NameCensus.

UK surname

Burdge

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "bridge town".

In the 1881 census there were 155 people recorded with the Burdge surname, ranking it #15,174 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 261, ranked #16,309, down from #15,174 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Churchill, St George Bloomsbury and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Somerset, Bath and North East Somerset and Harrogate.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Burdge is 264 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 68.4%.

1881 census count

155

Ranked #15,174

Modern count

261

2016, ranked #16,309

Peak year

2011

264 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Burdge had 155 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,174 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 261 in 2016, ranked #16,309.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 186 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Burdge surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Burdge surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Burdge 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 99 #17,294
1861 historical 140 #16,169
1881 historical 155 #15,174
1891 historical 171 #16,733
1901 historical 181 #16,107
1911 historical 186 #15,643
1997 modern 211 #17,048
1998 modern 223 #16,936
1999 modern 227 #16,834
2000 modern 221 #17,089
2001 modern 225 #16,664
2002 modern 244 #16,085
2003 modern 237 #16,191
2004 modern 254 #15,540
2005 modern 259 #15,294
2006 modern 261 #15,289
2007 modern 252 #15,815
2008 modern 256 #15,817
2009 modern 247 #16,549
2010 modern 257 #16,476
2011 modern 264 #16,016
2012 modern 237 #17,132
2013 modern 249 #16,825
2014 modern 255 #16,682
2015 modern 254 #16,608
2016 modern 261 #16,309

Geography

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Where Burdges are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Churchill, St George Bloomsbury, London parishes, Mark, Chapel Allerton, Weare, East Brent, South Brent 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 North Somerset, Bath and North East Somerset and Harrogate. 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 Churchill Somerset
2 St George Bloomsbury London (Central Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 Mark, Chapel Allerton, Weare, East Brent, South Brent Somerset
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Somerset 012 North Somerset
2 North Somerset 008 North Somerset
3 Bath and North East Somerset 021 Bath and North East Somerset
4 North Somerset 018 North Somerset
5 Harrogate 016 Harrogate

Forenames

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First names often paired with Burdge

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Burdge

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Burdge, 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 Burdge surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Burdge 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Burdge 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

Burdge is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Burdge falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Burdge 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 Burdge, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Burdge

The surname Burdge is an English surname with origins dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "burg" or "burh," which referred to a fortified town or dwelling place. The name likely originated in areas with Anglo-Saxon settlements, such as the counties of Somerset, Devon, and Dorset.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Burdge can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Somerset from the year 1194, where it appears as "Burge." This suggests that the surname existed in various spellings during the Middle Ages, including Burge, Burg, and Burghe.

In the 13th century, the name Burdge was documented in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, where it was spelled as "Borges." This record provides evidence of the name's presence in different regions of England during the medieval period.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and tenants commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not explicitly mention the surname Burdge. However, it does list several place names that may have influenced the formation of the surname, such as Burgh in Norfolk and Bury in Suffolk.

One notable figure with the surname Burdge was Sir Richard Burdge (c. 1500 - 1568), a wealthy merchant and Member of Parliament for the City of London during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He played a significant role in the establishment of the Levant Company, which facilitated trade between England and the Ottoman Empire.

Another prominent individual was Thomas Burdge (1667 - 1743), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Warden of Winchester College from 1724 until his death. He is remembered for his contributions to the college's administration and educational reforms.

In the 18th century, John Burdge (1725 - 1803) was a renowned English architect known for his work on several churches and manor houses in Somerset and Devon. His most notable design was the Church of St. Mary in Chard, Somerset, completed in 1768.

During the 19th century, William Burdge (1826 - 1892) was a prominent English artist and painter. He is best known for his landscapes and coastal scenes depicting the English countryside and seaside towns.

Another notable figure was Mary Burdge (1846 - 1922), a British philanthropist and social reformer. She dedicated her life to improving the living conditions of the poor and promoting education for underprivileged children in London's East End.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Burdge families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Burdge 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. Somerset leads with 71 Burdges recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.18x.

County Total Index
Somerset 71 29.18x
Middlesex 49 3.24x
Glamorgan 7 2.66x
Gloucestershire 7 2.36x
Surrey 5 0.68x
Kent 4 0.78x
Lancashire 4 0.22x
Devon 3 0.95x
Dorset 3 3.02x
Yorkshire 2 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Congresbury in Somerset leads with 13 Burdges recorded in 1881 and an index of 2096.77x.

Place Total Index
Congresbury 13 2096.77x
Yatton 13 1368.42x
St George Bloomsbury 10 115.34x
Churchill 7 1794.87x
East Brent 7 1891.89x
Islington London 7 4.78x
St Pancras London 7 5.75x
Weare 7 2058.82x
Ystradyfodwg 7 30.32x
Compton Bishop 6 2068.97x
Hackney London 5 5.90x
Mile End New Town London 5 167.22x
Acton 4 45.15x
Bristol St Paul In 4 50.63x
Chelsea London 4 8.78x
Garston 4 75.61x
Huntspill 4 400.00x
Lewisham 4 14.54x
Mark 4 701.75x
Southwark St George Martyr 4 13.15x
Banwell 3 337.08x
Lyme Regis 3 252.10x
Shoreditch London 3 4.58x
Bawdrip 2 1000.00x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 8.25x
St Luke London 2 8.25x
Wooldale 2 78.74x
Bedminster 1 4.37x
Berrow 1 434.78x
Bristol St Peter 1 94.34x
Bristol St Stephen 1 129.87x
Clatworthy 1 833.33x
Clifton 1 6.67x
Exeter St Sidwell 1 13.87x
Lambeth 1 0.76x
South Brent 1 243.90x
St Botolph Aldersgate 1 57.80x
Westminster St John 1 5.43x
Weston In Gordano 1 1111.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 12
Elizabeth 8
Louisa 5
Sarah 5
Amelia 4
Eliza 3
Ellen 3
Emma 3
Jane 3
Martha 3
Ann 2
Anne 2
Edith 2
Kate 2
Teresa 2
Alice 1
Augusta 1
Bertha 1
Caroline 1
Caroll 1
Carry 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Eleanor 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Florence 1
Flower 1
Frances 1
Hidda 1
Johannah 1
Lizzie 1
Lydia 1
Margaret 1
Matilda 1
Rhoda 1
Rosa 1
Rosetta 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 9
Thomas 7
William 7
George 6
Alfred 4
James 4
Samuel 4
Frederick 3
Harry 3
Herbert 3
Francis 2
Fredk. 2
Richard 2
Abraham 1
Charles 1
Daniel 1
Edmund 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Harold 1
Jno. 1
Joseph 1
Louis 1
Oliver 1
Reubin 1
Sidney 1
Thos. 1
Willm. 1
Wm.Henry 1

FAQ

Burdge surname: questions and answers

How common was the Burdge surname in 1881?

In 1881, 155 people were recorded with the Burdge surname. That placed it at #15,174 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Burdge surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 261 in 2016. That gives Burdge a modern rank of #16,309.

What does the Burdge surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "bridge town".

What does the Burdge map show?

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