NameCensus.

UK surname

Dring

An Anglo-Saxon surname derived from a geographical location or topographical feature.

In the 1881 census there were 1,338 people recorded with the Dring surname, ranking it #3,067 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,594, ranked #3,893, down from #3,067 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Newcastle-under-Lyme, Ryedale and Rushcliffe.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dring is 1,791 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19.1%.

1881 census count

1,338

Ranked #3,067

Modern count

1,594

2016, ranked #3,893

Peak year

1911

1,791 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dring had 1,338 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,067 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,594 in 2016, ranked #3,893.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,791 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Dring surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dring surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dring 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 926 #2,983
1861 historical 951 #2,914
1881 historical 1,338 #3,067
1891 historical 1,449 #3,026
1901 historical 1,606 #3,220
1911 historical 1,791 #2,734
1997 modern 1,627 #3,640
1998 modern 1,737 #3,571
1999 modern 1,716 #3,631
2000 modern 1,725 #3,596
2001 modern 1,677 #3,618
2002 modern 1,712 #3,636
2003 modern 1,695 #3,587
2004 modern 1,655 #3,663
2005 modern 1,610 #3,718
2006 modern 1,609 #3,719
2007 modern 1,637 #3,701
2008 modern 1,647 #3,704
2009 modern 1,661 #3,761
2010 modern 1,707 #3,747
2011 modern 1,677 #3,759
2012 modern 1,600 #3,846
2013 modern 1,620 #3,873
2014 modern 1,617 #3,905
2015 modern 1,614 #3,875
2016 modern 1,594 #3,893

Geography

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Where Drings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes, Boston (incl. Boston allotments) and Warboys. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Newcastle-under-Lyme, Ryedale, Rushcliffe, South Kesteven and Mansfield. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Boston (incl. Boston allotments) Lincolnshire
5 Warboys Huntingdonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Newcastle-under-Lyme 010 Newcastle-under-Lyme
2 Ryedale 001 Ryedale
3 Rushcliffe 011 Rushcliffe
4 South Kesteven 002 South Kesteven
5 Mansfield 004 Mansfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dring

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dring

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

Dring is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Dring 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 Dring is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Dring

The surname Dring has its roots in England, tracing back to the early 13th century. It is believed to have originated from the Old English word "dreng," which means a servant or attendant. This name was likely given to someone who served in a household or estate.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dring can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, where it is spelled "Dreng." This document was a census-like record of landholders in various counties across England. The Dring family is thought to have hailed from the county of Yorkshire, particularly in the areas around Dringhouses and Driffield.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Dryng," "Dring," and "Dren." These variations were likely due to regional dialects and the inconsistencies in spelling during that time period. The Dring family also had connections to the village of Dringhouses, which was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Drengeshusum."

One notable bearer of the Dring surname was John Dring, a 16th-century Protestant martyr. Born around 1530 in Oxfordshire, he was burned at the stake in 1557 during the reign of Queen Mary I for his religious beliefs. Another prominent figure was William Dring (1607-1658), an English clergyman who served as the Dean of Chichester Cathedral.

In the 17th century, the Dring family had a presence in the county of Norfolk, where they held lands and estates. Thomas Dring (1640-1709) was a member of this Norfolk branch and served as a Member of Parliament for Orford from 1689 to 1690.

Moving into the 18th century, the name Dring can be found in various parts of England, including Yorkshire, Norfolk, and Gloucestershire. One notable individual from this period was Samuel Dring (1738-1803), a Church of England clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Stow in Lincolnshire.

The 19th century saw the Dring surname spread to other parts of the British Isles, as well as to North America and other regions of the world due to emigration. Thomas Dring (1814-1878) was a prominent Catholic priest who served as the Bishop of Armidale in New South Wales, Australia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dring families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dring 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 300 Drings recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.42x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 300 14.42x
Nottinghamshire 187 10.66x
Yorkshire 138 1.07x
Huntingdonshire 112 43.35x
Middlesex 78 0.60x
Cambridgeshire 72 8.74x
Surrey 66 1.04x
Oxfordshire 50 6.22x
Durham 44 1.14x
Essex 32 1.25x
Derbyshire 29 1.42x
Lancashire 29 0.19x
Gloucestershire 24 0.94x
Kent 22 0.50x
Bedfordshire 18 2.67x
Warwickshire 18 0.55x
Northamptonshire 17 1.39x
Norfolk 16 0.80x
Suffolk 13 0.82x
Hampshire 12 0.45x
Staffordshire 10 0.23x
Dorset 9 1.05x
Wiltshire 7 0.61x
Buckinghamshire 6 0.76x
Hertfordshire 6 0.67x
Sussex 5 0.23x
Worcestershire 4 0.24x
Northumberland 3 0.15x
Rutland 3 3.14x
Berkshire 2 0.20x
Somerset 2 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Warboys in Huntingdonshire leads with 44 Drings recorded in 1881 and an index of 589.02x.

Place Total Index
Warboys 44 589.02x
Boston 30 47.52x
Gotham 25 547.05x
Lambeth 23 2.03x
Sutton St Mary 23 116.87x
Great Grimsby 21 15.90x
Carlton 18 89.96x
Louth 18 37.75x
Sculcoates 16 7.83x
Spalding 16 38.75x
Burton Joyce 15 501.67x
Camberwell 15 1.80x
Deptford St Paul 15 4.38x
Halstead 15 50.07x
Woodborough 15 378.79x
Billinghay 14 218.41x
Everton 14 2.84x
Ramsey 14 67.67x
Ruddington 14 119.05x
Southcoates 14 19.56x
St Botolph Cambridge 14 660.38x
Stranton 14 10.74x
Holy Trinity 13 4.19x
Nottingham St Mary 13 2.87x
Radford 13 14.59x
Saltfleetby St Peter 13 896.55x
Monkwearmouth Shore 12 15.88x
Portsea 12 2.30x
Snenton 12 17.41x
St Andrewthe Less 12 12.74x
Coggs 11 355.99x
Liverpool 11 1.17x
Long Bennington 11 271.60x
Luton 11 9.43x
Mansfield 11 18.12x
Sutton In Ashfield 11 28.90x
Rugby 10 22.52x
Blidworth 9 394.74x
Brandon Parva 9 1232.88x
Burntwood Edial 9 32.07x
Edenham 9 358.57x
Finstock Fawler 9 337.08x
Melcombe Regis 9 25.43x
Newington 9 1.87x
Pickering 9 55.42x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 9 30.75x
Upton 9 1607.14x
Baston 8 231.88x
Codnor Park 8 167.36x
Corse 8 344.83x
Easton 8 181.41x
Ferryhill 8 59.13x
Gedney 8 94.23x
Great Hale 8 253.97x
Sutton St Mary St James 8 326.53x
Whitby 8 18.41x
Chatteris 7 33.29x
Chelsea London 7 1.79x
Farndale East Side 7 424.24x
Islington London 7 0.56x
Mepal 7 416.67x
Newark Upon Trent 7 11.10x
Pidley Cum Fenton 7 350.00x
St Luke London 7 3.35x
Addlethorpe 6 545.45x
Battersea 6 1.25x
Chiswick 6 8.44x
Framlingham 6 53.33x
Hogsthorpe 6 186.34x
Lutton 6 174.93x
Maldon All Sts 6 117.88x
Middlesbrough 6 3.57x
Newmarket All Sts 6 98.68x
Peterborough 6 6.77x
Sawtry All Sts 6 198.02x
Shoreditch London 6 1.06x
St Ives 6 44.78x
Whitechapel London 6 4.68x
Aston 5 0.55x
Burton Coggles 5 438.60x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 104
Sarah 55
Elizabeth 50
Ann 41
Emma 24
Eliza 22
Annie 21
Jane 18
Edith 17
Hannah 17
Emily 14
Harriet 14
Alice 13
Martha 13
Ellen 12
Fanny 11
Caroline 10
Louisa 10
Florence 8
Ada 7
Catherine 7
Susan 7
Harriett 6
Maria 6
Charlotte 5
Lucy 5
Rebecca 5
Rose 5
Betsy 4
Clara 4
Gertrude 4
Kate 4
Nellie 4
Nelly 4
Rachel 4
Rosa 4
Frances 3
Hester 3
Lizzie 3
Ruth 3
Selina 3
Amelia 2
Eleanor 2
Flora 2
Kezia 2
Lillian 2
M.A. 2
Margaret 2
Matilda 2
Zilpah 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 103
William 89
George 47
Thomas 47
Charles 33
Henry 32
James 28
Edward 20
Joseph 19
Robert 16
Richard 15
Francis 14
Alfred 11
Frederick 9
Samuel 9
Harry 8
Herbert 8
Albert 7
Arthur 7
Walter 7
Oliver 6
Wm. 6
Mark 5
Edwin 4
Frank 4
David 3
Fred 3
Johnson 3
Nathaniel 3
Anthony 2
Chas. 2
Coultas 2
Elias 2
Ernest 2
Frederic 2
J. 2
Last 2
Lionel 2
Smith 2
Thos. 2
Woolston 2
Asher 1
Augther 1
Charley 1
Chas.D. 1
Clarke 1
Ezra 1
Fred. 1
J.T. 1
Jas. 1

FAQ

Dring surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dring surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,338 people were recorded with the Dring surname. That placed it at #3,067 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dring surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,594 in 2016. That gives Dring a modern rank of #3,893.

What does the Dring surname mean?

An Anglo-Saxon surname derived from a geographical location or topographical feature.

What does the Dring map show?

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