NameCensus.

UK surname

Drewery

A surname originating from a variant spelling of the occupational name "drover" for one who drove livestock.

In the 1881 census there were 638 people recorded with the Drewery surname, ranking it #5,573 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,074, ranked #5,440, up from #5,573 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sutton and Stoneferry, Louth and Hull Holy Trinity. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include King's Lynn and West Norfolk, East Lindsey and East Cambridgeshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Drewery is 1,116 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 68.3%.

1881 census count

638

Ranked #5,573

Modern count

1,074

2016, ranked #5,440

Peak year

2013

1,116 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Drewery had 638 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,573 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,074 in 2016, ranked #5,440.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 945 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Drewery surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Drewery surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Drewery 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 271 #8,257
1861 historical 353 #7,242
1881 historical 638 #5,573
1891 historical 729 #5,434
1901 historical 821 #5,503
1911 historical 945 #4,762
1997 modern 1,015 #5,427
1998 modern 1,077 #5,350
1999 modern 1,085 #5,347
2000 modern 1,085 #5,322
2001 modern 1,062 #5,318
2002 modern 1,085 #5,331
2003 modern 1,076 #5,275
2004 modern 1,070 #5,306
2005 modern 1,042 #5,364
2006 modern 1,059 #5,296
2007 modern 1,057 #5,354
2008 modern 1,073 #5,318
2009 modern 1,083 #5,386
2010 modern 1,096 #5,456
2011 modern 1,099 #5,376
2012 modern 1,086 #5,348
2013 modern 1,116 #5,310
2014 modern 1,116 #5,327
2015 modern 1,096 #5,364
2016 modern 1,074 #5,440

Geography

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Where Drewerys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sutton and Stoneferry, Louth, Hull Holy Trinity, Hollym and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to King's Lynn and West Norfolk, East Lindsey, East Cambridgeshire and Barnsley. 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 Sutton and Stoneferry Yorkshire, East Riding
2 Louth Lincolnshire
3 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
4 Hollym Yorkshire, East Riding
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 003 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
2 East Lindsey 002 East Lindsey
3 East Cambridgeshire 006 East Cambridgeshire
4 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 004 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
5 Barnsley 027 Barnsley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Drewery

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Drewery

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

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Drewery surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Drewery household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Drewery is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Drewery 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

Drewery 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 Drewery is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Drewery, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Drewery

The surname Drewery is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words "dry" and "wery," meaning a dry or arid place. It is believed to have originated as a topographic name, referring to someone who lived in a dry or barren area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "de Driewere." This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a locational surname, referring to a specific place called Driewere.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records as "Driuere" and "Drywere," reflecting the evolution of spelling over time. By the 14th century, the spelling had settled into the more recognizable form of "Drewery."

Notable historical figures bearing the Drewery surname include Sir Robert Drewery (1496-1562), a Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, and John Drewery (1715-1789), an English clergyman and author of several religious works.

In the 17th century, the name was also associated with the village of Drewery in Cheshire, England. This place name likely derived from the same Old English roots as the surname, referring to the arid nature of the area.

Another notable individual was William Drewery (1801-1888), a successful industrialist and philanthropist from Yorkshire, England, who made significant contributions to the development of the local community.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Drewery surname appeared in various parts of England, including Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, and Yorkshire, with families sometimes adopting variations such as Drury or Drewry.

Throughout history, the Drewery surname has been associated with various occupations, including agriculture, clergy, and industry, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of those who bore the name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Drewery families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Drewery 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. Yorkshire leads with 250 Drewerys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.05x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 250 4.05x
Lincolnshire 229 23.01x
Surrey 37 1.22x
Lancashire 20 0.27x
Cambridgeshire 17 4.31x
Middlesex 14 0.22x
Nottinghamshire 14 1.67x
Norfolk 11 1.15x
Staffordshire 11 0.52x
Worcestershire 9 1.11x
Northamptonshire 6 1.03x
Essex 4 0.33x
Hertfordshire 3 0.70x
West Lothian 3 3.20x
Angus 2 0.35x
Glamorgan 2 0.18x
Kent 2 0.09x
Sussex 2 0.19x
Cumberland 1 0.19x
Wiltshire 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Holy Trinity in Yorkshire leads with 45 Drewerys recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.34x.

Place Total Index
Holy Trinity 45 30.34x
Sculcoates 34 34.78x
Leeds 17 4.88x
Barnetby Le Wold 16 883.98x
Whittlesey St Mary St 14 101.67x
North Somercotes 13 498.08x
Beverley St Martin 12 116.62x
Great Grimsby 12 19.00x
Tooting Graveney 12 142.18x
South Frodingham 11 2820.51x
Conisholme 10 3448.28x
Little Grimsby 10 8333.33x
Lambeth 9 1.66x
Louth 9 39.47x
Stourbridge 9 43.04x
Boston 8 26.50x
Fleet 8 281.69x
Fotherby 8 1568.63x
Utterby 8 1355.93x
Bootle Cum Linacre 7 11.94x
Brampton Bierlow 7 88.61x
Clee With Weelsby 7 32.14x
Grainthorpe 7 469.80x
Heckmondwike 7 35.28x
Hotham 7 886.08x
Market Stainton 7 3333.33x
Newark Upon Trent 7 23.22x
Nottingham St Mary 7 3.23x
Scarborough 7 12.49x
St Marylebone London 7 2.11x
Sutton Stoneferry 7 39.66x
Benniworth 6 740.74x
Camberwell 6 1.51x
Dalton In Furness 6 21.05x
North Carlton 6 1714.29x
North Kelsey 6 333.33x
Patrington 6 205.48x
Southcoates 6 17.52x
Sutton St Mary 6 63.76x
Thornton In Fylde 6 37.13x
Burstwick With 5 555.56x
East Halton 5 362.32x
Eastoft 5 387.60x
Gedney 5 123.15x
Harborne 5 7.43x
Hedon 5 241.55x
Helhoughton 5 704.23x
Mablethorpe 5 364.96x
Middleton In Hunslet 5 574.71x
Newington 5 29.45x
Peterborough 5 11.80x
Richmond 5 11.77x
South Cliff 5 1923.08x
Sutton 5 71.12x
Aldbrough In Skirlaugh 4 350.88x
Bethnal Green London 4 1.48x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 4 18.97x
Cherry Burton 4 408.16x
Hutton Cranswick 4 154.44x
Marsh Chapel 4 327.87x
Rugeley 4 26.54x
Strubby 4 645.16x
Swanland 4 425.53x
Tathwell 4 444.44x
Winterton 4 116.96x
Boness 3 23.22x
Burton Upon Stather 3 236.22x
Great Massingham 3 158.73x
Hertford St John 3 46.95x
Holbeach 3 27.08x
Mexborough 3 24.51x
Newington 3 1.30x
Ottringham 3 245.90x
Owston 3 106.38x
Sempringham 3 1666.67x
South Somercoates 3 329.67x
West Ham 3 1.11x
Withern 3 309.28x
Wombwell 3 16.69x
Battersea 2 0.87x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 45
Elizabeth 34
Sarah 19
Eliza 13
Jane 13
Emma 11
Hannah 10
Alice 9
Ann 9
Harriet 8
Ada 7
Rebecca 7
Ellen 6
Martha 6
Annie 5
Charlotte 5
Frances 5
Betsey 4
Gertrude 4
Kate 4
Anna 3
Anne 3
Caroline 3
Maria 3
Bridget 2
Edith 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Harriett 2
Helen 2
Jemima 2
Minnie 2
Rose 2
An 1
Beatrice 1
Berthe 1
Betsy 1
Christiana 1
Christiania 1
Clara 1
Diana 1
Dinah 1
E. 1
Eada 1
Frith 1
Grace 1
Grinom 1
Hellen 1
Henreitta 1
Zilpha 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 42
George 33
William 31
Thomas 29
Charles 12
Joseph 11
Robert 10
Alfred 9
James 9
Arthur 8
Benjamin 7
Harry 6
Richard 6
Albert 5
Henry 5
Edward 4
Ferdinand 4
Frederick 4
Herbert 4
Walter 4
Cornelius 3
Harold 3
Samuel 3
Chas. 2
Fred 2
Geo. 2
Jas. 2
Lot 2
Luke 2
Mark 2
Pat 2
Peter 2
Willows 2
Anthony 1
Denzil 1
E. 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Fredrick 1
Gilbert 1
Gilbet 1
Horace 1
Horton 1
Jim 1
Jonas 1
Josep. 1
Lorenzo 1
Winn 1

FAQ

Drewery surname: questions and answers

How common was the Drewery surname in 1881?

In 1881, 638 people were recorded with the Drewery surname. That placed it at #5,573 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Drewery surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,074 in 2016. That gives Drewery a modern rank of #5,440.

What does the Drewery surname mean?

A surname originating from a variant spelling of the occupational name "drover" for one who drove livestock.

What does the Drewery map show?

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