UK surname
An anglicised version of the Old French surname "de Bourc" meaning "from Bourges".
In the 1881 census there were 48 people recorded with the Bourk surname, ranking it #26,869 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1, ranked #39,061, down from #26,869 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Newcastle All Saints, Manchester and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bourk is 143 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 97.9%.
1881 census count
48
Ranked #26,869
Modern count
1
2016, ranked #39,061
Peak year
1851
143 bearers
Map years
1
1851 to 1851
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Bourk surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Bourk surname density by area, 1851 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.
| Year | Period | Count | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1851 | historical | 143 | #13,343 |
| 1861 | historical | 83 | #23,189 |
| 1881 | historical | 48 | #26,869 |
| 1891 | historical | 61 | #29,103 |
| 1901 | historical | 11 | #32,907 |
| 1911 | historical | 5 | #33,427 |
| 2000 | modern | 1 | #38,790 |
| 2001 | modern | 1 | #38,647 |
| 2002 | modern | 1 | #38,709 |
| 2003 | modern | 1 | #38,735 |
| 2004 | modern | 1 | #38,771 |
| 2005 | modern | 2 | #38,532 |
| 2006 | modern | 1 | #38,879 |
| 2007 | modern | 1 | #38,907 |
| 2008 | modern | 1 | #38,949 |
| 2009 | modern | 1 | #38,998 |
| 2010 | modern | 1 | #39,020 |
| 2016 | modern | 1 | #39,061 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Newcastle All Saints, Manchester, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Glasgow and Preston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Newcastle All Saints | Northumberland |
| 2 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 3 | Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry | Forfar |
| 4 | Glasgow | Lanark |
| 5 | Preston | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Bourk surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bourk, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.
These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.
The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.
UK neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Bourk surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Bourk household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Bourk is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bourk is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Bourk, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname BOURK originated in Ireland and is an anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic surname Ó Brógárbháin or Ó Brógarbháin. It can be traced back to the 10th century and is derived from the Old Irish words "bróg" meaning shoe and "arbhán" meaning supplier or maker.
The name was first found in the region of County Mayo where they were a sept of the O'Connors, a powerful family descended from the Kings of Connaught. The name arose as a nickname for a shoemaker or supplier of shoes to the noble households.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name is found in the Annals of Loch Cé, a 14th century manuscript which mentions a Diarmaid Ó Brógárbháin in the year 1349. It is also recorded in the form O'Brogarbhan in the 16th century Fiants of the Tudor sovereign.
Notable historical figures with the surname BOURK include Andrew Bourke (1785-1859), an Irish Anglican priest who became the Bishop of Tuam, Killala and Achonry. William Bourke (1766-1832) was an Irish-born Australian landowner and merchant who became one of the wealthiest settlers in colonial New South Wales.
In the 17th century, Sir Richard Bourke (1620-1687) was an English landowner and politician who served as Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. His grandson, also named Richard Bourke (1777-1855), was a British army officer who became the Governor of New South Wales from 1831 to 1837.
Another prominent person was Robert Bourke (1827-1901), an Irish-born Australian politician who served as the 14th Premier of Victoria from 1857 to 1859. He played a significant role in the early development of democracy in the colony.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bourk surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Yorkshire leads with 17 Bourks recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.38x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Yorkshire | 17 | 3.38x |
| Lancashire | 12 | 1.99x |
| Angus | 5 | 10.64x |
| Surrey | 5 | 2.02x |
| Durham | 4 | 2.65x |
| Isle of Man | 4 | 42.46x |
| Middlesex | 3 | 0.59x |
| Derbyshire | 1 | 1.26x |
| Somerset | 1 | 1.22x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Addingham in Yorkshire leads with 11 Bourks recorded in 1881 and an index of 2894.74x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Addingham | 11 | 2894.74x |
| Dundee | 5 | 28.51x |
| Middlesbrough | 5 | 76.45x |
| Oldham | 5 | 25.75x |
| Battersea | 4 | 21.44x |
| Manchester | 4 | 14.78x |
| Onchan | 4 | 147.60x |
| Bermondsey | 1 | 6.62x |
| Bishopwearmouth | 1 | 7.72x |
| Blackley | 1 | 95.24x |
| Castle Eden | 1 | 666.67x |
| Glossop Dale | 1 | 26.88x |
| Hackney London | 1 | 3.52x |
| Haydock | 1 | 96.15x |
| Hedworth Monkton Jarrow | 1 | 15.31x |
| Ilminster | 1 | 175.44x |
| Mile End Old Town London | 1 | 9.27x |
| Openshaw | 1 | 35.46x |
| Paddington London | 1 | 5.36x |
| Stranton | 1 | 19.69x |
| Wakefield | 1 | 25.91x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Bourk surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Bourk surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Bourk households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Creeler In Silk Mill | 4 |
| Scholar | 3 |
| Cartwright | 2 |
| Weaver (C) | 2 |
| Ag Labourer | 1 |
| Agric Lab | 1 |
| Agricultural Laborer | 1 |
| Boiler Maker | 1 |
| Cotton Operative | 1 |
| Dress Maker | 1 |
| Glasshouse Laborer | 1 |
| House Wife | 1 |
| Labourer | 1 |
| Labourer At Iron Works | 1 |
| Labourer Ship Yd | 1 |
| Mason Labourer | 1 |
| Mason Wife | 1 |
| Musician | 1 |
| Musician (Travelling) | 1 |
| No Occupation | 1 |
| Outdoor Pauper | 1 |
| Sawyer Unemployed | 1 |
| Stableman (Dom) | 1 |
| Tailoress | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 48 people were recorded with the Bourk surname. That placed it at #26,869 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 1 in 2016. That gives Bourk a modern rank of #39,061.
An anglicised version of the Old French surname "de Bourc" meaning "from Bourges".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Bourk bearers relative to the surrounding population.
The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.