Surname Drysdale - Meaning and Origin
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Drysdale: What does the surname Drysdale mean?
The surname Drysdale is of Scottish origin, with some variations in spelling. It originally derived from the Gaelic word “Druis”, which meant “from the dry place” or “from the clearing”. This gives some insight into the predecessors of those who’ve since adopted this surname; their ancestors likely settled in a dry place or cleared land.
The Scottish Clan Drysdale is believed to have formed from members of ancient Ayrshire, which had its beginnings in pre-900 AD. It is from this village that the Drysdale surname spread. As people migrated from Ayrshire to other regions, so too did the name.
While the exact origin of the name is unknown, the Drysdale clan is said to be descended from a man named Rulal, who was born at a place called Drydal sometime before the 1200's. His descendents, which eventually adopted the surname “Drysdale”, spread across Scotland, though primarily remaining in Ayrshire.
The name Drysdale has now become widespread across the world. Many of those in Australia, Canada, the United States, and other countries who bear the name are actually descendants of the original Ayrshire family. Those who carry the name can take pride in knowing their family has a long and rich history.
Order DNA origin analysisDrysdale: Where does the name Drysdale come from?
The last name Drysdale is a habitational surname that originated from a region in Scotland known as "the dale of the dry river" or as it translates in Gaelic, ‘Druiseal’. It is a fairly common Scottish surname but is also found throughout Canada, the United States, Australia, and England as well.
In the United States, the highest concentration of people with the last name Drysdale is located in the state of Texas. Census data from 2020 shows that over 1,600 people in Texas have Drysdale as a surname. The states of California and Ohio also have relatively high numbers of people carrying the name, with figures just over 1,000 and 500 people respectively. Despite the numbers in those three states, there are still relatively few outside of those three when compared to the total US population.
In Scotland, the last name is found in various places, with notable occurrences in the old counties of Roxburgh, Berwickshire, and Midlothian. It is particularly common in the town of Stow, which is a small village in the region of Roxburgh.
In the UK, the last name is quite evenly spread out, with the highest concentration of Drysdales found in London. Outside of the UK, there are notable concentrations in Canada, particularly in Ontario and Quebec.
Overall, while the surname Drysdale is most common in a few places, it is still a relatively rare name throughout the world. The map below shows the various areas around the world where the surname is most prevalent.
Variations of the surname Drysdale
The surname Drysdale is of English, Scottish, Irish, and Dutch origin, derived from Old Norse word "drasill" meaning "horse". There are many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin as Drysdale.
In England, variants can be Drysdale, Drysdall, Drysdell, or Drysdill, while in Scotland, they may be Drisdale, Drisdall, Drisdell, or Drisdill. In Ireland, it could be Drisdell or Drisdall.
In the Netherlands, variants of Drysdale include Driesel or Driessel. It can also be spelled Dreschel, Dressel, Drischel, Drissel, or Dresdall. Another similar sounding German surname is Truesdell.
Other surnames of the same origin include Dryzdol, Drycood, Drye, Dryer, Dryhout, Drabble, or Druce. Common nicknames include Dry, Drye, Drys, Drysdol, Drydy, Drizzly or Drissy.
Overall, the name Drysdale is an old and proud surname with a number of different spellings and variants. Many of these variants and nicknames help to represent the various branches of the same family tree.
Famous people with the name Drysdale
- Don Drysdale: Former Major League baseball pitcher and 1957 Cy Young Award Winner.
- Dan Drysdale: Canadian actor who appeared in the soap opera Santa Barbara.
- Morgan Drysdale: Canadian politician and former Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 2003-2007.
- Dennis Drysdale: Canadian ice hockey player who played for the Chicago Blackhawks and Los Angeles Kings.
- Mike Drysdale: English actor who had roles in Conan the Barbarian and The Nightmare Before Christmas.
- Vonda Drysdale: Canadian singer, songwriter and producer.
- Sam Drysdale: American professional golfer who played from the 1960s: 1980s.
- Vincent Drysdale: English boxer who held the British flyweight title in 1938 and 1939.
- Paul Drysdale: South African actor who has appeared in films such as The Prisoner.
- Rob Drysdale: Former Australian rugby league footballer who played 14 tests for the Australian national side.