NameCensus.

UK surname

Dry

An English surname derived from a nickname for a sober or austere person.

In the 1881 census there were 381 people recorded with the Dry surname, ranking it #8,240 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 563, ranked #9,114, down from #8,240 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gateshead and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Riding of Yorkshire, Cheshire West and Chester and South Cambridgeshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dry is 674 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 47.8%.

1881 census count

381

Ranked #8,240

Modern count

563

2016, ranked #9,114

Peak year

1998

674 bearers

Map years

6

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dry had 381 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,240 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 563 in 2016, ranked #9,114.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 602 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Dry surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dry surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Dry 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 388 #6,190
1881 historical 381 #8,240
1901 historical 602 #7,062
1997 modern 635 #7,808
1998 modern 674 #7,699
1999 modern 668 #7,781
2000 modern 644 #7,990
2001 modern 622 #8,062
2002 modern 632 #8,145
2003 modern 612 #8,203
2004 modern 615 #8,203
2005 modern 591 #8,363
2006 modern 594 #8,345
2007 modern 617 #8,184
2008 modern 610 #8,298
2009 modern 620 #8,385
2010 modern 610 #8,677
2011 modern 596 #8,735
2012 modern 578 #8,847
2013 modern 596 #8,795
2014 modern 597 #8,832
2015 modern 566 #9,096
2016 modern 563 #9,114

Geography

Back to top

Where Drys are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to East Riding of Yorkshire, Cheshire West and Chester, South Cambridgeshire and Coventry. 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 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Driffield Yorkshire, East Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Riding of Yorkshire 031 East Riding of Yorkshire
2 Cheshire West and Chester 029 Cheshire West and Chester
3 South Cambridgeshire 005 South Cambridgeshire
4 Coventry 020 Coventry
5 Cheshire West and Chester 031 Cheshire West and Chester

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Dry

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Dry

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Dry is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Dry 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

Dry 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 Dry 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 Dry, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Dry

The surname Dry is believed to have originated in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is thought to be a topographic name, derived from the Old English word "dryge," meaning dry or arid. This name would have been given to someone who lived in a particularly dry or arid region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Dry can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and resources in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Dryge" and "Drigg," indicating its early origins.

During the 13th century, the surname Dry was particularly prevalent in the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire, where several places bear the name "Dry" or variations of it, likely referring to the dry or arid nature of the area. For instance, the village of Dry Sands in Lancashire is believed to have been named after its dry, sandy soil.

One notable figure bearing the surname Dry was John Dry, a 14th-century English philosopher and theologian who was active at the University of Oxford. He was born around 1330 and is known for his writings on logic and metaphysics.

In the 16th century, the name Dry appeared in the records of the Merchant Taylors' Company in London, suggesting that individuals with this surname were involved in the textile trade during that period.

Another historical figure of note was Sir Richard Dry, an English soldier and politician who lived during the 17th century. He served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Taunton in Somerset and was involved in the English Civil War, supporting the Parliamentarian cause.

The surname Dry also has connections to Scotland, where it is believed to have derived from the Gaelic word "drùidh," meaning a druid or wise man. In this context, the name may have been initially used as a descriptive term for a person with exceptional knowledge or wisdom.

During the 18th century, the Dry surname was found in various regions of England, including Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Oxfordshire. One notable individual from this period was William Dry, a prominent English architect who was born in 1750 and designed several notable buildings in London and its surrounding areas.

Throughout history, the Dry surname has been subject to various spellings, such as "Drye," "Drygh," and "Dryge," reflecting the evolution of language and regional variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Dry families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dry 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. Yorkshire leads with 134 Drys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.64x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 134 3.64x
Middlesex 65 1.75x
Surrey 39 2.15x
Hampshire 33 4.33x
Warwickshire 22 2.35x
Kent 18 1.42x
Lancashire 12 0.27x
Durham 10 0.90x
Oxfordshire 8 3.49x
Cheshire 7 0.85x
Lincolnshire 7 1.18x
Berkshire 5 1.79x
Wiltshire 4 1.22x
Dorset 3 1.23x
Merionethshire 3 4.41x
Sussex 3 0.48x
Leicestershire 2 0.49x
Midlothian 2 0.40x
Devon 1 0.13x
Isle of Man 1 1.45x
Norfolk 1 0.18x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.85x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Driffield in Yorkshire leads with 34 Drys recorded in 1881 and an index of 449.74x.

Place Total Index
Great Driffield 34 449.74x
Sculcoates 25 42.82x
Basingstoke 13 148.40x
Ramsgate 11 53.14x
Coventry Holy Trinity 10 35.73x
Clerkenwell London 9 10.26x
Kingsclere 9 258.62x
Monk Bretton 9 241.29x
Birmingham 8 2.56x
Hendon 8 59.84x
Holy Trinity 8 9.03x
Sutton 8 190.48x
Chester Holy Trinity 7 181.82x
Kirkdale 7 9.44x
Leeds 7 3.37x
Owthorne 7 1014.49x
Oxford St Thomas 7 65.36x
Southwark St George Martyr 7 9.36x
Westoe 7 11.17x
Wortley In Bramley 7 24.00x
Hammersmith London 6 6.55x
Lambeth 6 1.85x
Newington 6 4.37x
Poplar London 6 8.55x
York St Cuthbert 6 178.04x
Clapham 5 10.76x
St Martin Lincoln 5 90.74x
Carshalton 4 57.72x
Charlton Next Woolwich 4 30.26x
Croydon 4 3.98x
Hackney London 4 1.92x
Norwood 4 47.06x
Southcoates 4 19.56x
Teddington London 4 47.51x
Tottenham 4 6.76x
Barnes 3 39.16x
Everton 3 2.13x
Halifax 3 5.55x
Kinson 3 62.89x
Pennal 3 352.94x
South Shields 3 30.46x
St George Martyr London 3 39.84x
St Marylebone London 3 1.51x
Withernsea 3 697.67x
Acton 2 9.18x
Aldershot 2 7.84x
Beverley St Martin 2 32.52x
Chelsea London 2 1.79x
Duddingston 2 20.02x
Froxfield 2 363.64x
Fulham London 2 3.71x
Hastings St Mary 2 12.83x
Leicester St Leonard 2 51.28x
Minster In Thanet 2 75.76x
Portsea 2 1.34x
Portsmouth 2 11.40x
Reading St Mary 2 8.95x
Southhampton St Mary Extra 2 240.96x
St Luke London 2 3.36x
St Mary 2 81.30x
St Pancras London 2 0.67x
Streatley 2 243.90x
Sutton Stoneferry 2 18.98x
Swindon 2 7.85x
Toxteth Park 2 1.34x
Woking 2 18.33x
Alford 1 27.17x
Aston 1 0.39x
Aylsham 1 29.41x
Brighton 1 0.79x
Brodsworth 1 227.27x
Churwell 1 39.84x
Farlington 1 64.10x
Farnborough 1 12.50x
Headington 1 28.09x
Kingsbury 1 103.09x
Kingston On Thames 1 2.30x
Mexborough 1 13.68x
Milverton 1 36.36x
White Waltham 1 96.15x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 25
Jane 13
Annie 12
Elizabeth 11
Sarah 10
Ellen 8
Emily 8
Ann 7
Charlotte 7
Louisa 6
Alice 5
Eliza 5
Florence 5
Ada 4
Amelia 4
Clara 4
Emma 4
Hannah 4
Agnes 3
Fanny 3
Harriet 2
Lois 2
Margaret 2
Martha 2
Sophia 2
Blanch 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Dellah 1
Edith 1
Eliha 1
Eliz. 1
Ethel 1
Florry 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Georgina 1
Gertrude 1
H... 1
Harret 1
Harrison 1
Helen 1
Henrietta 1
Kate 1
Katherine 1
Lettie 1
Lilly 1
Lucy 1
Mariann 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 35
John 15
Henry 12
Thomas 10
Charles 9
James 9
George 8
Alfred 6
Arthur 6
Edward 6
Richard 6
Joseph 5
Albert 4
Robert 4
Francis 3
Frederick 3
Harry 3
Herbert 3
Benjamin 2
Daniel 2
David 2
Earnest 2
Thoma. 2
Walter 2
Bernard 1
Chas. 1
Clarence 1
Dawson 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Harold 1
Hilliam 1
Horace 1
Isaac 1
J. 1
Jabez 1
Joe. 1
Jonathan 1
Josep.C. 1
Nicholis 1
Ralph 1
Samuel 1
Thos. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Dry surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dry surname in 1881?

In 1881, 381 people were recorded with the Dry surname. That placed it at #8,240 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dry surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 563 in 2016. That gives Dry a modern rank of #9,114.

What does the Dry surname mean?

An English surname derived from a nickname for a sober or austere person.

What does the Dry map show?

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