NameCensus.

UK surname

Druce

A surname deriving from the Middle English "druce," an ancient word meaning "shepherd."

In the 1881 census there were 748 people recorded with the Druce surname, ranking it #4,914 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,113, ranked #5,284, down from #4,914 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch and South Stoke with Woodcote. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Northamptonshire, South Oxfordshire and South Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Druce is 1,193 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 48.8%.

1881 census count

748

Ranked #4,914

Modern count

1,113

2016, ranked #5,284

Peak year

1998

1,193 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Druce had 748 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,914 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,113 in 2016, ranked #5,284.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,101 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Druce surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Druce surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Druce 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 523 #4,797
1861 historical 435 #5,918
1881 historical 748 #4,914
1891 historical 783 #5,126
1901 historical 986 #4,817
1911 historical 1,101 #4,218
1997 modern 1,125 #4,976
1998 modern 1,193 #4,910
1999 modern 1,174 #5,022
2000 modern 1,148 #5,081
2001 modern 1,114 #5,112
2002 modern 1,147 #5,099
2003 modern 1,124 #5,083
2004 modern 1,107 #5,162
2005 modern 1,084 #5,195
2006 modern 1,118 #5,066
2007 modern 1,103 #5,176
2008 modern 1,120 #5,146
2009 modern 1,159 #5,099
2010 modern 1,158 #5,205
2011 modern 1,148 #5,187
2012 modern 1,127 #5,180
2013 modern 1,156 #5,157
2014 modern 1,138 #5,252
2015 modern 1,116 #5,293
2016 modern 1,113 #5,284

Geography

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Where Druces are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch, South Stoke with Woodcote and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Northamptonshire, South Oxfordshire, South Somerset, North Somerset and Cherwell. 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 London parishes London 1
2 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 South Stoke with Woodcote Berkshire
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Northamptonshire 003 East Northamptonshire
2 South Oxfordshire 015 South Oxfordshire
3 South Somerset 023 South Somerset
4 North Somerset 022 North Somerset
5 Cherwell 017 Cherwell

Forenames

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First names often paired with Druce

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Druce

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

Druce 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

Druce falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Druce

The surname Druce is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "dryhten," meaning "lord" or "leader." It first appeared in the 12th century and was initially used as a descriptive name for a person who held a position of authority or leadership within a community.

The earliest known record of the name Druce can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1195, where a person named Druzo is mentioned. This early spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time.

During the Middle Ages, the Druce family was prominent in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire. The name appeared in various historical documents, including the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, which recorded individuals such as William Druce and Robert Druce.

In the 14th century, the surname Druce was also found in the Poll Tax returns for Yorkshire, where it was spelled "Druse." This variation in spelling was common during that period due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.

One notable figure bearing the Druce surname was Sir Robert Druce (1567-1615), a wealthy merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Drapers in London. He served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1615 and was also a prominent benefactor, contributing to the construction of buildings at Oxford University.

Another historically significant person was Sir William Druce (1629-1677), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Marlborough in the 17th century. He was also a prominent landowner and held the position of High Sheriff of Wiltshire in 1670.

In the literary world, Samuel Druce (1820-1898) was a renowned English bibliographer and antiquarian. He made significant contributions to the study of early printed books and was a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London.

The surname Druce was also associated with notable figures in the field of science. George Claridge Druce (1850-1932) was a renowned English botanist and plant collector, known for his extensive herbarium and contributions to the study of British flora.

Another prominent individual with the Druce surname was George Thomas Druce (1876-1952), a British archaeologist and paleontologist. He was instrumental in uncovering and studying important prehistoric sites in southern England and made significant contributions to the field of paleolithic archaeology.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Druce families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Druce 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. Middlesex leads with 197 Druces recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.61x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 197 2.61x
Surrey 95 2.58x
Buckinghamshire 89 19.50x
Oxfordshire 85 18.23x
Berkshire 49 8.65x
Essex 32 2.15x
Yorkshire 31 0.41x
Somerset 30 2.47x
Channel Islands 29 12.96x
Kent 19 0.74x
Northamptonshire 18 2.53x
Sussex 14 1.10x
Dorset 11 2.22x
Hertfordshire 10 1.92x
Cheshire 9 0.54x
Hampshire 8 0.52x
Lanarkshire 7 0.29x
Suffolk 7 0.76x
Warwickshire 7 0.37x
Glamorgan 6 0.46x
Gloucestershire 6 0.41x
Lancashire 6 0.07x
Westmorland 5 3.01x
Bedfordshire 1 0.26x
Devon 1 0.06x
Midlothian 1 0.10x
Shropshire 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. St Marylebone London in Middlesex leads with 25 Druces recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.20x.

Place Total Index
St Marylebone London 25 6.20x
West Wycombe 25 403.88x
Kensington London 21 5.00x
Battersea 20 7.20x
Garsington 19 1202.53x
Islington London 18 2.46x
Isleworth 17 50.64x
Lambeth 16 2.43x
S Stoke 16 733.95x
Shoreditch London 16 4.89x
Winkfield 16 170.21x
Chiselborough 14 1505.38x
St Helier 14 19.22x
Bethnal Green London 13 3.96x
Camberwell 13 2.70x
St Giles Cripplegate 12 119.76x
Hackney London 11 2.60x
Streatham 11 19.64x
Bourton 10 460.83x
Brighton 9 3.50x
Great Marlow 9 73.05x
Richmond 9 17.46x
St Peter Port 9 21.74x
Upton Cum Chalvey 9 49.48x
West Ham 9 2.74x
Woodford 9 53.35x
Ducklington 8 714.29x
Passenham 8 273.97x
Penn 8 281.69x
Witney 8 102.56x
Aston Abbotts 7 933.33x
Bow London 7 7.28x
Chelsea London 7 3.08x
Cookham 7 39.62x
Fyfield 7 804.60x
Govan 7 1.16x
Greenwich 7 5.82x
Harmondsworth 7 149.25x
Iver 7 119.05x
Middlesbrough 7 7.18x
Minster Lovell 7 530.30x
Oxford St Giles 7 31.47x
Potterspury 7 246.48x
Reading St Mary 7 15.42x
St Luke London 7 5.78x
Birmingham 6 0.95x
Croydon 6 2.94x
Fingest 6 697.67x
Fulham London 6 5.48x
Kingston On Thames 6 6.79x
Leyton 6 23.37x
Roath 6 10.05x
St Martin 6 43.76x
Stowmarket 6 56.44x
Ashton On Mersey 5 58.00x
Bovingdon 5 183.15x
Dover St James 5 44.29x
Ensham 5 206.61x
Frome 5 17.20x
Hammersmith London 5 2.69x
Hurst 5 67.39x
Lopen 5 549.45x
North Bierley 5 12.38x
Sevenoaks 5 23.93x
St George Hanover Square 5 3.76x
Brightside Bierlow 4 2.73x
Goring 4 150.38x
Harwich St Nicholas 4 34.75x
Heversham With Milnthorpe 4 100.00x
Holdenhurst 4 9.85x
Mile End Old Town London 4 2.49x
Stoke Hammond 4 425.53x
Whitwood 4 37.63x
Carshalton 3 21.31x
Cheetham 3 4.49x
Clevedon 3 23.73x
Datchet 3 96.15x
Saunderton 3 272.73x
St Anne Soho London 3 6.96x
Wimbledon 3 7.26x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 39
John 32
Joseph 23
George 21
James 17
Henry 15
Charles 12
Edward 12
Thomas 10
Albert 9
Arthur 9
Walter 9
Frederick 8
Alfred 7
Herbert 7
Samuel 6
Robert 5
Benjamin 4
David 4
Francis 4
Richard 4
Alexander 3
Ernest 3
Frank 3
Harry 3
Sidney 3
Thos. 3
Alma 2
Ambrose 2
Daniel 2
Fredk. 2
Harold 2
Hen. 2
Hy. 2
Isaac 2
Jim 2
Jonathan 2
Louis 2
Percy 2
Stephen 2
Willie 2
Chas. 1
Elric 1
Emerson 1
Esau 1
Fred 1
Horace 1
Hubert 1
Hugh 1
Wm.E. 1

FAQ

Druce surname: questions and answers

How common was the Druce surname in 1881?

In 1881, 748 people were recorded with the Druce surname. That placed it at #4,914 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Druce surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,113 in 2016. That gives Druce a modern rank of #5,284.

What does the Druce surname mean?

A surname deriving from the Middle English "druce," an ancient word meaning "shepherd."

What does the Druce map show?

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