Drew Coat of Arms, Family Crest and Drew Family History

Drew Family History

The Drew ancient family history was found in the irishsurnames.com archives.

Surnames developed a wide number of variants over the centuries. Many different spelling variations of the same name can be traced back to a single original root. Also, when a bearer of a name emigrated from Ireland it was not uncommon that their original name would be incorrectly transcribed in the record books upon arrival at their new location. Some names have dozens of spelling variations. Some Surnames were also altered over the years based on how they sounded phonetically, by their sound, and depending on the prevailing political conditions it may have been advantageous to change a name from one language to another. This was especially so in Ireland where most Gaelic names were 'anglicized' at some stage.

Variants of the name Drew include Drews, Drewe, Druce, Drewes, Dru, Dreux and Drayson. These names were introduced into England with the Norman invasion by Dru de Baladon, a follower of William the Conqueror. This name is of Anglo-Norman descent spreading to Ireland, Scotland and Wales in early times and is found in many mediaeval manuscripts in these countries. Examples of such are a Eborad Dru, Cambridge, and a Isouda Drewe, Huntshire, who were recorded in the 'Hundred Rolls', England, in the year 1273. A Johannes Drewe was recorded in the 'Poll Tax' of the West Riding of Yorkshire in the year 1379. In Scotland the first family of Dreux who originated in France bought land and lived at Bogleshole. A John Drew was a tenant of the Bishop of Glasgow in the year 1512. The Drews in Ireland were a minor sept of Thomond, O'Draoi in Irish. Other descendants in Ireland were of English origin. The descendants of Captain Drew, Waterford, 1598, still reside in Drewscourt, County Limerick. The Drew family crest (or coat of arms) came into existence many centuries ago. The process of creating these coats of arms began as early as the eleventh century although a form of Proto-Heraldry may have existed in some countries prior to this, including Ireland. The new more formalized art of Heraldry made it possible for families and even individual family members to have their very own family crest, coat of arms, including Drew descendants.