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

Drones, 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 Drones surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Drones in America

Drones is the 64721st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Drones surname appeared 307 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 Drones.

We can also compare 2010 data for Drones 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 Drones

The surname DRONES is of English origin, with roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "drān," meaning a male honey bee or drone. This occupational surname was likely given to beekeepers or those involved in the production of honey and beeswax.

In the early 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Drane," "Dran," and "Drone," in records from counties like Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire. One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1207, where a certain Willelmus Dran is mentioned.

The DRONES name has also been linked to the village of Drone in Somerset, which may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname in that region. This connection is evident in the records of the Domesday Book, where the village is referred to as "Druna."

Notable individuals bearing the DRONES surname throughout history include:

1. John Drones (c. 1535-1597), an English clergyman and author who served as the Archdeacon of Lewes.
2. William Drones (c. 1610-1668), a prominent English lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Long Parliament during the English Civil War.
3. Elizabeth Drones (c. 1670-1745), a renowned English philanthropist and benefactor who established several charitable foundations in London.
4. Jonathan Drones (1715-1789), a British explorer and naturalist who accompanied Captain James Cook on his voyages to the Pacific Ocean.
5. Sarah Drones (1805-1878), a influential British educator and advocate for women's education, who founded the Drones Academy for Girls in London.

Over the centuries, the DRONES surname has undergone various spelling variations, such as "Drone," "Dron," and "Droan," reflecting regional dialects and phonetic adaptations. Despite its occupational origins, the name has transcended its humble beginnings and become widely dispersed across England and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Drones

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

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

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

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