Origin of The Surname

According to one lot of records, the surname DRY is from an ancient Norfolk family. A family of Anglo Saxon origin before the year 1100 and appears first in the records of Norfolk. There are other sources that say the original Drys came from France.

Variations of The Surname

DRAY, DREY, DREYE, DRYE, DRUYE, DRIE, DRI,
ANDREI, DREI, DHERY, DERY.

Early Records

Richard DRIE 1219 Norfolk/Suffolk
Geoffrey DREYE 1292 London
James DRYE Norfolk 1540 (marriage)
Robarte DRYE Yorkshire, 1540 (marriage)
John DRY Kent 1546 (christening)
Moris DRYE Surrey 1548 (christening)
Jacob DRY Norfolk 1558 (christening)
William DRYE Sussex, 1564
Richard DRY Dorset, 1565 (marriage)
Stephen DRYE Northumberland, 1574

IGI Statistics

The four most heavily populated areas (with Dry's) are:

Lincolnshire
Yorkshire
Hampshire
London

Popularity of Names

First Name	Number Recorded On IGI
WILLIAM	166
JOHN	151
THOMAS	122
RICHARD	58
HENRY	41
CHARLES	30
ROBERT	29
JAMES	27
EDWARD	25
GEORGE	20
BENJAMIN	19
MARY	180
ELIZABETH	177
ANN/E	147
SARAH	79
JANE	33
SUSAN	18
HARRIET	18

Unusual First Names

Gulielmus - Lincoln, Stafford
Gualterus - London
Jebez - Leicestershire, Nottingham
Benytt - Norfolk
Henricus - Stafford
Job - Shropshire
Mordicai - Lincoln
Brooke - Lincoln
Kirkby - Lincoln
Cyrus - Lincoln
Catthorn - Lincoln
Eli (male) - Hampshire
Bonniface - London
Franciscus - Yorkshire
Valentine - Yorkshire
Jewison - Yorkshire
Ealce - Yorkshire
Ursaley - Yorkshire
Isabella - Lincoln
Ezekiel - Lincoln
Temperance - Hampshire
Letitia - Hampshire