NameCensus.

UK surname

Drum

An occupational surname for a drummer or someone who played or made drums.

In the 1881 census there were 140 people recorded with the Drum surname, ranking it #16,151 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 138, ranked #25,127, down from #16,151 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Pollok North and East, Glenwood South and Thurrock.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Drum is 146 in 2012. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 1.4%.

1881 census count

140

Ranked #16,151

Modern count

138

2016, ranked #25,127

Peak year

2012

146 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Drum had 140 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,151 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 138 in 2016, ranked #25,127.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 140 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Drum surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Drum surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Drum 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 105 #16,618
1861 historical 130 #17,164
1881 historical 140 #16,151
1891 historical 107 #22,967
1901 historical 83 #24,900
1911 historical 40 #28,913
1997 modern 113 #25,106
1998 modern 114 #25,589
1999 modern 114 #25,766
2000 modern 109 #26,381
2001 modern 106 #26,468
2002 modern 119 #25,231
2003 modern 111 #26,091
2004 modern 115 #25,740
2005 modern 124 #24,529
2006 modern 132 #23,834
2007 modern 133 #24,059
2008 modern 134 #24,249
2009 modern 133 #24,817
2010 modern 144 #24,147
2011 modern 144 #23,962
2012 modern 146 #23,681
2013 modern 137 #25,149
2014 modern 142 #24,734
2015 modern 141 #24,723
2016 modern 138 #25,127

Geography

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Where Drums are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Manchester, Old Monkland and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Pollok North and East, Glenwood South, Thurrock and Abronhill South. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Old Monkland Lanark
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Pollok North and East Glasgow City
2 Glenwood South Glasgow City
3 Thurrock 005 Thurrock
4 Thurrock 008 Thurrock
5 Abronhill South North Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Drum

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Drum

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Drum, 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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Drum surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Drum household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Drum 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

Drum is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Drum falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Drum is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Drum

The surname DRUM has its origins in the British Isles, tracing back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "drom," which means a ridge or a drumlin, referring to a distinctive landform.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name DRUM can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Northumberland in 1197, where it was spelled as "de Dromundeby." This suggests that the name may have originated from a place name, possibly related to Drummond Hill or Drummond Castle in Scotland.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various Scottish records, including the Ragman Rolls of 1296, where it was listed as "Drum" and "Drom." This indicates that the name had become more established in Scotland during this period.

The DRUM surname is also associated with the Clan Drummond, a prominent Scottish clan with a rich history dating back to the 12th century. The Clan Drummond is said to have descended from Maurice, a Hungarian nobleman who settled in Scotland during the reign of King David I.

One notable figure bearing the DRUM surname was John Drum (c. 1679-1737), a Scottish-born merchant and politician in colonial America. He served as the Mayor of Annapolis, Maryland, and was a member of the Maryland General Assembly.

Another prominent individual was Thomas Drummond (1797-1840), a British civil engineer and statesman. He played a significant role in the construction of the Drummond Light, an early form of limelight used in lighthouses and theaters.

In England, the DRUM surname can be traced back to the 15th century. Robert Drum (c. 1460-1536) was an English theologian and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge.

The name also appeared in various historical records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where it was spelled "Drom," and the Hearth Tax Records of Yorkshire in 1673, where it appeared as "Drum."

William Drummond (1585-1649), a Scottish poet and writer, was another notable figure with the DRUM surname. He was a member of the Clan Drummond and is known for his poetry collections, including "Poems, Amorous, Funerall, Divine, Pastorall."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Drum families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Drum 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. Lanarkshire leads with 33 Drums recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.53x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 33 7.53x
Yorkshire 17 1.27x
Angus 12 9.55x
Lancashire 12 0.75x
Ayrshire 10 9.86x
Durham 9 2.23x
Kincardineshire 8 48.46x
Renfrewshire 8 7.61x
Selkirkshire 6 48.90x
Kent 4 0.86x
Aberdeenshire 3 2.39x
Middlesex 3 0.22x
Staffordshire 3 0.66x
Lincolnshire 2 0.92x
Midlothian 2 1.10x
Surrey 2 0.30x
Gloucestershire 1 0.38x
Northumberland 1 0.50x
Shropshire 1 0.85x
Sussex 1 0.44x
Warwickshire 1 0.29x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 24 Drums recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.13x.

Place Total Index
Govan 24 22.13x
Galston 10 361.01x
Fetteresso 8 308.88x
Old Monkland 8 45.98x
Liff Benvie 7 36.71x
Linthorpe 7 87.28x
Melrose 6 194.17x
West Greenock 6 31.81x
Dundee 5 10.66x
Layton With Warbreck 5 84.75x
Leeds 4 5.27x
Monkwearmouth 4 103.63x
Sculcoates 4 18.78x
St Giles 4 158.73x
Castle Church 3 109.09x
Chatham 3 23.57x
Abbey 2 12.48x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 2 8.51x
Bermondsey 2 4.96x
Kirkdale 2 7.39x
Parr 2 34.72x
South Leith 2 9.78x
St Swithin Lincoln 2 58.65x
Aberdeen Old Machar 1 3.81x
Allhallows 1 666.67x
Barony 1 0.90x
Birmingham 1 0.88x
Brighton 1 2.17x
Bristol St Michael 1 43.86x
Clerkenwell London 1 3.13x
Halifax 1 5.07x
Hampstead London 1 4.73x
Haslingden 1 15.02x
Kensington London 1 1.33x
Newcastle On Tyne 1 454.55x
Padiham 1 25.71x
Potter Newton 1 42.19x
Stockton 1 400.00x
Wigan 1 4.45x
Winlaton 1 25.84x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 5
Francis 3
James 3
Edward 2
Richard 2
William 2
Aaron 1
Barney 1
Charles 1
Frank 1
George 1
Henry 1
Michael 1
Peter 1
Ralph 1
Robert 1
Wm. 1

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 Drum households.

FAQ

Drum surname: questions and answers

How common was the Drum surname in 1881?

In 1881, 140 people were recorded with the Drum surname. That placed it at #16,151 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Drum surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 138 in 2016. That gives Drum a modern rank of #25,127.

What does the Drum surname mean?

An occupational surname for a drummer or someone who played or made drums.

What does the Drum map show?

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