NameCensus.

UK surname

Drinnan

In the 1881 census there were 198 people recorded with the Drinnan surname, ranking it #12,922 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 158, ranked #22,904, down from #12,922 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Symington, Govan Combination and Dean. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Exeter and Bolton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Drinnan is 364 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 20.2%.

1881 census count

198

Ranked #12,922

Modern count

158

2016, ranked #22,904

Peak year

1901

364 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Drinnan had 198 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,922 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 158 in 2016, ranked #22,904.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 364 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Drinnan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Drinnan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Drinnan 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 122 #14,966
1861 historical 174 #13,483
1881 historical 198 #12,922
1891 historical 323 #10,480
1901 historical 364 #10,128
1911 historical 144 #18,325
1997 modern 165 #19,861
1998 modern 169 #20,104
1999 modern 174 #19,870
2000 modern 179 #19,494
2001 modern 174 #19,562
2002 modern 169 #20,307
2003 modern 167 #20,245
2004 modern 149 #21,905
2005 modern 151 #21,667
2006 modern 150 #21,915
2007 modern 166 #20,811
2008 modern 166 #20,966
2009 modern 177 #20,560
2010 modern 172 #21,404
2011 modern 159 #22,382
2012 modern 155 #22,762
2013 modern 153 #23,314
2014 modern 154 #23,439
2015 modern 153 #23,413
2016 modern 158 #22,904

Geography

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Where Drinnans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Symington, Govan Combination, Dean, Glasgow and Tarbolton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Exeter, Bolton, Wigan and Wiltshire. 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 Symington Ayr
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Dean Lancashire
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Tarbolton Ayr

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 054 Cornwall
2 Exeter 010 Exeter
3 Bolton 034 Bolton
4 Wigan 037 Wigan
5 Wiltshire 024 Wiltshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Drinnan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Drinnan

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Drinnan 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

Drinnan is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Drinnan falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Drinnan 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 - Irish

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

1881 census detail

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Drinnan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Drinnan 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. Ayrshire leads with 59 Drinnans recorded in 1881 and an index of 41.02x.

County Total Index
Ayrshire 59 41.02x
Lanarkshire 46 7.40x
Lancashire 35 1.53x
Midlothian 11 4.27x
Fife 7 6.15x
Roxburghshire 7 20.11x
Yorkshire 7 0.37x
Renfrewshire 6 4.03x
Durham 5 0.87x
Stirlingshire 5 7.05x
Northumberland 3 1.05x
West Lothian 3 10.37x
Angus 2 1.12x
Cumberland 1 0.60x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tarbolton in Ayrshire leads with 25 Drinnans recorded in 1881 and an index of 1054.85x.

Place Total Index
Tarbolton 25 1054.85x
Pilkington 24 277.14x
Govan 16 10.41x
Gorbals 11 298.10x
Little Bolton 8 27.29x
South Leith 8 27.61x
St Quivox 8 164.61x
Barony 7 4.45x
Beath 7 194.99x
Kimberworth 7 66.23x
Oxnam 7 1555.56x
Renfrew 6 121.95x
Riccarton Hurlford 6 238.10x
Shotts 6 80.65x
Polmont 5 190.84x
St Giles 5 140.06x
Symington 5 1086.96x
Ayr 4 58.91x
Galston 3 76.34x
Longbenton 3 24.77x
New Monkland 3 16.33x
Radcliffe 3 27.30x
Stewarton 3 105.26x
Whitburn 3 71.77x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2 1.93x
Glasgow 2 1.81x
Liff Benvie 2 7.40x
Muirkirk 2 59.17x
Auckinleck 1 22.47x
Carluke 1 17.73x
Edinburgh St Marys 1 20.00x
Kilmarnock 1 5.84x
Maybole 1 22.83x
Wigton 1 40.32x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

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 Drinnan households.

FAQ

Drinnan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Drinnan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 198 people were recorded with the Drinnan surname. That placed it at #12,922 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Drinnan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 158 in 2016. That gives Drinnan a modern rank of #22,904.

What does the Drinnan map show?

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