NameCensus.

UK surname

Burdess

An English locational surname derived from Burdhouse or Burdiehouse, places in Scotland.

In the 1881 census there were 140 people recorded with the Burdess surname, ranking it #16,151 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 285, ranked #15,286, up from #16,151 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Brancepeth, Dalton-le-Dale and Easington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Burdess is 297 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 103.6%.

1881 census count

140

Ranked #16,151

Modern count

285

2016, ranked #15,286

Peak year

2002

297 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Burdess had 140 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,151 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 285 in 2016, ranked #15,286.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 221 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Burdess surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Burdess surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Burdess 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 71 #20,875
1861 historical 145 #15,715
1881 historical 140 #16,151
1891 historical 163 #17,300
1901 historical 186 #15,839
1911 historical 221 #14,044
1997 modern 277 #14,253
1998 modern 278 #14,620
1999 modern 292 #14,204
2000 modern 290 #14,237
2001 modern 293 #13,933
2002 modern 297 #14,081
2003 modern 277 #14,577
2004 modern 283 #14,418
2005 modern 268 #14,905
2006 modern 270 #14,923
2007 modern 282 #14,618
2008 modern 274 #15,063
2009 modern 278 #15,230
2010 modern 275 #15,673
2011 modern 281 #15,276
2012 modern 275 #15,459
2013 modern 284 #15,358
2014 modern 289 #15,251
2015 modern 288 #15,190
2016 modern 285 #15,286

Geography

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Where Burdess' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Brancepeth, Dalton-le-Dale, Easington, Kelloe and Stanhope. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland and County Durham. 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 Brancepeth Durham
2 Dalton-le-Dale Durham
3 Easington Durham
4 Kelloe Durham
5 Stanhope Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 029 Northumberland
2 County Durham 038 County Durham
3 County Durham 017 County Durham
4 County Durham 018 County Durham
5 County Durham 046 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Burdess

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Burdess

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Burdess surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Burdess household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Burdess is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Burdess is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

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

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Burdess falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Burdess is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Burdess

The surname Burdess has its origins in England, emerging in the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "burde" and "hus," which together translate to "dwelling by the bower" or "house near the lady's chamber." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to a location or property associated with a noble or wealthy household.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1212, where a William Burdehus is mentioned. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also contain references to individuals with the surname Burdehus or Burdehuse, indicating variations in spelling during that era.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various historical records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which lists a John Burdehous, and the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379, mentioning a Robert Burdehous.

The surname Burdess has also been linked to certain place names, such as Burdhouse or Burdhousegate, which were areas in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. These place names likely originated from the same Old English roots as the surname itself.

Notable individuals throughout history who bore the surname Burdess include:

1. William Burdess (c. 1590-1668), an English landowner and member of Parliament for Warwickshire. 2. John Burdess (c. 1620-1692), an English merchant and philanthropist who established a charity school in London. 3. Mary Burdess (1737-1812), a British author and poet known for her religious writings. 4. Thomas Burdess (1788-1857), an English architect who designed several churches and public buildings in London. 5. Henry Burdess (1854-1928), a British military officer who served in the Boer War and World War I.

While the surname Burdess may have evolved in spelling and pronunciation over the centuries, its origins can be traced back to medieval England, where it likely referred to a specific location or property associated with a prominent household or noble family.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Burdess families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Burdess 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. Durham leads with 104 Burdess' recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.60x.

County Total Index
Durham 104 25.60x
Northumberland 10 4.92x
Yorkshire 10 0.74x
Gloucestershire 9 3.36x
Lincolnshire 5 2.29x
Warwickshire 2 0.58x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dawdon in Durham leads with 20 Burdess' recorded in 1881 and an index of 400.00x.

Place Total Index
Dawdon 20 400.00x
Brandon Byshottles 10 196.46x
Stanhope 10 238.66x
Helmington Row 9 476.19x
Mickleton 9 2903.23x
Shotton 9 900.00x
West Rainton 8 634.92x
Willington 8 340.43x
Bishop Auckland 6 110.09x
Crook Billy Row 5 96.15x
Westgate 5 39.75x
Eggleston 4 1142.86x
Frodingham 4 512.82x
Gateshead 4 13.15x
Tynemouth 4 36.76x
Aylburton 3 1000.00x
East Murton 3 394.74x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 3 17.06x
Stroud 3 57.58x
Usworth 3 138.89x
Westbury On Severn East 3 49.59x
Coventry St Michael 2 18.08x
Haswell 2 68.73x
Coxlodge 1 64.94x
Melton Ross 1 1250.00x
Sheffield 1 2.32x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 16
William 14
John 13
Anthony 7
Thomas 7
Adam 2
Henry 2
James 2
Matthew 2
Robert 2
Andrew 1
David 1
Edwin 1
Emanuel 1
Esther 1
Forster 1
Harold 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Burdess surname: questions and answers

How common was the Burdess surname in 1881?

In 1881, 140 people were recorded with the Burdess surname. That placed it at #16,151 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Burdess surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 285 in 2016. That gives Burdess a modern rank of #15,286.

What does the Burdess surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from Burdhouse or Burdiehouse, places in Scotland.

What does the Burdess map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Burdess 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.