NameCensus.

UK surname

Burch

Derived from Old English "bur�" or "burg," referring to a person who lived near or worked at a fortress or town.

In the 1881 census there were 2,256 people recorded with the Burch surname, ranking it #1,974 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,011, ranked #2,233, down from #1,974 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Yapton, Walberton and Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mid Suffolk, Suffolk Coastal and Waverley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Burch is 3,230 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 33.5%.

1881 census count

2,256

Ranked #1,974

Modern count

3,011

2016, ranked #2,233

Peak year

1999

3,230 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Burch had 2,256 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,974 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,011 in 2016, ranked #2,233.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,132 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Burch surname distribution map

The map shows where the Burch surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Burch surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Burch over time

The 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 1,696 #1,701
1861 historical 1,468 #1,932
1881 historical 2,256 #1,974
1891 historical 2,344 #2,004
1901 historical 2,806 #1,989
1911 historical 3,132 #1,660
1997 modern 3,114 #2,056
1998 modern 3,212 #2,086
1999 modern 3,230 #2,091
2000 modern 3,176 #2,117
2001 modern 3,135 #2,100
2002 modern 3,175 #2,117
2003 modern 3,072 #2,134
2004 modern 3,105 #2,116
2005 modern 3,014 #2,147
2006 modern 2,965 #2,184
2007 modern 2,982 #2,182
2008 modern 3,025 #2,172
2009 modern 3,097 #2,180
2010 modern 3,161 #2,188
2011 modern 3,142 #2,170
2012 modern 3,064 #2,184
2013 modern 3,103 #2,192
2014 modern 3,111 #2,196
2015 modern 3,055 #2,216
2016 modern 3,011 #2,233

Geography

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Where Burchs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Yapton, Walberton, Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mid Suffolk, Suffolk Coastal and Waverley. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 London parishes London 1
2 Yapton, Walberton Sussex
3 London parishes London 3
4 Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a Essex
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mid Suffolk 010 Mid Suffolk
2 Suffolk Coastal 007 Suffolk Coastal
3 Mid Suffolk 006 Mid Suffolk
4 Waverley 003 Waverley
5 Mid Suffolk 008 Mid Suffolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Burch

These lists show first names that appear often with the Burch surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Burch

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Burch, 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

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Burch surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Burch household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Burch is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Burch is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Burch falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Burch is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Burch, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Burch

The surname BURCH is of Anglo-Saxon English origin, deriving from the Old English word "burh" meaning a fortified town or borough. It was initially used as a topographic name for someone who lived in or near a borough.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name BURCH dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "de Burch". It is believed to have referred to someone from the town of Burgh in Norfolk or Burgh in Suffolk.

The name BURCH has several spelling variations throughout history, including Burgh, Burghe, Burrowes, and Burrows. These variations were influenced by regional dialects and the evolution of the English language over time.

In the 13th century, the surname BURCH can be found in records such as the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire, where a William de Burgh is mentioned in 1273. This suggests that the name was well-established in various parts of England by that time.

Notable individuals bearing the surname BURCH include:

1. Hubert de Burgh (c. 1170 – 1243), an influential English nobleman who served as Chief Justiciar of England and Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports under King John and Henry III.

2. William Burgh (c. 1520 – 1599), an English scholar and religious writer who served as the first Master of Gresham College in London.

3. Elizabeth Burgh (c. 1578 – 1654), an English botanist and herbalist, who was one of the first women to achieve recognition in the field of botany.

4. James Burgh (1714 – 1775), a Scottish moral philosopher and educational writer, best known for his work "The Dignity of Human Nature".

5. John Burgh (1739 – 1808), an English politician and writer, who served as a Member of Parliament for Ipswich and was a vocal supporter of parliamentary reform.

The name BURCH also has connections to various place names in England, such as Burgh St. Peter in Norfolk, Burgh-on-Sands in Cumbria, and Burgh-by-Sands in Cumbria, further emphasizing its geographic origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Burch families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Burch surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 415 Burchs recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.88x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 415 1.88x
Suffolk 360 13.40x
Kent 286 3.80x
Devon 184 4.01x
Surrey 171 1.59x
Essex 94 2.16x
Hertfordshire 79 5.20x
Sussex 77 2.07x
Yorkshire 73 0.33x
Hampshire 67 1.48x
Lancashire 61 0.23x
Somerset 51 1.44x
Wiltshire 38 1.95x
Dorset 34 2.35x
Staffordshire 27 0.36x
Lincolnshire 22 0.62x
Worcestershire 19 0.66x
Glamorgan 17 0.44x
Cornwall 15 0.60x
Channel Islands 14 2.14x
Norfolk 14 0.41x
Bedfordshire 13 1.14x
Warwickshire 13 0.23x
Berkshire 12 0.72x
Durham 12 0.18x
Wigtownshire 11 3.76x
Derbyshire 10 0.29x
Leicestershire 8 0.33x
Gloucestershire 7 0.16x
Midlothian 7 0.24x
Cheshire 6 0.12x
Monmouthshire 6 0.38x
Lanarkshire 5 0.07x
Oxfordshire 5 0.37x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.30x
Northamptonshire 4 0.19x
Royal Navy 4 1.52x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.21x
Shropshire 3 0.16x
Dunbartonshire 2 0.34x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.07x
Radnorshire 2 1.12x
Argyllshire 1 0.16x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.11x
Northumberland 1 0.03x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hackney London in Middlesex leads with 47 Burchs recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.80x.

Place Total Index
Hackney London 47 3.80x
Islington London 42 1.96x
Camberwell 37 2.63x
Kensington London 37 3.02x
St George Hanover Square 35 9.01x
Wigginton 33 615.67x
Shoreditch London 31 3.24x
St Pancras London 30 1.69x
Mendlesham 29 341.18x
Paddington London 26 3.21x
Sheffield 26 3.74x
Stow Upland 25 283.13x
Chelsea London 24 3.61x
Plymouth St Andrew 24 6.79x
Battersea 23 2.83x
East Budleigh 21 97.09x
Lambeth 21 1.09x
Greenwich 19 5.41x
Ipswich St Clement 18 26.36x
Portsea 18 2.03x
Walberton 18 387.93x
West Ham 18 1.87x
Wyverstone 18 904.52x
Little Hale 17 622.71x
Aldbury 16 232.22x
Bow London 16 5.70x
Colchester St Botolph 16 43.21x
Hasketon 16 438.36x
Lympston 16 195.12x
Stoke Damerel 16 4.98x
Woodbridge 16 46.59x
Bromley 15 13.08x
Dawlish 15 43.80x
Maidstone 15 6.69x
Plumstead 15 5.98x
Rotherhithe 15 5.50x
Woodnesborough 15 217.71x
Bishopsteignton 14 161.10x
Canterbury St Mary 14 27.72x
Margate St John Baptist 14 10.16x
St Helier 14 6.58x
Tring 14 34.49x
Poplar London 13 3.12x
Willesden 13 6.25x
Bromley London 12 2.47x
Butley 12 425.53x
Cardiff St John 12 9.57x
Titchfield 12 35.22x
Ashford 11 15.01x
Brighton 11 1.47x
Inch 11 38.53x
Ipswich St Margaret 11 12.07x
Ipswich St Peter 11 30.42x
Arundel 10 48.03x
Clapham 10 3.63x
Deptford St Paul 10 1.72x
Exeter Heavitree 10 29.21x
St Marylebone London 10 0.85x
Tattingstone 10 240.38x
West Bromwich 10 2.35x
Woolwich 10 3.60x
Aldington 9 176.47x
Boulge 9 1836.73x
Hulme 9 1.65x
Lewisham 9 2.24x
Otterton 9 121.95x
Ramsholt 9 865.38x
Reigate Foreign 9 7.73x
Toxteth Park 9 1.02x
Chatham 8 3.86x
Clifton 8 40.73x
Colchester St Runwald 8 343.35x
Freston 8 386.47x
Great Cornard 8 131.58x
Harrow 8 23.73x
Hermitage 8 941.18x
High Halden 8 166.67x
Ripley 8 18.74x
Salford 8 1.04x
South Brent 8 81.14x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Burch surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 132
Elizabeth 83
Sarah 78
Eliza 44
Jane 39
Ellen 38
Alice 37
Emma 37
Annie 35
Emily 35
Ann 31
Louisa 23
Caroline 19
Harriet 19
Hannah 17
Martha 17
Maria 15
Fanny 14
Ada 13
Charlotte 13
Susan 13
Clara 12
Margaret 12
Edith 11
Florence 10
Kate 10
Matilda 10
Ethel 9
Harriett 9
Lucy 9
Lydia 9
Amelia 8
Anne 8
Laura 8
Minnie 8
Selina 8
Bessie 7
Jessie 7
Anna 6
Catherine 6
Maud 6
Rebecca 6
Rosa 6
Agnes 5
Amy 5
Beatrice 5
Esther 5
Frances 5
Sophia 5
Isabella 4

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Burch surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 153
John 98
George 78
Henry 68
Thomas 60
James 55
Charles 53
Alfred 35
Frederick 32
Arthur 26
Joseph 26
Edward 24
Robert 22
Samuel 21
Walter 19
Harry 18
Ernest 16
Frank 13
Edwin 12
Albert 11
Herbert 9
Isaac 8
Richard 8
Stephen 8
Philip 7
David 6
Edmund 6
Geo. 6
Jacob 5
Allen 4
Elijah 4
Fred 4
Jeremiah 4
Sydney 4
Benjamin 3
Fredrick 3
Horace 3
Jonathan 3
Saml. 3
Sidney 3
Thos. 3
Willie 3
Ellis 2
Everard 2
Louis 2
Mathew 2
Percy 2
Peter 2
Reuben 2
Shadrach 2

FAQ

Burch surname: questions and answers

How common was the Burch surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,256 people were recorded with the Burch surname. That placed it at #1,974 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Burch surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,011 in 2016. That gives Burch a modern rank of #2,233.

What does the Burch surname mean?

Derived from Old English "bur�" or "burg," referring to a person who lived near or worked at a fortress or town.

What does the Burch map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Burch bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

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.