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Dryden Family History

Dryden Surname Meaning

English (Northumberland and Durham) and Scottish: habitational name from either from Dryden in Roxburghshire or Dryden near Roslin in Midlothian perhaps named from Old English dr̄ge ‘dry’ + denu ‘valley’.

The poet John Dryden (1631–1700) was born in Northamptonshire after his ancestors had migrated there from Cumbria in the 16th century.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Dryden family from?

You can see how Dryden families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dryden family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dryden families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 401 Dryden families living in Durham. This was about 30% of all the recorded Dryden's in United Kingdom. Durham had the highest population of Dryden families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dryden surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Dryden ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Dryden. 24% of Dryden men worked as a General Labourer and 71% of Dryden women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Dryden were Wharf Labourer and Domestic Servant.

View Census Data for Dryden | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    24%
  • Farmer
    6%
  • Builders Labourer
    5%
  • Wharf Labourer
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    71%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housekeeper
    3%
  • Domestic Servant
    2%

What Dryden family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 62,000 census records available for the last name Dryden. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dryden census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Dryden

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Dryden. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Dryden immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 7,000 military records available for the last name Dryden. For the veterans among your Dryden ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Dryden military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dryden family history

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What is the average Dryden lifespan?

Between 1949 and 2004, in the United States, Dryden life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Dryden in 1949 was 51, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dryden

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Dryden ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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