Drury History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Etymology of Drury

What does the name Drury mean?

When the ancestors of the Drury family emigrated to England following the Norman Conquest in 1066 they brought their family name with them. They lived in Suffolk. This family was originally from Rouvray, Normandy, and it is from the local form of this place-name, De Rouvray, which literally translates as from Rouvray. 1

In the language of Chaucer, signifies love or courtship: “Of bataille and of chevalrie, Of ladies love and druerie Anon I wol you tell.”

Early Origins of the Drury family

The surname Drury was first found in Suffolk where John de Drury, son and heir of a Norman adventurer settled at Thurston. 2

"The founder of the family in England is mentioned in the Battel-Abbey Boll. He settled first at Thurston and subsequently at Rougham, co. Suffolk, and his descendants Continued in possession of that estate for about six hundred years." 3

"John de Drury, son and heir of the Norman adventurer, settled at Thurston, in Suffolk, and bore for arms "arg, on a chief vert, two mullets pierced or." His descendant Nicholas Drury, of Thurston, living temp. Edward II., married Joane, daughter and heir of Sir Simon Saxham, Knt., and by her had Roger, Nicholas, and John, from which three brothers derived the Drurys of Rougham, Saxham, Hawsted, Egerly, Riddlesworth, Besthorp, Everstone, &c. The founder of the Riddlesworth branch, was Sir Drue Drury, Gentleman Usher of the Privy Chamber to Queen Elizabeth, and one of the keepers of Queen Mary of Scotland." 2

"Drury, Drewry, or Drewery, is an ancient Lincolnshire name. As Drury, and occasionally as Drewery and Druery, it was established in this county and in the adjacent counties of York and Cambridge in the 13th century." 4

Early History of the Drury family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Drury research. Another 133 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1527, 1531, 1536, 1567, 1579, 1587, 1589, 1607, 1614, 1617, 1623, 1624, 1627, 1641 and 1739 are included under the topic Early Drury History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Drury Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries. For that reason, spelling variations are common among many Anglo-Norman names. The shape of the English language was frequently changed with the introduction of elements of Norman French, Latin, and other European languages; even the spelling of literate people's names were subsequently modified. Drury has been recorded under many different variations, including Drury, Drewery, Drewry, Drurie, Drewrie and others.

Early Notables of the Drury family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Sir Dru or Druie, Drury (1531?-1617), an English courtier, the fifth but third surviving son of Sir Robert Drury, knt., of Hedgerley, Buckinghamshire. 5
Sir Robret Drury (d. 1536), was Speaker of the House of Commons, eldest son of Roger Drury, Lord of the Manor of Hawsted, Suffolk. Robert Drury (1567-1607), was a Catholic divine, born of a gentleman'...

Drury Ranking

In the United States, the name Drury is the 3,451^st most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 6 However, in the United Kingdom, the name Drury is ranked the 928^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,441 people with that name. 7

Migration of the Drury family to Ireland

Some of the Drury family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Drury migration to the United States +

To escape the uncertainty of the political and religious uncertainty found in England, many English families boarded ships at great expense to sail for the colonies held by Britain. The passages were expensive, though, and the boats were unsafe, overcrowded, and ridden with disease. Those who were hardy and lucky enough to make the passage intact were rewarded with land, opportunity, and social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families went on to be important contributors to the young nations of Canada and the United States where they settled. Drurys were some of the first of the immigrants to arrive in North America:

Drury Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Elizabeth Drury, who settled in Virginia in 1653
Eliz Drury, who arrived in Virginia in 1653 8
John Drury, who landed in Massachusetts in 1654 8
Hugh Drury, who landed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1659 8
Richard Drury, who arrived in Maryland or Virginia in 1663 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Drury Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Peter Drury, who landed in Tippecanoe County, Ind in 1843 8
Jerem iah Drury, who arrived in New York in 1846 8
John, Michael, Owen, and Patrick Drury all, who settled in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1865

Drury migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Drury Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Thomas Drury, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1749
Thomas Drury, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750

Drury migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Drury Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. William Drury, English convict who was convicted in Warwick, Warwickshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Castle Forbes" on 3rd October 1819, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 9
Mr. James Drury, English convict who was convicted in Norfolk, England for life, transported aboard the "Chapman" on 6th April 1824, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 10
Mr. Thomas Drury, (b. 1813), aged 25, English labourer from Rolvenden, Kent, England travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Maitland" arriving in Surry Hills, New South Wales, Australia on 6th November 1838 11
Mrs. Mary Drury, (b. 1814), aged 24, English dairy woman from Rolvenden, Kent, England travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Maitland" arriving in Surry Hills, New South Wales, Australia on 6th November 1838 12
Miss Emily Drury, (b. 1837), aged 1, English settler from Rolvenden, Kent, England travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Maitland" arriving in Surry Hills, New South Wales, Australia on 6th November 1838, she died at sea 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Drury migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 14

Drury Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Richard Drury, who settled in Barbados in 1680 with his servants

Contemporary Notables of the name Drury (post 1700) +

James Child Drury Jr. (1934-2020), American actor, best known for his starring role as The Virginian (1962-1967)
Christopher Ellis "Chris" Drury (b. 1976), retired American professional NHL ice hockey player who played for the New York Rangers, a two-time Olympic silver medalist
Paul Drury (1903-1987), American painter, past President of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers and Engravers (1970-1975)
Allen Stuart Drury (1918-1998), American journalist and novelist awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1960
Andrew Mark "Andy" Drury (b. 1983), English footballer
Adam James Drury (b. 1978), English former professional footballer who played from 1995 to 2014
Alfred Briscoe Drury (1857-1944), English architectural sculptor, known for his work at the Victoria and Albert Museum, an Associate of the Royal Academy of Arts in 1900
Dru Drury (1725-1803), English naturalist
Malcolm Graham Keith Drury (1952-2024), Welsh international motorcycle speedway rider and team manager
Mr. William Drury, British sheriff, held the joint position of Sheriff of Nottingham, England from 1659 to 1660
... (Another 11 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Drury family +

HMS Hood

Mr. Ernest Drury (b. 1923), English Ordinary Signalman serving for the Royal Navy from Runcorn, Cheshire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 15

HMS Repulse

Mr. Harry Drury, British Ordinary Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 16

USS Indianapolis

Richard Eugene Drury, American crew member on board the ship "USS Indianapolis" when she was on a top secret trip for the first nuclear weapon, she was sunk by Japanese Navy on 30th July 1945, he was one of the many who were killed in the sinking due to exposure, dehydration, saltwater poisoning and shark attacks 17

The Drury Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Cave ut comprehendas
Motto Translation: Be careful to include

Citations +

The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/castle-forbes
Convict Records of Australia. Retreived 26th January 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/chapman
Ship Voyages to New South Wales (Retrieved 11th July 2021). Retrieved from https://indexes.records.nsw.gov.au/ebook/list.aspx?Page=NRS5313/4_4780/Maitland_5 Nov 1838/4_478000079.jpg&No=68
Ship Voyages to New South Wales (Retrieved 11th July 2021). Retrieved from https://indexes.records.nsw.gov.au/ebook/list.aspx?Page=NRS5313/4_4780/Maitland_5 Nov 1838/4_478000079.jpg&No=69
Ship Voyages to New South Wales (Retrieved 11th July 2021). Retrieved from https://indexes.records.nsw.gov.au/ebook/list.aspx?Page=NRS5313/4_4780/Maitland_5 Nov 1838/4_478000079.jpg&No=70
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
Final Crew List, retrieved 2021, October 30th Retrieved from https://www.ussindianapolis.com/final-crew