NameCensus.

UK surname

Drennan

An Irish toponymic surname derived from the Gaelic Ó Draighnáin, meaning "descendant of Draighnán" (a diminutive of "blackthorn").

In the 1881 census there were 403 people recorded with the Drennan surname, ranking it #7,933 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,179, ranked #5,041, up from #7,933 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Riccarton and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mid Nithsdale, Erskine East and Inchinnan and Dumfries Central.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Drennan is 1,208 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 192.6%.

1881 census count

403

Ranked #7,933

Modern count

1,179

2016, ranked #5,041

Peak year

2010

1,208 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Drennan had 403 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,933 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,179 in 2016, ranked #5,041.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 634 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Drennan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Drennan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Drennan 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 147 #13,084
1861 historical 222 #10,993
1881 historical 403 #7,933
1891 historical 523 #7,161
1901 historical 634 #6,768
1911 historical 213 #14,379
1997 modern 1,061 #5,233
1998 modern 1,103 #5,248
1999 modern 1,095 #5,299
2000 modern 1,094 #5,289
2001 modern 1,080 #5,251
2002 modern 1,138 #5,135
2003 modern 1,084 #5,242
2004 modern 1,104 #5,169
2005 modern 1,103 #5,115
2006 modern 1,114 #5,091
2007 modern 1,135 #5,049
2008 modern 1,154 #4,995
2009 modern 1,179 #5,012
2010 modern 1,208 #5,014
2011 modern 1,183 #5,048
2012 modern 1,142 #5,114
2013 modern 1,170 #5,102
2014 modern 1,172 #5,122
2015 modern 1,176 #5,061
2016 modern 1,179 #5,041

Geography

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Where Drennans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Riccarton, Glasgow, Paisley Abbey and Kilmarnock. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mid Nithsdale, Erskine East and Inchinnan, Dumfries Central, Grange, Howard and Gargieston and Calderdale. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Riccarton Ayr
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 Paisley Abbey Renfrew
5 Kilmarnock Ayr

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mid Nithsdale Dumfries and Galloway
2 Erskine East and Inchinnan Renfrewshire
3 Dumfries Central Dumfries and Galloway
4 Grange, Howard and Gargieston East Ayrshire
5 Calderdale 019 Calderdale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Drennan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Drennan

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Drennan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Drennan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Drennan is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Drennan is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Drennan falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Drennan

The surname Drennan is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic name "O'Drennain" which means "descendant of Drennan". It is believed to have originated in the ancient Dalriada region of Scotland, which encompasses parts of modern-day Argyll and Antrim.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 12th century in County Antrim, Ireland. One of the earliest documented references is in the Annals of the Four Masters, which mentions a chieftain named Niall O'Drennan in 1171.

During the medieval period, the Drennan surname was prominent in the Glens of Antrim, particularly in the areas of Glenarm and Cushendall. The name is also associated with several place names in the region, such as Drennanstown and Drennans Mill.

In the 16th century, the Drennan family played a significant role in the Irish Confederate Wars, with several members serving as officers in the Confederate Catholic forces. One notable figure was Conn O'Drennan, who led a contingent of soldiers from Antrim in the Battle of Benburbh in 1646.

During the Plantation of Ulster in the 17th century, many Drennan families were displaced from their ancestral lands and migrated to other parts of Ireland, as well as to the Americas and other British colonies. This led to the widespread distribution of the surname across various regions.

Notable individuals with the Drennan surname include:

1. William Drennan (1754-1820), an Irish physician, poet, and political radical, who co-founded the Society of United Irishmen. 2. John Drennan (1791-1866), an Irish-American merchant and philanthropist, who established the Drennan Institute in Charleston, South Carolina. 3. Ann Drennan (1809-1892), an Irish botanist and author, known for her work on algae and lichens. 4. Thomas Drennan (1809-1892), an Irish-Canadian politician and businessman, who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada. 5. Mathew Drennan (1826-1904), an Irish-American entrepreneur and industrialist, who founded the Drennan Axe and Tool Company in New York.

The Drennan surname has a rich history rooted in the ancient Gaelic traditions of Ireland and Scotland. Its prevalence throughout the centuries and its association with various historical figures and events make it a significant part of the cultural heritage of the British Isles and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Drennan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Drennan 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. Renfrewshire leads with 107 Drennans recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.95x.

County Total Index
Renfrewshire 107 34.95x
Ayrshire 81 27.40x
Lanarkshire 59 4.62x
Lancashire 50 1.07x
Yorkshire 26 0.66x
Middlesex 14 0.35x
Devon 9 1.09x
Derbyshire 8 1.29x
Roxburghshire 8 11.18x
Shropshire 8 2.34x
Midlothian 7 1.32x
Durham 6 0.51x
Dunbartonshire 4 3.77x
Fife 4 1.71x
Isle of Man 4 5.45x
Cheshire 2 0.23x
Kent 2 0.15x
Staffordshire 2 0.15x
Dumfriesshire 1 1.15x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 1.75x
Royal Navy 1 2.12x
West Lothian 1 1.68x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 29 Drennans recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.18x.

Place Total Index
Govan 29 9.18x
Paisley High Church 29 118.95x
Paisley Middle Church 20 112.23x
Barony 15 4.64x
Newton On Ayr 15 169.49x
Eastwood 14 74.23x
Lochwinnoch 13 285.09x
St Marylebone London 13 6.16x
Abbey 12 25.69x
Kilmarnock 12 34.10x
Riccarton 12 269.06x
Toxteth Park 11 6.93x
Paisley Low Church 9 92.88x
Totnes 9 187.11x
Glasgow 8 3.53x
Kelso 8 112.20x
Liverpool 8 2.81x
New Cumnock 8 155.95x
Newport 8 194.17x
Stansfield 8 55.52x
West Greenock 8 14.56x
Bootle Cum Linacre 6 16.12x
East Murton 6 272.73x
Maybole 6 66.67x
Parlington 6 2068.97x
Sandal Magna 6 103.63x
Shotts 6 39.24x
Symington 6 631.58x
Dalrymple 5 270.27x
Farnworth 5 17.80x
Leeds 5 2.26x
Manchester 5 2.37x
Bradford 4 18.23x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 4 1.88x
Long Eaton 4 49.02x
Ochiltree 4 197.04x
Onchan 4 18.93x
Pilkington 4 22.46x
Preston 4 3.19x
Tarbolton 4 82.14x
Ayr 3 21.51x
Kinglassie 3 168.54x
Cardross 2 15.69x
Edinburgh High Church 2 60.24x
Hasland 2 31.75x
Ockbrook 2 76.05x
Old Cumnock 2 30.40x
Old Kilpatrick 2 15.94x
Port Glasgow 2 13.51x
Bromley 1 4.87x
Burnley 1 2.53x
Cambusnethan 1 3.52x
Catterick 1 113.64x
Chester St John Baptist 1 6.38x
Closeburn 1 49.02x
Dalmellington 1 11.51x
Dundonald 1 9.17x
Irongray 1 94.34x
Kirkdale 1 1.27x
Liberton 1 12.24x
Markinch 1 12.59x
Monkton Prestwick 1 34.72x
Oldham 1 0.66x
Royal Navy 1 2.49x
Runcorn 1 4.97x
St Quivox 1 10.00x
Tettenhall 1 12.27x
Walmer 1 17.06x
Westminster St Margaret 1 5.25x
Whitburn 1 11.63x
Wolverhampton 1 0.98x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 15
Elizabeth 4
Agnes 3
Ann 3
Annie 3
Eleanor 3
Ellen 3
Margaret 3
Sarah 3
Alice 2
Bridget 2
Catherine 2
Eliza 2
Harriet 2
Helen 2
Adeline 1
Anges 1
Ethel 1
Hannah 1
Janet 1
Margt. 1
Maude 1
Thomas 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Drennan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Drennan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 403 people were recorded with the Drennan surname. That placed it at #7,933 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Drennan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,179 in 2016. That gives Drennan a modern rank of #5,041.

What does the Drennan surname mean?

An Irish toponymic surname derived from the Gaelic Ó Draighnáin, meaning "descendant of Draighnán" (a diminutive of "blackthorn").

What does the Drennan map show?

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