Find out how popular the last name Drane is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Drane.

Drane, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Drane surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Drane in America

Drane is the 11603rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Drane surname appeared 2,706 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Drane.

We can also compare 2010 data for Drane to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Drane

The surname Drane is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "drán" or "dræne," meaning a small watercourse or drain. This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a topographic surname to someone who lived near a small stream or drainage channel.

One of the earliest recorded instances of this surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where it appears as "William de la Drene." This indicates that the name was originally spelled with the prefix "de la," which was a common practice for surnames derived from place names or topographic features.

Another early reference to the Drane surname is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a "John Drane" is mentioned. This spelling variation without the "de la" prefix suggests that the name had evolved and become more established as a hereditary surname by the 14th century.

The Drane surname has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Drane Farm in Gloucestershire and Drane End in Staffordshire. These locations may have been named after individuals bearing the Drane surname or vice versa, further reinforcing the topographic origins of the name.

One notable bearer of the Drane surname was John Drane (c. 1500-1573), an English clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Sarum (Salisbury) in the 16th century. Another prominent figure was Thomas Drane (1672-1748), an English architect and stonemason who designed several churches and buildings in London during the early 18th century.

In the literary realm, Reverend Augusta Theodosia Drane (1823-1894) was a notable English writer and theologian who authored several religious works, including biographies of saints and historical novels. Her most famous work was "The Life of St. Dominic," published in 1857.

The Drane surname has also been associated with notable military figures, such as Major General Thomas Drane (1780-1865), a British army officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and the Crimean War, and Admiral Sir Francis Drane (1834-1897), a Royal Navy officer who served during the Victorian era.

Overall, the surname Drane has a rich history rooted in the English countryside, reflecting the topographic features and settlements where its earliest bearers lived. While its origins date back to the Middle Ages, the name has persisted through various spellings and has been carried by individuals from diverse walks of life, including clergy, architects, writers, and military personnel.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Drane

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Drane.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Drane was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Drane has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Drane was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Drane, please contact us.

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