Drew
What is the origin of the last name Drew?
Meaning and origin
The last name Drew has its origins in England, specifically derived from the medieval personal name "Andrew," which was itself derived from the Greek name "Andreas." The name "Andrew" was popularized by Saint Andrew, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus in Christianity. Over time, the name Andrew evolved into various forms and spellings, including Dreu, Drewe, and eventually Drew. The last name Drew signifies a patronymic surname denoting descent from an ancestor named Andrew and is believed to have been in use since the Middle Ages.
Surname origins are rarely settled: one spelling can have several sources, and families often took a name for reasons nobody wrote down. Check it against the sources below before you rely on it.
#1,513
Drew was the 1,513th most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 23,722 people, about 7.7 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Surnames like Drew
Names it is linked with, then names with the same origin and a similar standing.
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Drew is found around the world
- The Internet Surname Database: a second opinion on the origin
- US Census Bureau: the 2010 surname figures used here
For a name you are serious about, compare the dictionaries: Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames; Hanks, Dictionary of American Family Names.