NameCensus.

UK surname

Drudge

An occupational surname referring to a person who does tedious, menial work.

In the 1881 census there were 128 people recorded with the Drudge surname, ranking it #17,079 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 82, ranked #32,895, down from #17,079 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Newchurch, London parishes and Freshwater. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Isle of Wight.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Drudge is 159 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 35.9%.

1881 census count

128

Ranked #17,079

Modern count

82

2016, ranked #32,895

Peak year

1911

159 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 2006

Key insights

  • Drudge had 128 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,079 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 82 in 2016, ranked #32,895.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 159 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Drudge surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Drudge surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Drudge 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 123 #14,886
1861 historical 87 #22,681
1881 historical 128 #17,079
1891 historical 130 #20,173
1901 historical 130 #19,649
1911 historical 159 #17,219
1997 modern 97 #27,342
1998 modern 108 #26,417
1999 modern 104 #27,164
2000 modern 96 #28,299
2001 modern 99 #27,534
2002 modern 104 #27,303
2003 modern 97 #28,217
2004 modern 97 #28,455
2005 modern 100 #28,025
2006 modern 100 #28,283
2007 modern 102 #28,351
2008 modern 98 #29,355
2009 modern 92 #30,820
2010 modern 91 #31,497
2011 modern 92 #31,301
2012 modern 88 #32,064
2013 modern 86 #32,557
2014 modern 82 #32,992
2015 modern 80 #33,052
2016 modern 82 #32,895

Geography

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Where Drudges are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Newchurch, London parishes, Freshwater, Battersea and Arreton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Isle of Wight. 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 Newchurch Hampshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Freshwater Hampshire
4 Battersea London (South Districts)
5 Arreton Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Isle of Wight 007 Isle of Wight
2 Isle of Wight 009 Isle of Wight
3 Isle of Wight 011 Isle of Wight
4 Isle of Wight 016 Isle of Wight
5 Isle of Wight 006 Isle of Wight

Forenames

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First names often paired with Drudge

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Drudge

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Drudge is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Drudge is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Drudge falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Drudge

The surname Drudge is of English origin, dating back to the late medieval period. It is derived from the Middle English word "drudge," which meant a servant or laborer who performed menial and tedious tasks. The name likely originated as an occupational surname, given to individuals who worked as servants or day laborers.

One of the earliest known references to the surname Drudge can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Warwickshire from 1332, where a certain John Drudge is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use during the 14th century.

The surname Drudge is also found in various parish records from the 16th and 17th centuries in counties such as Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Wiltshire. This indicates that the name was well-established in various regions of England during this time period.

In the 17th century, a notable individual bearing the surname Drudge was Thomas Drudge (c. 1620 - 1688), an English Puritan minister and author who served as the rector of Stourbridge in Worcestershire.

Another early recorded instance of the surname Drudge can be found in the Hearth Tax records of 1665, which list a William Drudge residing in the parish of Woodmancote, Gloucestershire.

During the 18th century, the surname Drudge appeared in various parish records and manorial documents across England. One notable individual from this period was John Drudge (1705 - 1763), a farmer and landowner from Oxfordshire.

In the 19th century, the surname Drudge continued to be found in various parts of England. One notable individual was William Drudge (1816 - 1892), a bricklayer and stonemason from Gloucestershire who worked on the construction of several churches and public buildings in the region.

Other individuals throughout history who bore the surname Drudge include James Drudge (1764 - 1844), a farmer from Wiltshire; Elizabeth Drudge (1798 - 1876), a schoolteacher from Oxfordshire; and George Drudge (1835 - 1901), a blacksmith from Gloucestershire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Drudge families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Drudge 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. Hampshire leads with 96 Drudges recorded in 1881 and an index of 37.22x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 96 37.22x
Middlesex 10 0.79x
Surrey 10 1.63x
Northumberland 6 3.21x
Kent 3 0.70x
Somerset 2 0.99x
Cheshire 1 0.36x
Royal Navy 1 6.67x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ventnor in Hampshire leads with 26 Drudges recorded in 1881 and an index of 1061.22x.

Place Total Index
Ventnor 26 1061.22x
Boldre 17 1847.83x
Northwood 10 272.48x
Carisbrooke 8 223.46x
Battersea 6 12.96x
Brading 6 174.93x
Tynemouth 6 59.82x
Arreton 5 602.41x
Newport 4 285.71x
Bonchurch 3 1034.48x
Bromley London 3 10.84x
St Helens 3 160.43x
Whippingham 3 153.85x
Alverstoke 2 21.44x
Frome 2 41.32x
Holy Rood 2 384.62x
Lambeth 2 1.82x
Ryde 2 36.10x
St Martin In Fields 2 26.56x
Hampstead London 1 5.10x
Kensington London 1 1.43x
Lee 1 16.05x
Lewisham 1 4.37x
Limehouse London 1 7.24x
Lymington 1 52.63x
Lyndhurst 1 140.85x
Marbury 1 10000.00x
Milford 1 133.33x
Penge 1 12.44x
Portsea 1 1.98x
Royal Navy 1 7.80x
Sandhurst 1 196.08x
Southampton St Mary 1 6.17x
Westminster St James 1 7.73x
Westminster St Margaret 1 16.47x
Worplesdon 1 135.14x

Top female names

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

Name Count
James 9
John 6
Charles 4
George 4
William 4
Frank 3
Joseph 3
Ernest 2
Robert 2
Samuel 2
Thomas 2
Albert 1
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
Edwin 1
Frederck 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Horace 1
Sam 1
Saml.H.M. 1
Sydney 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Drudge surname: questions and answers

How common was the Drudge surname in 1881?

In 1881, 128 people were recorded with the Drudge surname. That placed it at #17,079 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Drudge surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 82 in 2016. That gives Drudge a modern rank of #32,895.

What does the Drudge surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a person who does tedious, menial work.

What does the Drudge map show?

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