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

Drey, 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 Drey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Drey in America

Drey is the 32123rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Drey surname appeared 718 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Drey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Drey 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 Drey

The surname DREY is of German origin, with its roots dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the German word "drei," meaning "three," and was likely an occupational surname or a descriptive name given to someone who lived on a street or area known as "drei."

The earliest known record of the DREY surname can be found in the German town of Hesse, where a man named Hans DREY was documented in 1567. This suggests that the name may have originated in this region, although it later spread to other parts of Germany and beyond.

In the 17th century, the DREY surname appeared in various church records and tax rolls across Germany. One notable example is the baptismal record of Johann DREY, born in 1632 in the city of Nuremberg. This record provides valuable insight into the spread and establishment of the DREY name during this period.

As the DREY family grew and expanded, some members migrated to other parts of Europe and eventually to the Americas. One of the earliest known DREY immigrants to the United States was Johannes DREY, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1748 from the Palatinate region of Germany.

Throughout history, several individuals with the DREY surname have achieved notable recognition. In the realm of literature, the German poet and writer Hans Christian DREY (1786-1853) made significant contributions to the Romantic movement. His works, such as "Die Schöne Müllerin" and "Winterreise," are considered literary classics.

Another famous bearer of the DREY name was the German philosopher and theologian Johann DREY (1777-1853), who was a prominent figure in the Catholic Tübingen School. His teachings and writings on the philosophy of religion had a lasting impact on Catholic theology in the 19th century.

In the field of science, the German chemist and inventor Carl DREY (1819-1901) is credited with developing the first practical method for the industrial production of aluminum. His contributions to metallurgy and the advancement of aluminum production were groundbreaking.

The DREY surname also has a notable presence in the arts. The German painter and printmaker Max DREY (1873-1944) was a prominent figure in the Expressionist movement, known for his bold and vibrant depictions of urban life and landscapes.

Lastly, the German-American architect and urban planner Walter DREY (1898-1978) left a lasting legacy through his innovative designs and contributions to urban planning. His work in shaping the modern cityscape of cities like New York and Chicago earned him widespread recognition.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Drey

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

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 Drey 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 Drey 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 Drey was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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