The village name 'Drayton' is Anglo Saxon in origin and means 'farm where sledges are used'. It is a common place name in England, and refers to places that were perched on the hillside, thus requiring the use of a sledge rather than a cart to pull heavy loads. The suffix 'Beauchamp' refers to the ancient manorial family of the parish, and was commonly added to differentiate the village from nearby Drayton Parslow. The village is intersected by the Roman road Icknield Way.
The ancient manor house was once the property of King Edward III, but has since been pulled down.