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

Drift, 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 Drift surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Drift in America

Drift is the 118185th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Drift surname appeared 147 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 Drift.

We can also compare 2010 data for Drift 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 Drift

The surname "Drift" is an English toponymic name derived from the Old English word "drifan", meaning "to drive" or "to move". It is believed to have originated in the county of Yorkshire, England, during the late medieval period.

The earliest recorded mention of the name "Drift" can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1297, where a person named John Drift was listed as a taxpayer. This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the late 13th century.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various manorial records and court rolls, such as the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield from 1348, where a Robert Drift was mentioned. This indicates that the name was associated with individuals living in or around the village of Drift, which is located in the West Riding of Yorkshire.

The name "Drift" is also believed to have been derived from the Old English place name "Driftun", which means "a place where cattle were driven" or "a place where cattle were pastured". This connection to the pastoral way of life may have contributed to the name's origins and its association with specific locations in Yorkshire.

One notable bearer of the surname "Drift" was John Drift, a 15th-century merchant and alderman of the city of York, who lived from around 1420 to 1490. He was a prominent figure in the city's mercantile community and played a role in the governance of York during his lifetime.

Another individual with the surname "Drift" was William Drift, a 16th-century yeoman farmer from the village of Drift in Yorkshire. He was mentioned in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1524, indicating his status as a landowner and taxpayer in the region.

In the 17th century, the name "Drift" appeared in the Parish Registers of various Yorkshire parishes, such as Ecclesfield and Rotherham. This suggests that the name had spread to other parts of the county and was well-established among the local population.

One notable bearer from this period was Thomas Drift, a member of the Society of Friends (Quakers) who lived in the village of Highflats, Yorkshire, in the late 17th century. He was known for his religious convictions and his involvement in the Quaker community of the region.

As the centuries progressed, individuals with the surname "Drift" continued to be found in various records and documents throughout Yorkshire and other parts of England. While the name may have originated from a specific location, it eventually spread and became associated with families from different regions, reflecting the mobility and migration of people over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Drift

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

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

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

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