NameCensus.

UK surname

Drewry

An English occupational surname referring to a dryer, especially of cloth or leather.

In the 1881 census there were 447 people recorded with the Drewry surname, ranking it #7,350 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 371, ranked #12,561, down from #7,350 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Killingholme, London parishes and Plumstead, Great. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Breckland, Kingston upon Hull and North Lincolnshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Drewry is 540 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 17.0%.

1881 census count

447

Ranked #7,350

Modern count

371

2016, ranked #12,561

Peak year

1911

540 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Drewry had 447 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,350 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 371 in 2016, ranked #12,561.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 540 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Drewry surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Drewry surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Drewry 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 533 #4,713
1861 historical 485 #5,385
1881 historical 447 #7,350
1891 historical 494 #7,504
1901 historical 530 #7,728
1911 historical 540 #7,391
1997 modern 403 #10,955
1998 modern 397 #11,400
1999 modern 389 #11,678
2000 modern 402 #11,357
2001 modern 407 #11,079
2002 modern 416 #11,120
2003 modern 395 #11,364
2004 modern 401 #11,264
2005 modern 365 #11,985
2006 modern 371 #11,916
2007 modern 378 #11,877
2008 modern 385 #11,828
2009 modern 384 #12,100
2010 modern 389 #12,251
2011 modern 382 #12,272
2012 modern 366 #12,520
2013 modern 383 #12,314
2014 modern 384 #12,362
2015 modern 381 #12,345
2016 modern 371 #12,561

Geography

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Where Drewrys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Killingholme, London parishes, Plumstead, Great, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Clee. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Breckland, Kingston upon Hull, North Lincolnshire, Great Yarmouth and Sheffield. 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 Killingholme Lincolnshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Plumstead, Great Norfolk
4 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
5 Clee Lincolnshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Breckland 011 Breckland
2 Kingston upon Hull 031 Kingston upon Hull, City of
3 North Lincolnshire 015 North Lincolnshire
4 Great Yarmouth 001 Great Yarmouth
5 Sheffield 064 Sheffield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Drewry

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Drewry

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Drewry is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Drewry 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

Drewry falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Drewry is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Drewry

The surname Drewry has its origins in England, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "drycraeft" or "drycræftig," which referred to a skilled person or a practitioner of magic or sorcery.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1199, where a person named Robert Drury is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 12th century.

The Drewry surname is also associated with several place names in England, such as Drewry Lane in London and Drury Lane in Covent Garden, which was named after Sir Drew Drury, a prominent landowner in the 16th century.

In the 13th century, the Drewry family became established in Norfolk, where they held significant landholdings. Sir Roger Drury (1455-1495) was a notable member of the family, serving as a Member of Parliament and a military commander during the Wars of the Roses.

Another notable figure was Sir William Drury (1527-1579), an English soldier and statesman who served as Lord Deputy of Ireland and played a crucial role in suppressing the Desmond Rebellions in the late 16th century.

During the English Civil War, Sir Robert Drury (1587-1636) was a prominent Royalist commander who fought for King Charles I. He was knighted for his service and later became a Member of Parliament.

In the literary world, the name Drewry is associated with the English poet and dramatist John Dryden (1631-1700), whose family name was originally spelled Drewry. He is considered one of the greatest English poets and playwrights of the 17th century.

Another notable figure was Sir Henry Drury (1778-1841), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a Member of Parliament.

Throughout history, the Drewry surname has been associated with various professions, including landowners, military commanders, statesmen, writers, and naval officers, reflecting its long-standing presence in England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Drewry families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Drewry 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. Lincolnshire leads with 146 Drewrys recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.94x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 146 20.94x
Yorkshire 80 1.85x
Middlesex 55 1.26x
Norfolk 42 6.26x
Staffordshire 25 1.70x
Nottinghamshire 22 3.74x
Surrey 22 1.04x
Cambridgeshire 10 3.62x
Lancashire 9 0.17x
Leicestershire 8 1.65x
Durham 6 0.46x
Kent 5 0.34x
Worcestershire 5 0.88x
Essex 4 0.46x
Derbyshire 3 0.44x
Sussex 2 0.27x
Cumberland 1 0.27x
Devon 1 0.11x
Northumberland 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Grimsby in Lincolnshire leads with 28 Drewrys recorded in 1881 and an index of 63.28x.

Place Total Index
Great Grimsby 28 63.28x
Haxey 22 743.24x
Cleethorpes 18 439.02x
Holy Trinity 15 14.43x
Great Plumstead 14 2800.00x
Hampstead London 11 16.20x
Sutton Stoneferry 11 89.00x
Bermondsey 10 7.70x
Elm 10 370.37x
Holme On Spalding Moor 10 353.36x
Lambeth 10 2.63x
North South Killingholme 9 775.86x
Nottingham St Mary 9 5.92x
Darlaston 8 39.33x
Humberstone 8 2051.28x
Islington London 8 1.89x
Leicester St Margaret 8 6.79x
Nottingham St Peter 8 122.14x
St George Bloomsbury 8 31.97x
Epworth 7 215.38x
Greenford 7 875.00x
Leeds 7 2.87x
Hockham 6 789.47x
Hutton Cranswick 6 329.67x
Iveston 6 100.33x
Sherburn 6 169.01x
Stoke Upon Trent 6 3.84x
Alvingham 5 1250.00x
Brightside Bierlow 5 5.90x
Chelsea London 5 3.81x
Folkingham 5 581.40x
Kensington London 5 2.06x
Kidderminster Foreign 5 62.11x
North Thoresby 5 446.43x
Paddington London 5 3.12x
Coppenhall Dunston 4 727.27x
Dringhouses 4 571.43x
Halifax 4 6.31x
Kingswinford 4 7.49x
Louth 4 25.03x
Scartho 4 1212.12x
Scotter 4 250.00x
Somerby In Grantham 4 225.99x
Watton 4 189.57x
Bagmore Burton By 3 638.30x
East Rudham 3 254.24x
Hagworthingham 3 416.67x
Holt 3 131.00x
Kirkby La Thorpe 3 789.47x
Little Plumstead 3 612.24x
Maidstone 3 6.77x
St Marylebone London 3 1.29x
Thetford St Cuthbert 3 123.97x
Thornton In Fylde 3 26.50x
West Ham 3 1.58x
Althorpe 2 125.79x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 2 4.97x
Barton St Peter 2 62.50x
Beverley St Mary 2 31.70x
Burslem 2 4.74x
Cotgrave 2 163.93x
Doncaster 2 6.34x
Eastling 2 277.78x
Irby On Humber 2 606.06x
Lytham 2 25.32x
Mountfield 2 215.05x
Pendlebury 2 18.32x
Scamblesby 2 370.37x
Snenton 2 8.66x
Southcoates 2 8.34x
Stapenhill 2 19.69x
Basford 1 3.69x
Camberwell 1 0.36x
Fulham London 1 1.58x
Hardley 1 277.78x
Hunslet 1 1.48x
Litchurch 1 3.64x
Mile End Old Town London 1 1.08x
Plympton Maurice 1 58.48x
Preston 1 0.72x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 25
Elizabeth 19
Sarah 13
Eliza 12
Annie 9
Ann 8
Martha 7
Emma 6
Fanny 6
Jane 6
Alice 5
Betsy 5
Ellen 5
Hannah 5
Anne 4
Harriet 4
Lucy 4
Susan 4
Ada 3
Clara 3
Emily 3
Kate 3
Louisa 3
Maria 3
Rebecca 3
Agnes 2
Amy 2
Caroline 2
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Edith 2
Harriett 2
Lilly 2
Margaret 2
Susanna 2
Adeline 1
Betsey 1
Bridget 1
Elizth. 1
Esther 1
Eva 1
Evelyn 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Keziah 1
Laurenta 1
Lisa 1
Lovina 1
M.A. 1
Margy 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 32
William 29
George 25
James 14
Thomas 11
Charles 10
Henry 9
Edward 7
Robert 7
Walter 6
Arthur 4
Geo. 4
Samuel 4
Stephen 4
Fred 3
Tom 3
Alfred 2
Benjamin 2
Daniel 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Jabez 2
Joseph 2
Ralph 2
Richard 2
Sidney 2
Bertrand 1
David 1
Edgar 1
Fred. 1
Fredrick 1
Geor.Henry 1
Gill 1
Harold 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
J. 1
Job 1
Johnson 1
Julian 1
Michael 1
Michel 1
Miles 1
Philip 1
Saml 1
Sayles 1
Sefton 1
T. 1
Wm.W. 1

FAQ

Drewry surname: questions and answers

How common was the Drewry surname in 1881?

In 1881, 447 people were recorded with the Drewry surname. That placed it at #7,350 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Drewry surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 371 in 2016. That gives Drewry a modern rank of #12,561.

What does the Drewry surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a dryer, especially of cloth or leather.

What does the Drewry map show?

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