NameCensus.

UK surname

Burke

An Irish surname derived from the Old English word "burh," meaning "fortress" or "castle."

In the 1881 census there were 8,736 people recorded with the Burke surname, ranking it #483 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 22,865, ranked #258, up from #483 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rhondda Cynon Taf, Rochdale and Knowsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Burke is 23,479 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 161.7%.

1881 census count

8,736

Ranked #483

Modern count

22,865

2016, ranked #258

Peak year

2010

23,479 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Burke had 8,736 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #483 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 22,865 in 2016, ranked #258.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 10,646 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Burke surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Burke surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Burke 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 3,042 #955
1861 historical 3,696 #762
1881 historical 8,736 #483
1891 historical 8,187 #536
1901 historical 10,559 #498
1911 historical 10,646 #457
1997 modern 21,865 #260
1998 modern 22,564 #263
1999 modern 22,654 #265
2000 modern 22,410 #266
2001 modern 21,876 #265
2002 modern 22,490 #265
2003 modern 21,982 #263
2004 modern 22,000 #261
2005 modern 21,765 #259
2006 modern 21,815 #259
2007 modern 21,974 #260
2008 modern 22,243 #260
2009 modern 22,877 #259
2010 modern 23,479 #256
2011 modern 22,916 #259
2012 modern 22,346 #261
2013 modern 22,939 #260
2014 modern 23,138 #259
2015 modern 22,976 #258
2016 modern 22,865 #258

Geography

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Where Burkes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rhondda Cynon Taf, Rochdale, Knowsley and Liverpool. 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 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rhondda Cynon Taf 001 Rhondda Cynon Taf
2 Rochdale 010 Rochdale
3 Knowsley 001 Knowsley
4 Liverpool 060 Liverpool
5 Knowsley 005 Knowsley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Burke

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Burke

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Burke surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Burke household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Burke 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

Burke is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Burke 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 Burke is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Burke

The surname BURKE originated in Ireland, deriving from the Old Norman word 'de Burgh' or 'de Bourke.' It emerged in the 12th century when the Anglo-Norman family de Burgh arrived in Ireland. The name is thought to have evolved from the town of Bourke (Burgh) in Normandy, France.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name is in the Annals of Ulster in 1193, referring to William de Burgh. He was the first de Burgh to establish a stronghold in Ireland, receiving lands in Connacht and Munster from King John of England. The de Burghs quickly became prominent landowners and members of the ruling class in Ireland.

The BURKE name appears in the 14th-century Pipe Rolls of Cloyne, a record of tenants and landholders in County Cork. Over time, the spelling evolved from de Burgh to Bourke and eventually to the modern BURKE form. The name is also linked to several Irish place names, such as Burrishoole (Buairidh Shúiligh) and Burrenrath (Buairidh Ráth).

Notable historical figures with the BURKE surname include William FitzAdelm de Burgh (c.1260-1333), who was appointed Lord Deputy of Ireland in 1277. Richard de Burgh (c.1285-1326), known as the Red Earl of Ulster, was a powerful Anglo-Norman nobleman and military commander during the Norman invasion of Ireland.

Edmund Burke (1729-1797) was a highly influential Anglo-Irish statesman, philosopher, and political theorist who played a pivotal role in the American Revolution and the French Revolution. He is considered one of the founders of modern conservatism.

Robert O'Hara Burke (1821-1861) was an Irish explorer who led an ill-fated expedition across Australia in 1860-1861, tragically perishing in the Australian outback.

Thomas Burke (1886-1945) was an American writer and novelist best known for his autobiographical works set in Chicago, including Limehouse Nights and Whispering Wires. He is considered a pioneer of the hard-boiled detective fiction genre.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Burke families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Burke 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. Lancashire leads with 3,004 Burkes recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.95x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 3,004 2.95x
Middlesex 1,011 1.18x
Yorkshire 866 1.02x
Cheshire 389 2.05x
Staffordshire 382 1.32x
Surrey 354 0.85x
Durham 329 1.29x
Lanarkshire 300 1.08x
Warwickshire 255 1.18x
Kent 233 0.79x
Northumberland 140 1.09x
Glamorgan 135 0.90x
Hampshire 119 0.68x
Angus 92 1.16x
Essex 92 0.54x
Gloucestershire 80 0.47x
Midlothian 75 0.65x
Monmouthshire 73 1.17x
Derbyshire 65 0.48x
Devon 58 0.32x
Shropshire 57 0.77x
Denbighshire 50 1.54x
Channel Islands 45 1.77x
Dunbartonshire 37 1.60x
Sussex 37 0.26x
Leicestershire 36 0.38x
Royal Navy 32 3.12x
Renfrewshire 29 0.44x
Berkshire 26 0.40x
Nottinghamshire 26 0.22x
Worcestershire 24 0.21x
Perthshire 23 0.60x
Somerset 22 0.16x
Flintshire 21 0.91x
Lincolnshire 21 0.15x
West Lothian 20 1.55x
Cumberland 19 0.26x
Hertfordshire 19 0.32x
Wiltshire 18 0.24x
Stirlingshire 17 0.54x
Dorset 16 0.28x
Ayrshire 14 0.22x
East Lothian 13 1.14x
Norfolk 13 0.10x
Montgomeryshire 11 0.56x
Buteshire 10 1.92x
Cornwall 10 0.10x
Oxfordshire 10 0.19x
Pembrokeshire 10 0.37x
Brecknockshire 9 0.52x
Suffolk 9 0.09x
Northamptonshire 8 0.10x
Caernarfonshire 7 0.20x
Banffshire 6 0.34x
Selkirkshire 6 0.77x
Aberdeenshire 4 0.05x
Dumfriesshire 4 0.21x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.06x
Inverness-shire 3 0.12x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.04x
Herefordshire 2 0.06x
Kirkcudbrightshire 2 0.16x
Anglesey 1 0.07x
Bedfordshire 1 0.02x
Berwickshire 1 0.10x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.06x
Merionethshire 1 0.06x
Morayshire 1 0.07x
Peeblesshire 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 509 Burkes recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.22x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 509 8.22x
Manchester 333 7.26x
Leeds 180 3.74x
Birmingham 143 1.98x
Salford 118 3.93x
Toxteth Park 107 3.10x
Everton 100 3.08x
Warrington 97 8.02x
Govan 92 1.34x
West Derby 90 3.02x
Oldham 89 2.70x
Stockport 88 9.01x
Sheffield 77 2.84x
Preston 76 2.78x
St Pancras London 72 1.04x
Ashton Under Lyne 71 3.18x
Hulme 71 3.33x
Dundee 69 2.32x
Barony 63 0.90x
Islington London 63 0.76x
St Marylebone London 63 1.37x
Glasgow 61 1.24x
Gorton 61 6.36x
Shoreditch London 59 1.58x
Aston 55 0.92x
Wolverhampton 55 2.47x
Fulham London 53 4.25x
Great Bolton 52 3.85x
Widnes 52 7.07x
Blackburn 50 1.84x
Kensington London 50 1.05x
Newchurch 49 5.87x
Lambeth 48 0.64x
Wardleworth 48 8.23x
Poplar London 47 2.90x
Birkenhead 42 2.78x
Castleton 42 4.12x
West Ham 40 1.07x
Battersea 39 1.23x
Newcastle Under Lyme 39 7.60x
Rotherhithe 38 3.58x
Stoke Upon Trent 36 1.17x
Bermondsey 35 1.37x
Bootle Cum Linacre 35 4.32x
Wigan 35 2.46x
Woolwich 35 3.23x
St George In East London 34 4.21x
Westminster St John 34 3.25x
Farnworth 33 5.40x
Hartlepool 33 9.08x
Paddington London 33 1.04x
St Luke London 33 2.39x
Bilston 32 5.69x
Bradford 32 1.55x
Hammersmith London 32 1.51x
Pendleton In Salford 32 2.63x
St Giles In Fields London 32 7.59x
Gillingham 31 5.13x
Royal Navy 31 3.54x
Southowram 31 11.92x
Sutton 31 9.06x
Willenhall 31 5.70x
Chelsea London 30 1.16x
Deptford St Paul 30 1.33x
Mile End Old Town London 30 1.64x
St George Hanover Square 30 1.98x
Portsea 29 0.84x
Accrington 28 3.02x
Bromley London 28 1.48x
Much Woolton 28 20.23x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 28 3.67x
Little Bolton 27 2.06x
Spitalfields London 27 4.18x
Bury 26 2.23x
Camberwell 26 0.47x
Halifax 26 2.08x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 26 2.35x
Wrexham Abbot 26 31.85x
Newington 25 0.79x
Southwark St George Martyr 25 1.45x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 933
Margaret 257
Catherine 247
Ellen 235
Bridget 231
Elizabeth 173
Ann 171
Sarah 149
Annie 119
Jane 98
Kate 79
Julia 65
Eliza 58
Alice 56
Hannah 51
Maria 50
Anne 44
Agnes 33
Emily 32
Emma 31
Louisa 27
Rose 27
Martha 25
Harriet 22
Edith 21
Fanny 21
Charlotte 20
Lucy 20
Esther 19
Margt. 18
Johanna 17
Winifred 17
Frances 16
Isabella 16
Clara 15
Caroline 14
Catharine 13
Eleanor 13
Florence 13
Margret 13
Susan 11
Elizth. 10
Helen 10
Honora 10
Norah 10
Ada 9
Cathrine 9
Maggie 9
Anna 8
Gertrude 8

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 805
Thomas 439
William 350
James 347
Patrick 277
Michael 249
Edward 167
Martin 89
Joseph 87
Henry 80
George 73
Peter 72
Richard 62
Charles 51
Walter 47
Francis 46
Thos. 32
David 31
Edmund 28
Alfred 27
Daniel 26
Robert 26
Wm. 25
Arthur 24
Anthony 20
Stephen 20
Frederick 19
Andrew 17
Frank 14
Timothy 14
Albert 13
Luke 12
Matthew 11
Ernest 10
Hubert 10
Christopher 9
Dennis 9
Harry 9
Jno. 9
Mark 9
Jeremiah 8
Michl. 8
Tom 8
Edwd. 7
Nicholas 7
Philip 7
Samuel 7
Jas. 6
Lawrence 6
Pat 6

FAQ

Burke surname: questions and answers

How common was the Burke surname in 1881?

In 1881, 8,736 people were recorded with the Burke surname. That placed it at #483 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Burke surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 22,865 in 2016. That gives Burke a modern rank of #258.

What does the Burke surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Old English word "burh," meaning "fortress" or "castle."

What does the Burke map show?

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