NameCensus.

UK surname

Drummond

A Scottish habitational surname referring to someone from a place called Drummond, meaning "ridge" in Gaelic.

In the 1881 census there were 5,944 people recorded with the Drummond surname, ranking it #746 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 8,448, ranked #781, down from #746 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Gateshead and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Annbank, Mossblown and Tarbolton - the Coalfields, Armadale and Logie and Blackness.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Drummond is 8,527 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 42.1%.

1881 census count

5,944

Ranked #746

Modern count

8,448

2016, ranked #781

Peak year

2010

8,527 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Drummond had 5,944 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #746 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 8,448 in 2016, ranked #781.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 7,138 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Drummond surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Drummond surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Drummond 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 3,948 #725
1861 historical 4,084 #682
1881 historical 5,944 #746
1891 historical 6,444 #709
1901 historical 7,138 #771
1911 historical 2,692 #1,924
1997 modern 7,996 #801
1998 modern 8,238 #807
1999 modern 8,290 #809
2000 modern 8,255 #812
2001 modern 8,035 #809
2002 modern 8,247 #808
2003 modern 8,075 #804
2004 modern 8,069 #803
2005 modern 8,048 #795
2006 modern 8,090 #792
2007 modern 8,214 #779
2008 modern 8,285 #783
2009 modern 8,430 #789
2010 modern 8,527 #794
2011 modern 8,394 #797
2012 modern 8,200 #799
2013 modern 8,332 #798
2014 modern 8,435 #791
2015 modern 8,414 #783
2016 modern 8,448 #781

Geography

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Where Drummonds are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Gateshead, Edinburgh, Glasgow and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Annbank, Mossblown and Tarbolton - the Coalfields, Armadale, Logie and Blackness, Plean and Rural SE and Tullibody North and Glenochil. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Annbank, Mossblown and Tarbolton - the Coalfields South Ayrshire
2 Armadale West Lothian
3 Logie and Blackness Dundee City
4 Plean and Rural SE Stirling
5 Tullibody North and Glenochil Clackmannanshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Drummond

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Drummond

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Drummond surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Drummond household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Drummond 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

Drummond 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

Drummond falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Drummond

The surname Drummond originates from the Scottish Lowlands, tracing its roots back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Gaelic word "drumainn," meaning a ridge or a small hill. The name is closely associated with the Drummonds of Stobhall, an influential Scottish family who rose to prominence in the region of Perthshire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, where Malcolm de Drummond swore fealty to King Edward I of England. This document provides evidence of the surname's presence during the medieval period.

The Drummonds played a significant role in Scottish history, with members holding influential positions and gaining recognition for their military exploits. Sir John Drummond (c. 1340-1428) was a renowned Scottish knight who fought alongside King Robert III during the Battle of Shrewsbury in 1403.

Another notable figure was James Drummond, 4th Earl of Perth (1648-1716), a Scottish politician and statesman who served as Lord Chancellor of Scotland and played a pivotal role in the Union of the Kingdoms of Scotland and England in 1707.

In the literary realm, the name is associated with William Drummond of Hawthornden (1585-1649), a Scottish poet and essayist widely regarded as one of the finest lyric poets of the 17th century. His works, including "Poems" and "A Cypress Grove," have had a lasting impact on Scottish literature.

The Drummonds also left their mark in the realm of exploration and discovery. Sir Gordon Drummond (1772-1854) was a British Army officer who served in various campaigns, including the War of 1812 in Canada, where he played a key role in the capture of Fort Erie.

Another prominent figure was Thomas Drummond (1797-1840), a British civil servant and statesman who served as Under-Secretary for Ireland and was instrumental in implementing social and political reforms in the country during the early 19th century.

Throughout history, the Drummond surname has been associated with various place names, such as Drummond Castle in Perthshire, Scotland, and the town of Drummondville in Quebec, Canada, both named after members of the Drummond family.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Drummond families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Drummond 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 974 Drummonds recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.19x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 974 5.19x
Perthshire 553 21.22x
Midlothian 526 6.76x
Fife 384 11.17x
Middlesex 350 0.60x
Lancashire 340 0.49x
Stirlingshire 311 14.52x
Durham 235 1.36x
Angus 178 3.31x
Northumberland 178 2.06x
Renfrewshire 173 3.84x
Surrey 173 0.61x
Clackmannanshire 160 33.37x
Yorkshire 116 0.20x
Ayrshire 106 2.44x
Roxburghshire 98 9.32x
Dunbartonshire 82 5.26x
Argyllshire 72 4.45x
East Lothian 56 7.28x
Kent 55 0.28x
Cumberland 54 1.08x
Kinross-shire 52 35.43x
Essex 49 0.43x
Aberdeenshire 46 0.86x
Hampshire 45 0.38x
Cheshire 41 0.32x
Dumfriesshire 41 3.20x
Orkney 38 5.95x
Somerset 37 0.40x
Berwickshire 34 4.84x
Kirkcudbrightshire 25 2.97x
West Lothian 25 2.86x
Berkshire 21 0.48x
Staffordshire 21 0.11x
Inverness-shire 20 1.15x
Sussex 20 0.20x
Hertfordshire 19 0.47x
Warwickshire 18 0.12x
Banffshire 14 1.16x
Channel Islands 14 0.81x
Lincolnshire 13 0.14x
Bedfordshire 12 0.40x
Derbyshire 12 0.13x
Royal Navy 12 1.73x
Glamorgan 11 0.11x
Buckinghamshire 10 0.28x
Monmouthshire 9 0.21x
Peeblesshire 9 3.30x
Caithness 8 1.01x
Herefordshire 8 0.34x
Leicestershire 8 0.12x
Suffolk 8 0.11x
Devon 7 0.06x
Flintshire 7 0.45x
Worcestershire 7 0.09x
Shetland 6 1.01x
Carmarthenshire 5 0.20x
Gloucestershire 5 0.04x
Northamptonshire 5 0.09x
Wiltshire 5 0.10x
Oxfordshire 4 0.11x
Selkirkshire 4 0.76x
Denbighshire 3 0.14x
Morayshire 3 0.33x
Buteshire 2 0.57x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.09x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.05x
Dorset 2 0.05x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.03x
Shropshire 2 0.04x
Kincardineshire 1 0.14x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.05x
Ross-shire 1 0.06x
Rutland 1 0.23x
Wigtownshire 1 0.13x

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 311 Drummonds recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.70x.

Place Total Index
Govan 311 6.70x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 249 7.96x
Barony 214 4.50x
Glasgow 196 5.88x
Dunfermline 113 21.38x
South Leith 88 10.05x
Gateshead 87 6.73x
Stirling 85 31.48x
Alloa 77 33.11x
Liff Benvie 63 7.72x
Comrie 61 163.71x
Crieff 58 59.85x
Falkirk 58 11.57x
Dundee 56 2.79x
Muthill 52 152.90x
Tillicoultry 52 48.75x
Islington London 44 0.78x
St Ninians 44 20.73x
Alva 43 42.10x
West Greenock 41 5.08x
Lambeth 38 0.75x
St Pancras London 38 0.81x
Rutherglen 35 12.71x
St George Hanover Square 32 3.13x
Bothwell 31 6.09x
Camberwell 29 0.78x
Madderty 29 276.98x
Berwick Upon Tweed 28 15.30x
Liverpool 28 0.67x
Old Monkland 27 3.62x
Westminster St Margaret 27 9.64x
Kirkcaldy 26 15.25x
Kensington London 25 0.77x
Kirkdale 25 2.16x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 25 4.85x
Cambuslang 24 12.68x
Fowlis Wester 24 108.01x
Bromley London 23 1.80x
Craigie 23 192.31x
Abbotshall 22 17.13x
Edinburgh Old 22 46.61x
Kinross 22 43.72x
Paisley Middle Church 22 8.40x
St Andrews 22 14.07x
Auchterarder 21 28.87x
Edinburgh Canongate 21 10.61x
Hawick 21 8.92x
Hulme 21 1.46x
Jedburgh 21 20.37x
Stronsay Eday 21 50.26x
Clackmannan 20 22.07x
Edinburgh St Marys 20 13.23x
Elswick 20 2.90x
Kilmore Kilbride 20 19.50x
Longbenton 20 5.47x
New Monkland 20 3.60x
North Leith 20 5.56x
Perth West Church 20 16.17x
Battersea 19 0.89x
Blairgowrie 19 18.43x
Croydon 19 1.21x
Dysart 19 8.21x
Everton 19 0.87x
Aberdeen Old Machar 18 1.60x
Auchterderran 18 20.83x
Inveresk 18 8.55x
Beath 17 15.65x
Cardross 17 9.07x
Logie 17 18.18x
Monkwearmouth Shore 17 5.04x
Abbey 16 2.33x
Ashton Under Lyne 16 1.06x
Bishopwearmouth 16 1.08x
Eastwood 16 5.77x
Fossoway 16 63.44x
Lismore Appin 16 29.75x
Old Cumnock 16 16.54x
St Marylebone London 16 0.52x
West Calder 16 10.44x
Westoe 16 1.63x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 127
Elizabeth 73
Margaret 58
Jane 53
Sarah 41
Isabella 36
Ann 35
Emma 23
Catherine 22
Ellen 21
Alice 20
Charlotte 18
Eliza 18
Annie 17
Emily 15
Frances 13
Martha 12
Helen 11
Anne 10
Clara 10
Edith 10
Kate 10
Agnes 9
Caroline 9
Fanny 9
Hannah 9
Florence 8
Harriet 8
Jessie 8
Lucy 8
Maria 8
Julia 7
Susannah 7
Eleanor 6
Rebecca 6
Rose 6
Susan 6
Grace 5
Amy 4
Anna 4
Beatrice 4
Dorothy 4
Ethel 4
Janet 4
Lizzie 4
Margt. 4
Rachel 4
Winifred 4
Bridget 3
Marion 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 133
William 103
James 85
Thomas 54
George 47
Robert 41
Henry 33
Charles 26
Edward 23
Joseph 22
David 20
Alexander 16
Arthur 16
Richard 15
Andrew 13
Frederick 11
Alfred 10
Francis 9
Peter 9
Walter 9
Harry 8
Samuel 8
Adam 6
Frank 6
Herbert 6
Edmund 5
Fredk. 5
Malcolm 5
Robt. 5
Albert 4
Archibald 4
Edwin 4
Hugh 4
Jno. 4
Maurice 4
Michael 4
Percy 4
Chas. 3
Christopher 3
Daniel 3
Duncan 3
Edgar 3
Isaac 3
Nelson 3
Philip 3
Willm. 3
Angus 2
Cristopher 2
Mortimer 2
Nathaniel 2

FAQ

Drummond surname: questions and answers

How common was the Drummond surname in 1881?

In 1881, 5,944 people were recorded with the Drummond surname. That placed it at #746 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Drummond surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 8,448 in 2016. That gives Drummond a modern rank of #781.

What does the Drummond surname mean?

A Scottish habitational surname referring to someone from a place called Drummond, meaning "ridge" in Gaelic.

What does the Drummond map show?

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