NameCensus.

UK surname

Drinkwater

An English occupational surname referring to someone who carried or sold water, or lived near a water source.

In the 1881 census there were 2,949 people recorded with the Drinkwater surname, ranking it #1,516 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,990, ranked #2,252, down from #1,516 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet,, Manchester and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cotswold, Trafford and Cheshire West and Chester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Drinkwater is 3,782 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 1.4%.

1881 census count

2,949

Ranked #1,516

Modern count

2,990

2016, ranked #2,252

Peak year

1911

3,782 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Drinkwater had 2,949 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,516 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,990 in 2016, ranked #2,252.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,782 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Drinkwater surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Drinkwater surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Drinkwater 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 1,952 #1,486
1861 historical 1,989 #1,462
1881 historical 2,949 #1,516
1891 historical 3,293 #1,441
1901 historical 3,496 #1,596
1911 historical 3,782 #1,368
1997 modern 3,248 #1,978
1998 modern 3,435 #1,947
1999 modern 3,436 #1,973
2000 modern 3,398 #1,983
2001 modern 3,323 #1,984
2002 modern 3,405 #1,992
2003 modern 3,289 #2,010
2004 modern 3,263 #2,020
2005 modern 3,202 #2,031
2006 modern 3,189 #2,044
2007 modern 3,202 #2,060
2008 modern 3,205 #2,070
2009 modern 3,306 #2,062
2010 modern 3,294 #2,106
2011 modern 3,224 #2,119
2012 modern 3,089 #2,165
2013 modern 3,094 #2,197
2014 modern 3,081 #2,220
2015 modern 3,003 #2,255
2016 modern 2,990 #2,252

Geography

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Where Drinkwaters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet,, Manchester, London parishes, Birmingham Town: Aston and Knutsford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cotswold, Trafford, Cheshire West and Chester and Lancaster. 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 Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, Gloucestershire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 London parishes London 2
4 Birmingham Town: Aston Warwickshire
5 Knutsford Cheshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cotswold 001 Cotswold
2 Trafford 022 Trafford
3 Cheshire West and Chester 021 Cheshire West and Chester
4 Cheshire West and Chester 018 Cheshire West and Chester
5 Lancaster 019 Lancaster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Drinkwater

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Drinkwater

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Drinkwater is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Drinkwater is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Drinkwater falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Drinkwater

The surname Drinkwater is an English locational name that originated in various places across England. It is derived from the Old English words "drinc" meaning "drink" and "wæter" meaning "water", suggesting a dwelling place situated near a source of fresh water, such as a well, stream, or pond. This name likely referred to someone who lived near such a water source.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Drinchwatere" in Berkshire and Gloucestershire. The spelling variations in historical records include Drinkwater, Drinkwatere, Drynkwalter, and Drinkewatere.

In the 13th century, the name Drinkwater appeared in several records, including the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1230 and the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1292. During this period, the name was also associated with various locations, such as Drinkwater in Lancashire and Drinkwater Marsh in Cheshire.

Notable individuals who bore the surname Drinkwater throughout history include:

1. John Drinkwater (1470-1537), an English ecclesiastic who served as the Bishop of Salisbury from 1535 until his death. 2. Sir John Drinkwater (1582-1651), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Grantham in the 17th century. 3. John Drinkwater (1762-1844), an English poet and playwright best known for his historical plays about figures like Cromwell and Charles I. 4. John Drinkwater (1882-1937), an English poet and dramatist who won the Hawthornden Prize for his poetry collection "Tides" in 1917. 5. John Elliot Drinkwater Bethune (1801-1851), a British lawyer and author who served as the Attorney General of British Honduras (now Belize) in the mid-19th century.

These historical examples demonstrate the widespread use and distribution of the Drinkwater surname across England and beyond, reflecting its locational origins and associations with various places and noteworthy individuals over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Drinkwater families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Drinkwater 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. Lancashire leads with 637 Drinkwaters recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.86x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 637 1.86x
Cheshire 380 5.97x
Worcestershire 259 6.88x
Gloucestershire 248 4.39x
Middlesex 217 0.75x
Warwickshire 180 2.48x
Oxfordshire 149 8.37x
Yorkshire 140 0.49x
Staffordshire 96 0.99x
Derbyshire 84 1.86x
Northamptonshire 55 2.03x
Surrey 53 0.38x
Leicestershire 39 1.22x
Monmouthshire 34 1.63x
Berkshire 31 1.43x
Denbighshire 31 2.85x
Herefordshire 30 2.54x
Nottinghamshire 30 0.77x
Hampshire 25 0.42x
Kent 23 0.23x
Durham 21 0.25x
Pembrokeshire 20 2.18x
Wiltshire 19 0.75x
Lincolnshire 16 0.35x
Somerset 14 0.30x
Glamorgan 13 0.26x
Shropshire 13 0.52x
Brecknockshire 12 2.08x
Buckinghamshire 11 0.63x
Devon 11 0.18x
Cumberland 9 0.36x
Westmorland 9 1.42x
Norfolk 8 0.18x
Sussex 8 0.16x
Cornwall 6 0.18x
Caernarfonshire 4 0.34x
Roxburghshire 3 0.57x
Dorset 2 0.11x
Essex 2 0.04x
Hertfordshire 2 0.10x
Isle of Man 2 0.37x
Bedfordshire 1 0.07x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.08x
Flintshire 1 0.13x
Midlothian 1 0.03x
Northumberland 1 0.02x
Renfrewshire 1 0.04x
Royal Navy 1 0.29x
Suffolk 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Manchester in Lancashire leads with 115 Drinkwaters recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.48x.

Place Total Index
Manchester 115 7.48x
Altrincham 86 77.37x
Aston 80 4.00x
Knutsford Nether 50 130.04x
Cheltenham 37 8.49x
Oldham 37 3.35x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 35 33.85x
Chinley Bugsworth 34 286.68x
Salford 34 3.38x
Warrington 34 8.39x
Birmingham 31 1.28x
Blakesley 30 724.64x
Newton 30 11.38x
Elland Cum Greetland 28 21.77x
Deddington 27 139.82x
Brize Norton 26 343.01x
Great Malvern 26 33.11x
Hulme 24 3.36x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 24 42.39x
Handsworth 23 9.59x
Kings Norton 21 6.22x
Wolverhampton 21 2.81x
Glossop Dale 20 9.47x
Lymm 20 43.25x
Stainland Cum Old 20 40.92x
Toxteth Park 20 1.73x
Blackburn 19 2.09x
Upton On Severn 19 77.08x
Dukinfield 18 6.12x
Accrington 17 5.47x
Great Budworth 17 150.84x
Islington London 17 0.61x
Minchinhampton 17 37.75x
Monckton 17 103.98x
St Marylebone London 17 1.11x
Aston Rowant 16 250.78x
Hayes 16 54.42x
Levenshulme 16 45.47x
St Pancras London 16 0.69x
Leicester All Sts 15 23.91x
Pershore Holy Cross 15 62.19x
Berkeley 14 44.52x
Gloucester St Catherine 14 87.94x
Lambeth 14 0.56x
Sedgley 14 3.88x
Barrow In Furness 13 2.80x
Castlemorton 13 176.39x
East Bedfont 13 90.91x
Heap 13 7.17x
Hyde 13 6.93x
Kemerton 13 270.27x
Macclesfield 13 4.60x
Kensington London 12 0.75x
Middlewich 12 91.67x
Sandhurst 12 263.16x
Stretford 12 6.38x
Worcester St John 12 26.70x
Worcester St Peter 12 16.85x
Beeston 11 24.65x
Broughton In Salford 11 3.52x
Charlbury 11 55.08x
Chilwell 11 106.59x
Gateshead 11 1.71x
Hampstead London 11 2.45x
Offenham 11 202.21x
Trowbridge 11 9.77x
Ashton Under Lyne 10 1.34x
Chapel En Le Frith 10 24.28x
Everton 10 0.92x
Little Bolton 10 2.27x
Old Stratford 10 24.31x
Paddington London 10 0.94x
Pendleton In Salford 10 2.45x
Powick 10 38.37x
Trevethin 10 5.08x
West Derby 10 1.00x
Heath Charnock 9 99.01x
Ribchester 9 69.66x
Wentworth 9 50.91x
Westminster St Margaret 9 6.47x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 217
Elizabeth 121
Sarah 105
Ellen 66
Annie 58
Ann 56
Alice 55
Jane 51
Eliza 45
Emma 39
Martha 35
Hannah 31
Emily 29
Harriet 28
Ada 22
Fanny 21
Margaret 21
Clara 18
Florence 18
Rose 17
Charlotte 16
Maria 16
Agnes 13
Anne 13
Esther 13
Frances 13
Caroline 12
Gertrude 10
Kate 10
Catherine 9
Elizth. 9
Louisa 9
Lucy 9
Edith 8
Harriett 7
Isabella 7
Matilda 7
Sophia 7
Susan 7
Amy 6
Bertha 6
Henrietta 6
Julia 6
Lizzie 6
Ruth 6
Helen 5
Beatrice 4
Eleanor 4
Jemima 4
Maud 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 199
John 167
Thomas 143
George 111
James 88
Henry 55
Charles 53
Joseph 52
Samuel 38
Alfred 35
David 29
Robert 26
Edward 23
Albert 22
Frank 22
Arthur 21
Frederick 21
Harry 21
Richard 18
Wm. 18
Edwin 16
Walter 16
Daniel 11
Peter 10
Fred 9
Ernest 8
Herbert 8
Benjamin 7
Thos. 7
Francis 6
Edgar 5
Geo. 5
Jno. 5
Saml. 5
Willm. 5
Edmund 4
Fredrick 4
Tom 4
Alexander 3
Chas. 3
Frederic 3
Isaac 3
Levi 3
Alma 2
Cornelius 2
Fredk. 2
Nathan 2
Percy 2
Sam 2
Sidney 2

FAQ

Drinkwater surname: questions and answers

How common was the Drinkwater surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,949 people were recorded with the Drinkwater surname. That placed it at #1,516 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Drinkwater surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,990 in 2016. That gives Drinkwater a modern rank of #2,252.

What does the Drinkwater surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to someone who carried or sold water, or lived near a water source.

What does the Drinkwater map show?

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