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Dryden History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Dryden History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
England

Etymology of Dryden

What does the name Dryden mean?

The story of the Dryden family begins in ancient Scotland among the Pictish clans. The Dryden family lived in the lands of Dryden, near Roslin in Forfar where the name is pronounced Drayden.

Early Origins of the Dryden family

The surname Dryden was first found in Forfarshire part of the Tayside region of North Eastern Scotland, and present day Council Area of Angus. The first record of the name was "Philip de Dryden who was listed on a writ issued to the sheriff of Forfar in 1296. In 1329 payment was made to Henricus de Driden for behalf of the soul of King Robert and in compensation for loss of multure. Thomas de Driden is mentioned in 1455 as "supprior claustralis monasterii de Abirbrothoc', and in 1481 Laurence Dridane held a tenement in Stirling. The name is local. There is Dryden near Roslin, locally pronounced Drayden." 1

Some of the family ventures down into England in early times. "Blakesley Hall [in Blakesley, Northamptonshire] was anciently a religious house, occupied by a fraternity of the order of St. John of Jerusalem; and among a number of productive farms, is one of 200 acres, once the property of the Dryden family." 2

Early History of the Dryden family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dryden research. Another 167 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1306, 1329, 1455, 1481, 1521, 1631, 1668 and 1700 are included under the topic Early Dryden History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dryden Spelling Variations

Translation has done much to alter the appearance of many Scottish names. It was a haphazard process that lacked a basic system of rules. Spelling variations were a common result of this process. Dryden has appeared Dryden, Driden, Dridane, Driedan, Drydan, Drydon, Drydun, Dridan, Driden, Dridun and many more.

Early Notables of the Dryden family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was

John Dryden (1631-1700), an English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright from Thrapston, Northamptonshire, who was made Poet Laureate in 1668

Dryden Ranking

In the United States, the name Dryden is the 5,923^rd most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 3

Dryden migration to the United States +

Many Scots left their country to travel to the North American colonies in search of the freedom they could not find at home. Of those who survived the difficult voyage, many found the freedom they so desired. There they could choose their own beliefs and allegiances. Some became United Empire Loyalists and others fought in the American War of Independence. The Clan societies and highland games that have sprung up in the last century have allowed many of these disparate Scots to recover their collective national identity. A search of immigration and passenger ship lists revealed many early settlers bearing the Dryden name:

Dryden Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Adam Dryden, who began his life in the south in Georgia in the mid 1700's
Adam Dryden, aged 28, who landed in Savanna(h), Georgia in 1774 4

Dryden Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

William Dryden, who landed in New York in 1836 4
George L Dryden, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1849 4
William Dryden, who settled in New York State in 1855

Dryden migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Dryden Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

A L Dryden, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1907

Dryden migration to Australia +

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

Dryden Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. William Dryden, English convict who was convicted in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Captain Cook" on 2nd May 1833, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 5
Mr. James Dryden, (b. 1831), aged 46, Cornish engine driver travelling aboard the ship "Corona" arriving in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on 23rd July 1877 6
Mrs. Elizabeth Dryden, (b. 1839), aged 38, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Corona" arriving in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on 23rd July 1877 6
Miss Elizabeth Dryden, (b. 1866), aged 11, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Corona" arriving in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on 23rd July 1877 6
Miss Ellen Dryden, (b. 1869), aged 8, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Corona" arriving in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on 23rd July 1877 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Dryden migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Dryden Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. George Dryden, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Jura" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 23rd September 1858 7
Mrs. Dryden, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow with 6 children aboard the ship "Jura" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 23rd September 1858 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Dryden (post 1700) +

Robert Danny "Dan" Dryden (1944-2016), American politician, Member of the South Dakota House of Representatives (2011-2016)
Mack Leon Dryden (b. 1949), American comedian, motivational speaker, actor, illustrator, and writer
Helen Dryden (1887-1981), American artist and successful industrial designer
Charles Dryden (1860-1931), American baseball writer and humorist
Hugh Latimer Dryden (1898-1965), American aeronautical scientist and civil servant
Liam Dryden (b. 1989), Scottish student, actor, videographer and musician
Kenneth Wayne "Ken" Dryden (b. 1947), Canadian former professional hockey (NHL) goaltender, inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. former member of the Canadian House of Commons, Minister of Social Development from 2004 to 2006
Isabella Margaret Dryden (1917-2024), Canadian educator known for teaching computer classes at the age of 102
David Murray "Dave" Dryden (1941-2022), Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who created and first used the modern goaltending mask, consisting of fibreglass and a cage
John Cameron Dryden (1893-1952), Canadian politician in Manitoba, Canada
... (Another 10 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Dryden family +

Halifax Explosion

Master Andrew Dryden (1910-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 8
Master Percy Dryden (1911-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 8
Mrs. Georgina Beatrice Dryden (1883-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 8
Miss Alice Dryden (1914-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 8
Miss Dorothy Dryden (1914-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 8

USS Indianapolis

William Howard Dryden (1920-2002), 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 survived the sinking 9

Citations +

Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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/captain-cook
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 19). Emigrants to Australia NSW 1860 -88 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/nsw_passenger_lists_1860_88.pdf
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
Final Crew List, retrieved 2021, October 30th Retrieved from https://www.ussindianapolis.com/final-crew