NameCensus.

UK surname

Burkett

An English occupational surname for a shepherd or someone who kept sheep.

In the 1881 census there were 606 people recorded with the Burkett surname, ranking it #5,789 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 689, ranked #7,798, down from #5,789 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St James Clerkenwell and Wednesbury. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Cambridgeshire, Spelthorne and Tower Hamlets.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Burkett is 791 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 13.7%.

1881 census count

606

Ranked #5,789

Modern count

689

2016, ranked #7,798

Peak year

1998

791 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Burkett had 606 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,789 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 689 in 2016, ranked #7,798.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 786 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Burkett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Burkett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Burkett 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 355 #6,654
1861 historical 374 #6,826
1881 historical 606 #5,789
1891 historical 716 #5,503
1901 historical 680 #6,417
1911 historical 786 #5,542
1997 modern 761 #6,805
1998 modern 791 #6,815
1999 modern 779 #6,938
2000 modern 765 #6,999
2001 modern 734 #7,093
2002 modern 741 #7,174
2003 modern 711 #7,288
2004 modern 722 #7,213
2005 modern 699 #7,356
2006 modern 696 #7,386
2007 modern 706 #7,372
2008 modern 703 #7,457
2009 modern 720 #7,470
2010 modern 707 #7,724
2011 modern 710 #7,615
2012 modern 695 #7,649
2013 modern 718 #7,593
2014 modern 716 #7,638
2015 modern 701 #7,703
2016 modern 689 #7,798

Geography

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Where Burketts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St James Clerkenwell, Wednesbury and Cottenham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Cambridgeshire, Spelthorne, Tower Hamlets, Tameside and Harlow. 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 St James Clerkenwell London (Central Districts)
4 Wednesbury Staffordshire
5 Cottenham Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Cambridgeshire 002 South Cambridgeshire
2 Spelthorne 013 Spelthorne
3 Tower Hamlets 001 Tower Hamlets
4 Tameside 003 Tameside
5 Harlow 010 Harlow

Forenames

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First names often paired with Burkett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Burkett

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Burkett, 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 Burkett surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Burkett 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Burkett 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

Burkett 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

Burkett falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Burkett

The surname Burkett is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval era. It is believed to have originated from the Old English words "burh" meaning "fortified town" and "ket" meaning "cottager" or "small farmer." This suggests that the name initially referred to individuals who resided in or near a fortified town or borough.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Burkett can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and wealth in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry mentions a landowner named Burkettus, residing in the county of Essex.

During the 13th century, the name appeared in various records with spellings such as Burket, Burkett, and Burkette. These variations were likely due to inconsistencies in record-keeping and the influence of local dialects.

In the 14th century, the name Burkett was associated with several notable figures. One such individual was John Burkett, a wealthy merchant and landowner from the city of York, who was born around 1320. Another was William Burkett, a prominent cleric and scholar who served as the Bishop of Lincoln from 1363 to 1390.

The 15th century saw the emergence of several Burkett families in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Dorset. These families often derived their names from the places they inhabited, such as Burkett's Green in Gloucestershire and Burkett's Farm in Wiltshire.

In the 16th century, the name Burkett gained further prominence with individuals like Thomas Burkett (1519-1585), a successful wool merchant and benefactor of the town of Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire. Another notable figure was Elizabeth Burkett (1548-1624), a renowned herbalist and midwife from the village of Stratford-upon-Avon, who was contemporaneous with William Shakespeare.

The 17th century witnessed the birth of several distinguished Burketts, including Sir John Burkett (1620-1692), a prominent lawyer and member of the English Parliament, and Robert Burkett (1643-1715), an influential theologian and author of several religious treatises.

As the centuries progressed, the name Burkett continued to be associated with various professions and fields, from agriculture and trade to academia and politics. Some notable figures include John Burkett (1764-1842), a respected agriculturist and pioneer of modern farming techniques, and Mary Burkett (1815-1892), a celebrated author and poet from the county of Derbyshire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Burkett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Burkett 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 161 Burketts recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.73x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 161 2.73x
Yorkshire 79 1.35x
Surrey 55 1.92x
Kent 52 2.59x
Staffordshire 43 2.16x
Cambridgeshire 39 10.45x
Essex 28 2.41x
Lincolnshire 27 2.87x
Lancashire 19 0.27x
Warwickshire 16 1.08x
Leicestershire 14 2.14x
Cheshire 10 0.77x
Durham 10 0.57x
Norfolk 9 0.99x
Nottinghamshire 8 1.01x
Derbyshire 7 0.76x
Hampshire 7 0.58x
Buckinghamshire 4 1.12x
Somerset 4 0.42x
Berkshire 3 0.68x
Sussex 3 0.30x
Devon 2 0.16x
Northumberland 2 0.23x
Worcestershire 2 0.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 24 Burketts recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.38x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 24 9.38x
Cottenham 24 483.87x
Clerkenwell London 23 16.54x
St Marylebone London 20 6.36x
Shoreditch London 18 7.05x
Birmingham 15 3.03x
West Ham 15 5.84x
Islington London 14 2.45x
Sheffield 13 6.99x
St Luke London 13 13.76x
Halsham 12 2608.70x
Harborne 12 18.83x
Southwark St George Martyr 12 10.12x
Wednesbury 12 24.14x
Histon 10 510.20x
Kensington London 10 3.05x
Paddington London 9 4.15x
Bermondsey 8 4.56x
Huddersfield 8 9.41x
Oldham 8 3.55x
Selby 8 65.57x
St Pancras London 8 1.69x
Wolverhampton 8 5.23x
Battersea 7 3.23x
Dover St Mary Virgin 7 35.97x
Newington 7 3.22x
Reedness 7 700.00x
West Bromwich 7 6.15x
Woking 7 40.46x
Castle Gresley 6 377.36x
Chatham 6 10.85x
Cheetham 6 11.51x
Deptford St Nicholas 6 37.62x
Tonbridge 6 8.28x
Balby Cum Hexthorpe 5 71.74x
Bishopwearmouth 5 3.32x
Charlton 5 37.45x
Chelsea London 5 2.82x
Colchester St Giles 5 43.52x
Leicester Black Friars 5 117.65x
Nottingham St Mary 5 2.43x
Richmond 5 12.43x
Shadwell 5 225.23x
South Ormsby 5 847.46x
Bedminster 4 4.49x
Bradwell 4 79.84x
Dover St James 4 45.40x
Huttoft 4 330.58x
Spitalfields London 4 9.03x
Sutton Stoneferry 4 23.94x
Swannington 4 165.98x
Tranmere 4 8.37x
Boston 3 10.50x
Bredbury 3 39.84x
Buckland In Dover 3 45.05x
Clapham 3 4.07x
East Ham 3 13.90x
Elmley 3 731.71x
Great Yarmouth 3 4.00x
Leeds 3 0.91x
Middlesbrough 3 3.95x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 3 14.38x
Portsea 3 1.27x
Reading St Giles 3 6.91x
Tichborne 3 447.76x
Worksop 3 12.74x
Bow London 2 2.67x
Burslem 2 3.51x
Camberwell 2 0.53x
Frindsbury 2 26.39x
Hackney London 2 0.61x
Hemswell 2 266.67x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 2 7.35x
Newton Cap 2 73.53x
Rawdon 2 29.07x
Sevenoaks 2 12.27x
St Maryle Wigford 2 27.32x
Stathern 2 183.49x
Tathwell 2 235.29x
Tilney St Lawrence 2 136.99x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 40
Elizabeth 29
Emma 20
Eliza 15
Sarah 15
Jane 13
Ann 10
Emily 9
Ellen 8
Alice 7
Annie 7
Amelia 6
Catherine 6
Hannah 6
Maria 6
Margaret 5
Charlotte 4
Fanny 4
Florence 4
Martha 4
Caroline 3
Clara 3
Frances 3
Gertrude 3
Harriett 3
Kate 3
Louisa 3
Maud 3
Rebecca 3
Susanah 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Anne 2
Betsy 2
Emiley 2
Flora 2
Harriet 2
Lizzie 2
Rose 2
Rosetta 2
Rosina 2
Susan 2
Augusta 1
Betsey 1
E. 1
Elisa 1
Elizth. 1
Hilda 1
Isabella 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 38
John 36
George 23
Henry 17
James 16
Thomas 16
Joseph 12
Arthur 9
Charles 8
Frederick 7
Albert 6
Robert 6
Edward 5
Herbert 5
Edwin 4
Francis 4
Frank 4
Harry 4
Fred 3
Robt. 3
Wm. 3
David 2
Geo. 2
Jonathan 2
Joshua 2
Percival 2
Samuel 2
Sidney 2
Soloman 2
Stephen 2
Walter 2
Willie 2
Alf. 1
Augustus 1
C. 1
Chas. 1
Conrad 1
Cuthbert 1
E. 1
Hy. 1
Isiah 1
J. 1
Josuha 1
L. 1
Nathaniel 1
Nelson 1
Richardson 1
Richd.S. 1
Rueben 1
Young 1

FAQ

Burkett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Burkett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 606 people were recorded with the Burkett surname. That placed it at #5,789 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Burkett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 689 in 2016. That gives Burkett a modern rank of #7,798.

What does the Burkett surname mean?

An English occupational surname for a shepherd or someone who kept sheep.

What does the Burkett map show?

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