NameCensus.

UK surname

Drayton

From an English place name meaning "dry town," referring to a location with well-drained soil.

In the 1881 census there were 1,039 people recorded with the Drayton surname, ranking it #3,777 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,364, ranked #4,417, down from #3,777 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Shrewsbury St Chad, Wroxeter, Atcham, Berrington, Newchurch and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Lincolnshire, West Lindsey and Derby.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Drayton is 1,462 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.3%.

1881 census count

1,039

Ranked #3,777

Modern count

1,364

2016, ranked #4,417

Peak year

2002

1,462 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Drayton had 1,039 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,777 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,364 in 2016, ranked #4,417.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,401 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Drayton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Drayton surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Drayton 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 741 #3,555
1861 historical 761 #3,595
1881 historical 1,039 #3,777
1891 historical 1,126 #3,770
1901 historical 1,303 #3,830
1911 historical 1,401 #3,448
1997 modern 1,417 #4,101
1998 modern 1,434 #4,200
1999 modern 1,448 #4,198
2000 modern 1,460 #4,151
2001 modern 1,424 #4,162
2002 modern 1,462 #4,150
2003 modern 1,412 #4,196
2004 modern 1,401 #4,222
2005 modern 1,348 #4,314
2006 modern 1,347 #4,322
2007 modern 1,376 #4,287
2008 modern 1,374 #4,320
2009 modern 1,397 #4,338
2010 modern 1,430 #4,336
2011 modern 1,412 #4,334
2012 modern 1,383 #4,342
2013 modern 1,398 #4,376
2014 modern 1,394 #4,408
2015 modern 1,378 #4,406
2016 modern 1,364 #4,417

Geography

Back to top

Where Draytons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Shrewsbury St Chad, Wroxeter, Atcham, Berrington, Newchurch, London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Haydon. 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, Derby, Forest Heath and Hart. 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 Shrewsbury St Chad, Wroxeter, Atcham, Berrington Shropshire
2 Newchurch Hampshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
5 Haydon Hertfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Lincolnshire 020 North Lincolnshire
2 West Lindsey 004 West Lindsey
3 Derby 026 Derby
4 Forest Heath 008 Forest Heath
5 Hart 011 Hart

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Drayton

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Drayton

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Drayton is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Drayton 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

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

Meaning and origin of Drayton

The surname Drayton originates from England, with records dating back to the 11th century. It is a locational name, derived from the place name "Drayton," which means "dry or parched town" in Old English. The name is found in various counties across England, including Staffordshire, Shropshire, and Oxfordshire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Drayton is in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions several landowners with this surname. The Domesday Book was a comprehensive survey of landowners and estates in England, commissioned by William the Conqueror.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire and the Pipe Rolls of Shropshire. The earliest recorded spelling of the name was "de Draitone," which later evolved into the modern spelling of "Drayton."

Notable individuals with the surname Drayton include Michael Drayton (1563-1631), an English poet and playwright, known for his works "Poly-Olbion" and "The Barons' Wars." He is considered one of the most significant poets of the Elizabethan era.

Another prominent figure was William Drayton (1733-1790), a prominent American planter, lawyer, and politician from South Carolina. He was a member of the Continental Congress and a signatory of the Articles of Confederation.

In the 16th century, the surname Drayton was associated with several place names, such as Drayton Bassett in Staffordshire, Drayton Beauchamp in Buckinghamshire, and Drayton Parslow in Buckinghamshire.

Other notable individuals with the surname Drayton include:

1. Henry Drayton (c. 1564-1644), an English clergyman and author. 2. John Drayton (1766-1822), an American politician and judge from South Carolina. 3. Percival Drayton (1812-1865), an American naval officer who served in the Confederate States Navy during the American Civil War. 4. Thomas Drayton (c. 1618-1692), an English-born landowner and politician in Virginia. 5. William Henry Drayton (1742-1779), an American politician and jurist from South Carolina, known for his role in the American Revolutionary War.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Drayton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Drayton 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 256 Draytons recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.59x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 256 15.59x
Middlesex 121 1.18x
Somerset 96 5.81x
Yorkshire 76 0.75x
Hampshire 53 2.52x
Shropshire 43 4.85x
Dorset 34 5.04x
Nottinghamshire 34 2.46x
Devon 33 1.54x
Surrey 33 0.66x
Cambridgeshire 29 4.46x
Essex 29 1.43x
Warwickshire 29 1.12x
Hertfordshire 19 2.68x
Glamorgan 18 1.01x
Kent 18 0.51x
Derbyshire 15 0.93x
Lancashire 14 0.11x
Staffordshire 14 0.40x
Wiltshire 14 1.54x
Channel Islands 13 4.27x
Norfolk 12 0.76x
Monmouthshire 9 1.21x
Suffolk 8 0.64x
Montgomeryshire 6 2.55x
Oxfordshire 6 0.95x
Sussex 6 0.35x
Cheshire 3 0.13x
Durham 3 0.10x
Herefordshire 3 0.71x
Berkshire 2 0.26x
Gloucestershire 2 0.10x
Cornwall 1 0.09x
Royal Navy 1 0.82x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ashby in Lincolnshire leads with 35 Draytons recorded in 1881 and an index of 680.93x.

Place Total Index
Ashby 35 680.93x
Ryde 32 70.75x
Great Grimsby 28 26.86x
Shrewsbury St Chad 23 73.84x
Tottenham 21 12.84x
Edmonton 20 24.17x
Heydon 18 2000.00x
Barrington 17 1156.46x
Aston 15 2.10x
Birmingham 14 1.62x
Camberwell 14 2.13x
Gainsborough 14 36.16x
Nottingham St Mary 14 3.91x
Isleham 13 217.76x
Great Torrington 12 99.01x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 12 25.31x
Maiden Bradley 12 571.43x
Wyke Regis 12 124.10x
Barley 11 504.59x
March 11 50.48x
Melcombe Regis 11 39.37x
Montacute 11 363.04x
Holy Trinity 10 4.08x
Scotter 10 265.96x
Stoke Newington London 10 12.50x
Belton 9 134.93x
Darlaston 9 18.78x
Exeter St David 9 49.26x
Sheffield 9 2.78x
Derby St Werburgh 8 8.62x
Newport 8 22.59x
Oswestry Rural 8 58.82x
Saxby In Glanford Brigg 8 695.65x
St Giles In Fields London 8 15.88x
Styrrup 8 388.35x
Bow London 7 5.35x
Drayton 7 472.97x
Frodingham 7 119.66x
Grasby 7 482.76x
Kensington London 7 1.23x
Waddingham 7 278.88x
Bucknell 6 645.16x
Chevet 6 1764.71x
Crewkerne 6 34.17x
Frithelstock 6 303.03x
Glanford Brigg 6 102.39x
Hibaldstow 6 213.52x
Lambeth 6 0.67x
Little Hadham 6 200.00x
Nettleton 6 355.03x
Newmarket St Mary 6 62.50x
Pool 6 33.80x
Saffron Walden 6 28.01x
Shalfleet 6 147.78x
Sherborne 6 30.21x
Shoreditch London 6 1.35x
Snenton 6 11.03x
St Pancras London 6 0.73x
Taunton St Mary 6 19.77x
Welton 6 250.00x
Welton Melton 6 202.02x
Yeovil 6 17.86x
Bagmore Burton By 5 450.45x
Barrow On Humber 5 52.47x
Barton St Peter 5 66.40x
Bridport 5 36.02x
Garthorpe 5 252.53x
Gedney 5 74.52x
Heeley 5 16.17x
Kelstern 5 819.67x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 5 19.48x
Liss 5 116.82x
Nettleham 5 148.37x
Sandal Magna 5 33.22x
Scawby 5 92.08x
St Brelade 5 63.86x
St Clement Danes London 5 23.52x
Walcot 5 5.68x
Winterton 5 88.65x
Wrawby 5 112.61x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 71
John 59
George 49
Thomas 34
James 33
Henry 23
Joseph 20
Charles 18
Edward 18
Richard 13
Samuel 13
Robert 12
Frank 11
Walter 11
Alfred 9
Albert 6
Arthur 6
Ernest 5
Frederick 5
Harry 5
Herbert 5
Saml. 4
Tom 3
Ambrose 2
Claude 2
Earnest 2
Edgar 2
Elijah 2
Enoch 2
Francis 2
Frederic 2
J. 2
Josiah 2
Lewis 2
Percy 2
Philip 2
Reuben 2
Sidney 2
Vincent 2
W. 2
Willie 2
Wm. 2
Authar 1
Bayley 1
David 1
Douglas 1
Ebenezer 1
Edmund 1
Harold 1
Wm.A. 1

FAQ

Drayton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Drayton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,039 people were recorded with the Drayton surname. That placed it at #3,777 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Drayton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,364 in 2016. That gives Drayton a modern rank of #4,417.

What does the Drayton surname mean?

From an English place name meaning "dry town," referring to a location with well-drained soil.

What does the Drayton map show?

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