NameCensus.

UK surname

Drumm

A surname derived from the Scots Gaelic word "druim," meaning a ridge or rounded hill.

In the 1881 census there were 14 people recorded with the Drumm surname, ranking it #31,604 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 273, ranked #15,800, up from #31,604 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hambleton, Monikie and Linlathen and Midcraigie.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Drumm is 298 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1850.0%.

1881 census count

14

Ranked #31,604

Modern count

273

2016, ranked #15,800

Peak year

1998

298 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Drumm had 14 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,604 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 273 in 2016, ranked #15,800.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 60 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Drumm surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Drumm surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Drumm 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 11 #31,309
1861 historical 4 #33,628
1881 historical 14 #31,604
1891 historical 48 #30,447
1901 historical 55 #28,064
1911 historical 60 #26,808
1997 modern 272 #14,451
1998 modern 298 #13,937
1999 modern 280 #14,630
2000 modern 271 #14,910
2001 modern 270 #14,734
2002 modern 274 #14,849
2003 modern 269 #14,855
2004 modern 282 #14,451
2005 modern 265 #15,048
2006 modern 271 #14,880
2007 modern 271 #15,042
2008 modern 274 #15,063
2009 modern 278 #15,230
2010 modern 291 #15,050
2011 modern 280 #15,310
2012 modern 261 #16,041
2013 modern 269 #15,963
2014 modern 277 #15,734
2015 modern 265 #16,139
2016 modern 273 #15,800

Geography

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Where Drumms are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hambleton, Monikie, Linlathen and Midcraigie, Middlesbrough and York. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hambleton 006 Hambleton
2 Monikie Angus
3 Linlathen and Midcraigie Dundee City
4 Middlesbrough 007 Middlesbrough
5 York 011 York

Forenames

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First names often paired with Drumm

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Drumm

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Drumm surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Drumm household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Drumm 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

Drumm 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

Drumm 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 Drumm 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Drumm

The surname Drumm is of Scottish origin, originating from the Gaelic word "druim" meaning "ridge" or "hill". It is believed to have first emerged as a surname in the Scottish Highlands during the Middle Ages.

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 13th century, with references found in ancient Scottish charters and records. One notable example is John de Drumme, who was mentioned in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1264.

The name is thought to have derived from various place names in Scotland that incorporated the word "druim" or its variants, such as Drummore, Drumoak, and Drumblade. These places were often situated on or near prominent ridges or hills, lending credence to the etymological origin of the name.

In the 14th century, the Drumm surname appeared in the Ragman Rolls, a collection of homage rolls submitted to King Edward I of England by Scottish nobles and landowners. This suggests that the name was firmly established among the Scottish gentry by this time.

One of the earliest notable bearers of the name was Sir John Drummond, a prominent Scottish knight who fought alongside Robert the Bruce in the Wars of Scottish Independence during the early 14th century. He played a crucial role in the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314.

Another historically significant figure was Robert Drummond (1551-1623), a Scottish philosopher and educator who served as the Dean of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Edinburgh. He wrote several influential works on logic and philosophy during the Renaissance period.

In the 16th century, the Drumm surname was also associated with the Clan Drummond, a powerful Scottish clan with strong ties to the Scottish monarchy. The clan's ancestral seat was Stobhall Castle in Perthshire, and they played a significant role in Scottish history and conflicts.

Other notable individuals with the Drumm surname include Sir William Drummond (1770-1828), a British diplomat and ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, and Robert Hay Drummond (1711-1776), a Scottish architect and priest who designed several churches and other buildings in Edinburgh.

The Drumm surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life throughout history, including scholars, soldiers, diplomats, and members of the nobility, reflecting its deep Scottish roots and the diverse contributions of its bearers to society.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Drumm families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Drumm 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. Staffordshire leads with 9 Drumms recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.09x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 9 17.09x
Middlesex 3 1.92x
Isle of Man 2 68.97x
Kent 1 1.88x
Lancashire 1 0.54x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lichfield St Michael in Staffordshire leads with 9 Drumms recorded in 1881 and an index of 5294.12x.

Place Total Index
Lichfield St Michael 9 5294.12x
Onchan 2 240.96x
St Martin In Fields 2 215.05x
Gillingham 1 90.91x
Liverpool 1 8.90x
St Andrew Holborn 1 188.68x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Annie 2
Mary 2
Catherine 1
Emma 1
Eugenie 1
Maggie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Francis 2
William 2
Adolph 1
George 1
John 1
Samuel 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 Drumm households.

FAQ

Drumm surname: questions and answers

How common was the Drumm surname in 1881?

In 1881, 14 people were recorded with the Drumm surname. That placed it at #31,604 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Drumm surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 273 in 2016. That gives Drumm a modern rank of #15,800.

What does the Drumm surname mean?

A surname derived from the Scots Gaelic word "druim," meaning a ridge or rounded hill.

What does the Drumm map show?

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