyr Tydfil and Suffolk Coastal.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Drane is 1,041 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 22.8%.

1881 census count

613

Ranked #5,735

Modern count

753

2016, ranked #7,270

Peak year

1911

1,041 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Drane had 613 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,735 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 753 in 2016, ranked #7,270.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,041 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Drane surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Drane surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Drane 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 486 #5,133
1861 historical 449 #5,764
1881 historical 613 #5,735
1891 historical 780 #5,149
1901 historical 845 #5,387
1911 historical 1,041 #4,409
1997 modern 835 #6,325
1998 modern 851 #6,432
1999 modern 843 #6,530
2000 modern 819 #6,649
2001 modern 810 #6,585
2002 modern 825 #6,611
2003 modern 780 #6,796
2004 modern 775 #6,843
2005 modern 742 #7,020
2006 modern 740 #7,061
2007 modern 753 #7,031
2008 modern 764 #6,999
2009 modern 777 #7,051
2010 modern 786 #7,129
2011 modern 777 #7,114
2012 modern 763 #7,136
2013 modern 778 #7,133
2014 modern 773 #7,190
2015 modern 764 #7,196
2016 modern 753 #7,270

Geography

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Where Dranes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Great and Little Sampford, London parishes, Thaxted and Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kensington and Chelsea, Merthyr Tydfil, Suffolk Coastal, Waverley and Babergh. 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 Great and Little Sampford Essex
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Thaxted Essex
5 Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kensington and Chelsea 017 Kensington and Chelsea
2 Merthyr Tydfil 007 Merthyr Tydfil
3 Suffolk Coastal 004 Suffolk Coastal
4 Waverley 015 Waverley
5 Babergh 011 Babergh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Drane

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Drane

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Drane surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Drane household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Drane is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Drane is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Drane 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 Drane 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 Drane, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Drane

The surname Drane is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "drán" or "dræne," meaning a small watercourse or drain. This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a topographic surname to someone who lived near a small stream or drainage channel.

One of the earliest recorded instances of this surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where it appears as "William de la Drene." This indicates that the name was originally spelled with the prefix "de la," which was a common practice for surnames derived from place names or topographic features.

Another early reference to the Drane surname is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a "John Drane" is mentioned. This spelling variation without the "de la" prefix suggests that the name had evolved and become more established as a hereditary surname by the 14th century.

The Drane surname has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Drane Farm in Gloucestershire and Drane End in Staffordshire. These locations may have been named after individuals bearing the Drane surname or vice versa, further reinforcing the topographic origins of the name.

One notable bearer of the Drane surname was John Drane (c. 1500-1573), an English clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Sarum (Salisbury) in the 16th century. Another prominent figure was Thomas Drane (1672-1748), an English architect and stonemason who designed several churches and buildings in London during the early 18th century.

In the literary realm, Reverend Augusta Theodosia Drane (1823-1894) was a notable English writer and theologian who authored several religious works, including biographies of saints and historical novels. Her most famous work was "The Life of St. Dominic," published in 1857.

The Drane surname has also been associated with notable military figures, such as Major General Thomas Drane (1780-1865), a British army officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and the Crimean War, and Admiral Sir Francis Drane (1834-1897), a Royal Navy officer who served during the Victorian era.

Overall, the surname Drane has a rich history rooted in the English countryside, reflecting the topographic features and settlements where its earliest bearers lived. While its origins date back to the Middle Ages, the name has persisted through various spellings and has been carried by individuals from diverse walks of life, including clergy, architects, writers, and military personnel.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Drane families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Drane 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. Essex leads with 147 Dranes recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.43x.

County Total Index
Essex 147 12.43x
Norfolk 138 14.99x
Suffolk 75 10.28x
Middlesex 72 1.20x
Lancashire 39 0.55x
Surrey 21 0.72x
Warwickshire 19 1.26x
Yorkshire 10 0.17x
Cambridgeshire 8 2.11x
Durham 8 0.45x
Hertfordshire 8 1.94x
Lincolnshire 8 0.84x
Devon 7 0.56x
Gloucestershire 7 0.60x
Berkshire 6 1.33x
Kent 6 0.29x
Lanarkshire 6 0.31x
Staffordshire 6 0.30x
Ayrshire 5 1.12x
Hampshire 5 0.41x
Renfrewshire 3 0.65x
Cheshire 2 0.15x
Glamorgan 2 0.19x
Leicestershire 2 0.30x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.28x
Royal Navy 1 1.40x
Somerset 1 0.10x
Sussex 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Sampford in Essex leads with 31 Dranes recorded in 1881 and an index of 2440.94x.

Place Total Index
Great Sampford 31 2440.94x
Thaxted 28 714.29x
Little Sampford 24 3428.57x
Heigham 23 46.53x
West Derby 12 5.77x
Aston 11 2.64x
Gissing 11 1182.80x
Wandsworth 11 19.08x
Chelsea London 10 5.54x
Pulham St Mary Virgin 10 591.72x
Yelverton 10 5882.35x
Great Yarmouth 9 11.80x
Aldham 8 909.09x
Dickleburgh 8 470.59x
Frodingham 8 234.60x
Fulham London 8 9.21x
Kensington London 8 2.40x
Kirton 8 620.16x
Manchester 8 2.50x
Bristol St Augustine 7 36.92x
Burgh St Peter 7 933.33x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 7 51.13x
Duxford 7 440.25x
Everton 7 3.09x
Framlingham 7 135.14x
Great Chesterford 7 374.33x
Little Henny 7 4666.67x
Aylsham 6 109.49x
Bramerton 6 1176.47x
Camberwell 6 1.57x
Hammersmith London 6 4.07x
Norwich St Benedict 6 146.34x
Saffron Walden 6 48.04x
Bethnal Green London 5 1.92x
Birtley 5 68.78x
Dalmellington 5 37.94x
Glasgow 5 1.45x
Hackney London 5 1.49x
Horringer 5 367.65x
Horton In Bradford 5 5.39x
Hoxne 5 241.55x
Ipswich St Mathew 5 24.46x
St Luke London 5 5.20x
Surlingham 5 500.00x
Bramford 4 145.99x
Broxbourne 4 48.90x
Carisbrooke 4 23.47x
Cheetham 4 7.55x
Dodworth 4 64.94x
East Barnet 4 48.84x
Gorleston 4 21.59x
North Meols 4 5.75x
Norwich St Giles 4 135.59x
Norwich St Peter 4 66.23x
Penge 4 10.45x
Thetford St Mary 4 159.36x
Tiverton 4 18.62x
White Colne 4 519.48x
Wickham Market 4 132.45x
Birdbrook 3 252.10x
Brandon Byshottles 3 13.44x
East Greenock 3 6.84x
Eccles 3 697.67x
Fordham 3 208.33x
Great Wigborough 3 545.45x
Hemley 3 1500.00x
Islington London 3 0.52x
Kirby Bedon 3 545.45x
Laxfield 3 164.84x
Leamington 3 29.97x
Little Bardfield 3 422.54x
Lowestoft 3 8.71x
Mellis 3 309.28x
Scole Cum Frenze 3 223.88x
St Marylebone London 3 0.94x
Warfield 3 73.53x
Warwick St Mary 3 22.88x
Ipswich St Lawrence 2 202.02x
Oulton 2 81.30x
Stebbing 2 87.34x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 37
John 28
James 25
George 22
Charles 20
Henry 18
Robert 16
Harry 11
Thomas 9
Walter 9
Joseph 8
Alfred 7
Albert 6
Arthur 5
Frederick 5
Samuel 5
Wm. 5
Christopher 3
Francis 3
Abraham 2
Bennett 2
Edward 2
Elijah 2
Fred 2
Fredk. 2
Geo.Walter 2
Jas. 2
Robt. 2
Simon 2
Benjamin 1
David 1
Donald 1
Earnest 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Fredk.Charles 1
Geo. 1
Harriett 1
Henery 1
Isaac 1
Lawrence 1
Lewis 1
Maurice 1
Moses 1
Nathan 1
Percy 1
Saml. 1
Sydney 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Drane surname: questions and answers

How common was the Drane surname in 1881?

In 1881, 613 people were recorded with the Drane surname. That placed it at #5,735 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Drane surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 753 in 2016. That gives Drane a modern rank of #7,270.

What does the Drane surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from a place meaning "drain" or "channel."

What does the Drane map show?

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