NameCensus.

UK surname

Dreher

An occupational surname referring to a woodturner or lathe operator.

In the 1881 census there were 32 people recorded with the Dreher surname, ranking it #29,082 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 94, ranked #31,871, down from #29,082 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Nuneaton and Bedworth, West Devon and West Dorset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dreher is 119 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 193.8%.

1881 census count

32

Ranked #29,082

Modern count

94

2016, ranked #31,871

Peak year

1998

119 bearers

Map years

1

1998 to 1998

Key insights

  • Dreher had 32 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,082 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 94 in 2016, ranked #31,871.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 49 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Dreher surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dreher surname density by area, 1998 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dreher 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
1861 historical 17 #31,714
1881 historical 32 #29,082
1891 historical 38 #31,330
1901 historical 44 #29,276
1911 historical 49 #27,894
1997 modern 101 #26,774
1998 modern 119 #24,918
1999 modern 118 #25,227
2000 modern 104 #27,150
2001 modern 105 #26,620
2002 modern 108 #26,698
2003 modern 97 #28,217
2004 modern 96 #28,605
2005 modern 94 #28,973
2006 modern 94 #29,264
2007 modern 95 #29,493
2008 modern 104 #28,341
2009 modern 104 #28,982
2010 modern 107 #29,153
2011 modern 101 #29,938
2012 modern 93 #31,409
2013 modern 95 #31,523
2014 modern 96 #31,667
2015 modern 99 #31,168
2016 modern 94 #31,871

Geography

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Where Drehers 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 Nuneaton and Bedworth, West Devon, West Dorset, Boston and Ipswich. 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 Nuneaton and Bedworth 012 Nuneaton and Bedworth
2 West Devon 004 West Devon
3 West Dorset 010 West Dorset
4 Boston 001 Boston
5 Ipswich 002 Ipswich

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dreher

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dreher

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

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Dreher surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Dreher 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 is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Dreher is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Dreher 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

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

Meaning and origin of Dreher

The surname Dreher is of German origin, derived from the Middle High German word "dreher" meaning "turner" or "one who turns". This name likely originated as an occupational surname referring to someone who worked as a turner, crafting wooden objects such as bowls, furniture, and other household items.

Historically, the name Dreher can be traced back to the 14th century in various regions of Germany, including Bavaria, Saxony, and Silesia. In the 15th century, records show the name spelled as "Dreyer" or "Dreier" in some areas.

One of the earliest documented references to the name Dreher can be found in the Bavarian State Archives, which mentions a Johann Dreher from the town of Nürnberg in 1487. Another notable early record is the mention of a Hans Dreher in the city of Leipzig in 1502.

In the 16th century, the surname Dreher appeared in several German town records and church registers. For instance, a Christoph Dreher was born in Naumburg in 1543, and a Matthias Dreher was recorded in the town of Kulmbach in 1578.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals bearing the surname Dreher. One of the earliest was Johannes Dreher (1491-1565), a German theologian and reformer who worked alongside Martin Luther during the Protestant Reformation.

Another notable Dreher was Johann Philipp Dreher (1625-1692), a German jurist and legal scholar who served as a professor at the University of Tübingen. In the 18th century, Johann Samuel Dreher (1751-1824) gained recognition as a German theologian and author.

In the field of music, Johann Baptist Dreher (1824-1894) was a renowned German composer and conductor who served as the director of the Court Opera in Vienna. Additionally, Gustav Dreher (1859-1940) was a prominent German entrepreneur and co-founder of the Dreher Breweries.

These are just a few examples of individuals bearing the surname Dreher who have made significant contributions throughout history in various fields, highlighting the rich heritage and legacy of this German surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dreher families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dreher 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. Derbyshire leads with 20 Drehers recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.94x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 20 40.94x
Gloucestershire 5 8.17x
Lancashire 4 1.08x
Middlesex 3 0.96x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Derby St Peter in Derbyshire leads with 20 Drehers recorded in 1881 and an index of 1282.05x.

Place Total Index
Derby St Peter 20 1282.05x
Bristol St James St Paul 5 245.10x
Pendleton In Salford 4 90.70x
Mile End Old Town London 2 30.12x
St Marylebone London 1 6.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Alice 2
Elizabeth 2
Emma 2
Margaret 2
Maria 2
Mary 2
Amelia 1
Ann 1
Charlotte 1
Eliza 1
Emilie 1
Harriet 1
Jane 1
Julia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 4
George 2
Henry 2
Gottlob 1
Infant 1
Thomas 1
William 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 Dreher households.

FAQ

Dreher surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dreher surname in 1881?

In 1881, 32 people were recorded with the Dreher surname. That placed it at #29,082 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dreher surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 94 in 2016. That gives Dreher a modern rank of #31,871.

What does the Dreher surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a woodturner or lathe operator.

What does the Dreher map show?

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