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 'Parslow' refers to the ancient manorial family of the parish, and was commonly added to differentiate the village from nearby Drayton Beauchamp.