NameCensus.

UK surname

Drewe

In the 1881 census there were 171 people recorded with the Drewe surname, ranking it #14,212 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 202, ranked #19,475, down from #14,212 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Abingdon St Helen, Abingdon St Nicholas, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and Cullompton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rother, East Devon and South Oxfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Drewe is 257 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 18.1%.

1881 census count

171

Ranked #14,212

Modern count

202

2016, ranked #19,475

Peak year

1911

257 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Drewe had 171 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,212 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 202 in 2016, ranked #19,475.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 257 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Drewe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Drewe surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Drewe 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 187 #10,978
1861 historical 137 #16,465
1881 historical 171 #14,212
1891 historical 195 #15,211
1901 historical 207 #14,803
1911 historical 257 #12,658
1997 modern 236 #15,852
1998 modern 250 #15,675
1999 modern 244 #16,052
2000 modern 243 #16,053
2001 modern 237 #16,048
2002 modern 240 #16,291
2003 modern 232 #16,447
2004 modern 230 #16,643
2005 modern 212 #17,473
2006 modern 212 #17,612
2007 modern 209 #17,951
2008 modern 208 #18,171
2009 modern 213 #18,284
2010 modern 233 #17,606
2011 modern 230 #17,578
2012 modern 225 #17,733
2013 modern 221 #18,252
2014 modern 214 #18,825
2015 modern 205 #19,269
2016 modern 202 #19,475

Geography

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Where Drewes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Abingdon St Helen, Abingdon St Nicholas, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Cullompton, Exeter City: St Edmund and Tormoham with Torquay. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rother, East Devon, South Oxfordshire, Rhondda Cynon Taf and West Berkshire. 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 Abingdon St Helen, Abingdon St Nicholas Berkshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 Cullompton Devon
4 Exeter City: St Edmund Devon
5 Tormoham with Torquay Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rother 001 Rother
2 East Devon 004 East Devon
3 South Oxfordshire 015 South Oxfordshire
4 Rhondda Cynon Taf 022 Rhondda Cynon Taf
5 West Berkshire 018 West Berkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Drewe

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Drewe

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

Drewe is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

1881 census detail

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Drewe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Drewe 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. Devon leads with 75 Drewes recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.48x.

County Total Index
Devon 75 21.48x
Kent 16 2.80x
Berkshire 12 9.53x
Hampshire 10 2.91x
Somerset 10 3.70x
Middlesex 8 0.48x
Oxfordshire 7 6.76x
Gloucestershire 6 1.82x
Lancashire 6 0.30x
Worcestershire 6 2.74x
Warwickshire 5 1.18x
Surrey 4 0.49x
Cornwall 3 1.58x
Wiltshire 2 1.35x
Cheshire 1 0.27x
Royal Navy 1 5.00x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cullompton in Devon leads with 12 Drewes recorded in 1881 and an index of 789.47x.

Place Total Index
Cullompton 12 789.47x
Honiton 10 518.13x
Abingdon St Helen 9 244.57x
Broadhembury 9 2307.69x
Deptford St Paul 8 18.12x
Exeter St Sidwell 7 87.50x
Bromsgrove 6 81.41x
Sidmouth 6 300.00x
Birmingham 5 3.55x
Bootle Cum Linacre 5 31.63x
Bristol St Paul In 5 57.01x
East Budleigh 5 303.03x
Margate St John Baptist 5 47.71x
St Faith Winchester 5 312.50x
Talaton 5 1851.85x
Clanfield 4 1379.31x
Exeter St David 4 134.23x
Exeter St Thomas The 4 112.36x
Stoke St Mary 4 3076.92x
Bermondsey 3 6.01x
Bishops Hull 3 344.83x
Oxford St Thomas 3 61.98x
Clist Hydon 2 1250.00x
Littleham 2 78.43x
North Baddesley 2 952.38x
Okehampton 2 151.52x
South Leigh 2 1538.46x
St Giles Cripplegate 2 89.69x
St Stephens By Saltash 2 243.90x
Swindon 2 17.38x
Tiverton 2 33.22x
Bampton 1 93.46x
Basingstoke 1 25.25x
Bathwick 1 33.44x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 1 3.23x
Charlton Next Woolwich 1 16.75x
Croydon 1 2.20x
Didcot 1 476.19x
Exeter St Mary Steps 1 126.58x
Falmouth 1 14.88x
Great Faringdon 1 55.25x
Hanwell 1 33.67x
Headbourne Worthy 1 714.29x
Islington London 1 0.61x
Kensington London 1 1.07x
Lewisham 1 3.28x
Paddington London 1 1.62x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 3.72x
Portsmouth 1 12.63x
Reading St Giles 1 8.09x
Royal Navy 1 5.85x
St George Hanover Square 1 3.38x
St Marylebone London 1 1.12x
Tattenhall 1 158.73x
Taunton St James 1 25.38x
Tonge 1 555.56x
Walcot 1 6.95x
West Derby 1 1.72x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Jane 7
Mary 7
Sarah 6
Ann 5
Caroline 4
Elizabeth 4
Matilda 4
Alice 3
Eliza 3
Anna 2
Edith 2
Ellen 2
Emma 2
Isabella 2
Jessie 2
Louisa 2
Mabel 2
Ada 1
Adele 1
Amy 1
Anne 1
Bessie 1
Bessy 1
Blanchie 1
Charlotte 1
Edina 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Euginie 1
Fanny 1
Flora 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Helena 1
Infant 1
K.J. 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Lavinia 1
Leila 1
Lizzie 1
Margaret 1
Martha 1
Nelly 1
Rhoda 1
Sophia 1
Theodora 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 9
George 7
James 7
John 7
Richard 5
Edward 3
Henry 3
Albert 2
Arthur 2
Ed. 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Hubert 2
Robert 2
Thomas 2
Walter 2
Alfred 1
Algernon 1
Caple 1
Clifford 1
Corbett 1
Daniel 1
David 1
E.J.W. 1
Earnest 1
Edwin 1
Eli 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Levi 1
Manard 1
Samuel 1
Thos. 1
Victor 1
W.H.C. 1

FAQ

Drewe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Drewe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 171 people were recorded with the Drewe surname. That placed it at #14,212 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Drewe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 202 in 2016. That gives Drewe a modern rank of #19,475.

What does the Drewe map show?

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