The Drum surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 4,468 people carried this name — #7,459 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 66,200 people counted. That is down 3% from 4,621 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Drum surname

As an Irish surname, from Droma, a personal name from druim (“ridge”)

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Drum» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 13 births for the Drum name in 1890.

Most were registered in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 600 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. One of them was indexed under another spelling of the name. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “Fermanagh.”

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born, 1890

Ulster 8
Leinster 4
Munster 1

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

20 families named Drum, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 102 people lived in those households, 5.1 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 2 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

New York 11
Pennsylvania 8
Massachusetts 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 238 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Drum in American newspapers,
1921–1930.

Newspaper page from Plentywood Herald carrying the name Drum
Plentywood Herald 1930-11-20
Newspaper page from Daily Kennebec Journal carrying the name Drum
Daily Kennebec Journal 1921-05-05
Newspaper page from Plentywood Herald carrying the name Drum
Plentywood Herald 1930-10-16

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 2,388 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Drum in Australian newspapers,
1810s–2000s.

15,151 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Drum. The most, 4,200, date from the 1930s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in New South Wales, at 1.5 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 7,494
Victoria 3,817
Queensland 1,590
Western Australia 885
South Australia 872
Tasmania 336
ACT (Canberra) 106
Northern Territory 9

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Drum.

Who carried it

People named Drum,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Richard C. Drum
    Richard C. Drum 1825–1909 · military personnel
  • Henry Drum
    Henry Drum 1857–1950 · mayor
  • Walter Drum
    Walter Drum 1870–1921
  • unknown daughter Montford 1320–
  • William Drum 1808–1876 · joiner
  • William Drum 1808–1876 · joiner

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Drum,
in the records of 8 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States630 records

630 records of the Drum name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 180
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 160
  • Other U.S. records 290
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Alfred O. Drum

    Born 1924 in New York. Enlisted 1943 at Rochester; payroll clerk from Steuben County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1993, buried at Woodlawn National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Kaetchen Drum

    Arrived at New York in 1883 aboard the Pennland from Antwerp, aged 21; farmer. From Germany; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Thomas Drum

    Born 1948; from Johnson City, New York. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1970 in Tay Ninh, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 630 records for Drum in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia105 records

105 records of the Drum name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 42
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 30
  • Other Australian records 33
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Terence Drum

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Isabella Watson, sailing from Dublin in 1842. Native of Fermanagh.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Karl Alger Drum

    Gentleman of Middle Brighton, Victoria; died 1979.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Jane Drum

    Arrived in Victoria in 1848 as an assisted immigrant aboard the Lady Kennaway, aged 18.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 105 records for Drum in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Germany27 records

27 records of the Drum name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Ludwig Drum

    From Ulmet, Pfalz. Reported dead in the Bavarian casualty list of 18 January 1915 (Infantry Regiment No. 22).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Jakob Drum

    From Steinbach, St. Wendel. Reported missing in the Prussian casualty list of 8 June 1917.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 2 of 27 records for Drum in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

France7 records

7 records of the Drum name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Pauline Jeanne Drum

    Born 1940 in Metz; died 1972 in Metz (Moselle).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Louis Joseph Eugene Drum

    Born 1935 in Metz; died 1990 in Moulins-lès-Metz (Moselle).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Auguste Marie Hilde Drum

    Born 1913 in Germany; died 1992 in Sarreguemines (Moselle).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 3 of 7 records for Drum in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Netherlands7 records

7 records of the Drum name in the Netherlands Dutch population registers
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register John Gerard Drum

    In the population register of Irlam Lane (Gb); student, born 1907 in Irlam Lane (Gb).

    Open Archives, West Brabants Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Anna Catharina Drum

    In the population register of Amsterdam; born 1794 in Hessen.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Amsterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Trijntje Drum

    In the population register of Middelie.

    Open Archives, Waterlands Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 7 records for Drum in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

New Zealand2 records

2 records of the Drum name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Michael Drum

    Died 1905, aged 45; buried at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Anne Drum

    Died 1939, aged 82; buried at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Canada1 record

1 record of the Drum name in Canada Canadian Virtual War Memorial
  1. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Alexander Marr Drum

    Died in service in 1922.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Counts: Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

United Kingdom1 record

1 record of the Drum name in the United Kingdom War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record C. Drum

    East Yorkshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Drum.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Drum is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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