NameCensus.

UK surname

Burdon

A surname derived from a place name, likely referring to someone from Burden in Derbyshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 980 people recorded with the Burdon surname, ranking it #3,969 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,360, ranked #4,432, down from #3,969 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Gateshead and Stranton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stockton-on-Tees, Cornwall and Leeds.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Burdon is 1,517 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 38.8%.

1881 census count

980

Ranked #3,969

Modern count

1,360

2016, ranked #4,432

Peak year

1998

1,517 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Burdon had 980 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,969 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,360 in 2016, ranked #4,432.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,317 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Burdon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Burdon surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Burdon 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 659 #3,932
1861 historical 869 #3,193
1881 historical 980 #3,969
1891 historical 1,138 #3,740
1901 historical 1,317 #3,798
1911 historical 1,311 #3,640
1997 modern 1,457 #4,011
1998 modern 1,517 #4,008
1999 modern 1,505 #4,070
2000 modern 1,487 #4,090
2001 modern 1,420 #4,172
2002 modern 1,426 #4,230
2003 modern 1,360 #4,317
2004 modern 1,372 #4,300
2005 modern 1,325 #4,367
2006 modern 1,355 #4,305
2007 modern 1,378 #4,281
2008 modern 1,372 #4,325
2009 modern 1,400 #4,329
2010 modern 1,429 #4,339
2011 modern 1,443 #4,264
2012 modern 1,391 #4,327
2013 modern 1,389 #4,404
2014 modern 1,377 #4,448
2015 modern 1,371 #4,421
2016 modern 1,360 #4,432

Geography

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Where Burdons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Gateshead, Stranton, Bishop Wearmouth and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stockton-on-Tees, Cornwall, Leeds and Gateshead. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Stranton Durham
4 Bishop Wearmouth Durham
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stockton-on-Tees 014 Stockton-on-Tees
2 Cornwall 024 Cornwall
3 Leeds 101 Leeds
4 Gateshead 004 Gateshead
5 Stockton-on-Tees 012 Stockton-on-Tees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Burdon

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Burdon

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Burdon, 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 Burdon surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Burdon 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Burdon is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Burdon 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

Burdon 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 Burdon is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Burdon

The surname Burdon has its origins in Northumberland, a county in the North East of England. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "bur" meaning a cottage or small dwelling, and "dun" signifying a hill. Burdon likely referred to someone who lived in a small dwelling on a hill.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Burdon can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Northumberland from the year 1189, where a William Burdon is mentioned. The name also appears in the Hundred Rolls of Northumberland from 1273, where a Hugo de Burdun is listed.

In the 13th century, the Burdon family held lands in the village of Burdon, near Sunderland. This place name is thought to be the origin of their surname. The village of Burdon was recorded in the Boldon Book, a medieval survey of Northumberland dating back to 1183.

One notable individual bearing the Burdon surname was Sir Robert Burdon (c.1545-1607), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Newcastle upon Tyne. He served as Mayor of Newcastle in 1601 and was knighted by King James I in 1603.

Another prominent figure was William Burdon (1764-1828), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Newcastle upon Tyne from 1806 to 1818. He was also the founder of the Burdon Main Colliery, one of the earliest coal mines in the area.

In the 16th century, the Burdon family of Northumberland split into two branches, with one branch settling in County Durham. This gave rise to the variant spelling of Burdone, which can be found in records from that period.

Other notable individuals with the surname Burdon include William Burdon (1772-1849), an English artist and engraver known for his landscape paintings, and George Burdon (1799-1854), an English clergyman and author who wrote extensively on the history and antiquities of Northumberland.

Throughout its history, the surname Burdon has been closely associated with the North East of England, particularly the counties of Northumberland and Durham. While its origins can be traced back to the Middle Ages, the name has continued to be carried by individuals of significance up until more recent times.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Burdon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Burdon 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 441 Burdons recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.49x.

County Total Index
Durham 441 15.49x
Yorkshire 150 1.58x
Middlesex 80 0.84x
Devon 33 1.66x
Kent 26 0.80x
Hampshire 21 1.07x
Northumberland 21 1.47x
Surrey 20 0.43x
Dorset 19 3.03x
Lanarkshire 19 0.61x
Staffordshire 19 0.59x
Lancashire 13 0.11x
Warwickshire 11 0.46x
Buckinghamshire 10 1.73x
Sussex 10 0.62x
Midlothian 9 0.70x
Stirlingshire 8 2.27x
Angus 7 0.79x
Cornwall 7 0.65x
Wiltshire 7 0.83x
Leicestershire 5 0.47x
Radnorshire 5 6.48x
West Lothian 5 3.47x
Derbyshire 4 0.27x
Glamorgan 4 0.24x
Norfolk 4 0.27x
Somerset 4 0.26x
Essex 3 0.16x
Lincolnshire 3 0.20x
Gloucestershire 2 0.11x
Shropshire 2 0.24x
Bedfordshire 1 0.20x
Channel Islands 1 0.35x
Clackmannanshire 1 1.27x
Cumberland 1 0.12x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.39x
Monmouthshire 1 0.14x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.08x
Suffolk 1 0.09x
Worcestershire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Westoe in Durham leads with 51 Burdons recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.60x.

Place Total Index
Westoe 51 31.60x
Stranton 29 30.26x
Southwick 24 89.02x
Bishopwearmouth 23 9.41x
Stockton On Tees 22 16.03x
Whitby 22 68.84x
Whitburn 18 271.08x
Bothwell 14 16.68x
Sunderland 14 27.84x
Burythorpe 12 1395.35x
Hackney London 12 2.24x
Camberwell 11 1.80x
Leeds 11 2.05x
Melcombe Regis 11 42.26x
Seaham 11 105.97x
St Pancras London 10 1.30x
Gateshead 9 4.22x
Hartlepool 9 22.24x
Islington London 9 0.97x
Lasswade 9 30.71x
Monkwearmouth Shore 9 16.20x
Mordon 9 1607.14x
Ryde 9 21.36x
Bishopsteignton 8 212.20x
High Coniscliffe 8 689.66x
Lanchester 8 152.96x
Paddington London 8 2.27x
Portsea 8 2.08x
Redworth 8 439.56x
Woodbury 8 135.36x
Benwell 7 44.99x
Castleford 7 20.27x
Dundee 7 2.12x
Greencroft 7 134.10x
Huddersfield 7 5.07x
Kyo 7 52.24x
Larbert 7 33.18x
Lewisham 7 4.02x
Lytchett Minster 7 251.80x
Middlesbrough 7 5.67x
Sedgefield 7 68.97x
Sherburn 7 80.83x
Skelton In Guisbrough 7 27.29x
St George Hanover Square 7 4.15x
St Giles 7 39.39x
St Marylebone London 7 1.37x
Walsall Foreign 7 4.20x
Whitworth 7 33.59x
Cumberworth 6 124.22x
Deptford St Nicholas 6 23.16x
Ebchester 6 136.05x
Elvet 6 29.20x
Hart 6 86.58x
Holy Trinity 6 2.63x
Hylton 6 119.52x
Stoke Upon Trent 6 1.75x
Sutton On Forest 6 317.46x
Sutton Stoneferry 6 22.12x
Wheldrake 6 306.12x
Winslow 6 110.09x
Bedlington 5 10.52x
Birmingham 5 0.62x
Boldon 5 49.26x
Boness 5 25.16x
Castle Eden 5 173.01x
Chilton 5 56.24x
East Cowton 5 393.70x
Esh 5 24.13x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 5 4.05x
Hetton Le Hole 5 13.86x
Heworth 5 8.91x
Iveston 5 38.11x
Lamesley 5 32.64x
Monkwearmouth 5 18.35x
Moss Side 5 8.37x
Nantmel 5 123.76x
Redmarshall Carlton 5 505.05x
Toxteth Park 5 1.30x
Westbury 5 25.32x
Willington 5 30.40x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 80
Elizabeth 46
Sarah 38
Jane 29
Ann 22
Margaret 21
Hannah 13
Ellen 12
Isabella 11
Annie 10
Charlotte 9
Emily 9
Martha 9
Alice 7
Catherine 7
Frances 7
Edith 6
Harriet 6
Louisa 6
Eleanor 5
Eliza 5
Emma 5
Ethel 5
Fanny 5
Florence 5
Julia 5
Ada 4
Anne 4
Rosa 4
Dora 3
Laura 3
Lucy 3
Susannah 3
Agnes 2
Amelia 2
Angela 2
Anna 2
Caroline 2
Charlott 2
Elizabth. 2
Elizth. 2
Gertrude 2
Hilda 2
Isa. 2
Janet 2
Maria 2
Maud 2
Minnie 2
Priscilla 2
Rose 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 55
William 44
Thomas 36
George 25
Robert 23
James 19
Henry 11
Richard 10
Alfred 9
Edward 9
Charles 8
Arthur 7
Christopher 6
Francis 6
Harry 6
Joseph 6
Matthew 6
Samuel 6
Stephen 6
Anthony 5
Thos. 5
Tom 5
Walter 5
Edwin 4
Leonard 4
Wm. 4
Albert 3
Andrew 3
Ernest 3
Frank 3
Frederick 3
Herbert 3
Chas. 2
Geo. 2
Jas. 2
Jno. 2
Mathew 2
Michael 2
Oliver 2
Ralph 2
Rowland 2
Archibald 1
Chs. 1
Elizabeth 1
Eward 1
Forster 1
Foster 1
Fred 1
Jonn 1
Zachariah 1

FAQ

Burdon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Burdon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 980 people were recorded with the Burdon surname. That placed it at #3,969 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Burdon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,360 in 2016. That gives Burdon a modern rank of #4,432.

What does the Burdon surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name, likely referring to someone from Burden in Derbyshire, England.

What does the Burdon map show?

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