NameCensus.

UK surname

Drewer

An occupational surname likely referring to someone who worked as a brewer of beer or ale.

In the 1881 census there were 36 people recorded with the Drewer surname, ranking it #28,559 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 85, ranked #32,637, down from #28,559 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rochford, West Somerset and Castle Point.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Drewer is 107 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 136.1%.

1881 census count

36

Ranked #28,559

Modern count

85

2016, ranked #32,637

Peak year

2000

107 bearers

Map years

1

1998 to 1998

Key insights

  • Drewer had 36 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,559 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 85 in 2016, ranked #32,637.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 76 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Drewer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Drewer surname density by area, 1998 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Drewer 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 48 #24,615
1861 historical 73 #24,492
1881 historical 36 #28,559
1891 historical 71 #27,934
1901 historical 55 #28,064
1911 historical 76 #25,221
1997 modern 102 #26,638
1998 modern 102 #27,314
1999 modern 103 #27,305
2000 modern 107 #26,700
2001 modern 94 #28,246
2002 modern 107 #26,849
2003 modern 95 #28,536
2004 modern 95 #28,746
2005 modern 88 #29,831
2006 modern 79 #31,263
2007 modern 79 #31,628
2008 modern 82 #31,597
2009 modern 84 #31,842
2010 modern 86 #32,081
2011 modern 82 #32,449
2012 modern 80 #32,877
2013 modern 82 #32,903
2014 modern 84 #32,823
2015 modern 85 #32,693
2016 modern 85 #32,637

Geography

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Where Drewers 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 Rochford, West Somerset, Castle Point, Uttlesford and North Somerset. 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 Rochford 010 Rochford
2 West Somerset 005 West Somerset
3 Castle Point 003 Castle Point
4 Uttlesford 003 Uttlesford
5 North Somerset 009 North Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Drewer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Drewer

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Drewer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Drewer household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

City Support Workers

Within London, Drewer is most associated with areas classed as City Support Workers, 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

Scattered throughout Inner London, these areas house relatively few workers in the most senior roles within organisations, and greater prevalence of administrative roles relative to the Supergroup mean. Residents are less likely to be of Chinese ethnicity and are more likely to have been born in Africa. Relative to the Supergroup average, residents are also more likely to live in social housing and live in overcrowded conditions.

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

Drewer 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

Drewer falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Drewer

The surname DREWER is believed to have originated in the northern regions of Germany during the 12th century. It is derived from the Old German word "drewen," which means "to turn" or "to spin." This suggests that the name may have been an occupational surname given to someone who was a turner or spinner of wood, wool, or other materials.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name DREWER can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of historical documents from Saxony dating back to the 13th century. In this document, a certain "Johannes Drewer" is mentioned as a witness to a land transaction in the year 1267.

During the 14th century, the name DREWER began to appear in various records across Northern Germany and the Low Countries. For instance, a "Henricus Drewer" was listed as a resident of the city of Bremen in 1328, while a "Willem Drewer" was recorded as a citizen of Amsterdam in 1382.

As the name spread across Europe, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Drewer, Drauer, Drower, and Drouver. One notable bearer of the name was Johann Drewer, a German merchant who lived in the city of Lübeck in the late 15th century and was known for his extensive trading ventures across the Baltic Sea region.

In the 16th century, the DREWER surname made its way to England, likely carried by German immigrants. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in England can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds, where a "Thomas Drewer" was christened in 1587.

Another notable figure was Sir Richard Drewer, an English politician and landowner who lived in the 17th century. He served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Southwark in the years 1660 and 1679.

During the 18th century, the DREWER name continued to spread across various parts of Europe and the Americas. One prominent individual was Johann Friedrich Drewer, a German-born artist and engraver who lived from 1738 to 1804 and was known for his intricate copperplate engravings.

In the 19th century, the name DREWER gained further recognition through the work of James Drewer, an English botanist and naturalist who lived from 1822 to 1891. He made significant contributions to the study of plant life and was particularly interested in the flora of the British Isles.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Drewer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Drewer 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. Middlesex leads with 10 Drewers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.70x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 10 2.70x
Somerset 10 16.77x
Worcestershire 6 12.40x
Devon 5 6.48x
Surrey 3 1.66x
Cambridgeshire 1 4.26x
Channel Islands 1 9.11x
Royal Navy 1 22.68x
Yorkshire 1 0.27x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Yeovil in Somerset leads with 7 Drewers recorded in 1881 and an index of 578.51x.

Place Total Index
Yeovil 7 578.51x
Bethnal Green London 5 31.08x
Claines 5 375.94x
Ottery St Mary 4 784.31x
Chertsey 3 256.41x
Buckland St Mary 2 2500.00x
Bow London 1 21.19x
Clerkenwell London 1 11.44x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 1 98.04x
Hackney London 1 4.81x
Hampstead London 1 17.33x
Leconfield Arram 1 2500.00x
St Marylebone London 1 5.06x
St Peter 1 312.50x
Staple Fitzpaine 1 5000.00x
Whistones 1 285.71x
Yarcombe 1 1111.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Sarah 4
Ann 2
Elizabeth 2
Agnes 1
Clara 1
Elizebeth 1
Hannah 1
Katherine 1
Libby 1
Maude 1
Rose 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 5
John 2
Oliver 2
William 2
Alexander 1
Clifford 1
Edmond 1
Frank 1
Joseph 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 Drewer households.

FAQ

Drewer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Drewer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 36 people were recorded with the Drewer surname. That placed it at #28,559 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Drewer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 85 in 2016. That gives Drewer a modern rank of #32,637.

What does the Drewer surname mean?

An occupational surname likely referring to someone who worked as a brewer of beer or ale.

What does the Drewer map show?

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