NameCensus.

UK surname

Burks

Derived from the Old English word "burh," meaning a fortress or fortified town, likely referring to a town-dweller.

In the 1881 census there were 371 people recorded with the Burks surname, ranking it #8,417 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 369, ranked #12,617, down from #8,417 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lincoln St Botolph, Lincoln St Peter at Gowts and Hale, Great. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Dorset, West Lindsey and East Lindsey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Burks is 678 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.5%.

1881 census count

371

Ranked #8,417

Modern count

369

2016, ranked #12,617

Peak year

1861

678 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Burks had 371 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,417 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 369 in 2016, ranked #12,617.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 678 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Burks surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Burks surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Burks 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 214 #9,898
1861 historical 678 #3,961
1881 historical 371 #8,417
1891 historical 555 #6,831
1901 historical 397 #9,521
1911 historical 425 #8,877
1997 modern 333 #12,615
1998 modern 350 #12,537
1999 modern 351 #12,582
2000 modern 352 #12,510
2001 modern 352 #12,318
2002 modern 337 #12,965
2003 modern 323 #13,161
2004 modern 338 #12,781
2005 modern 329 #12,966
2006 modern 335 #12,883
2007 modern 333 #13,062
2008 modern 329 #13,286
2009 modern 340 #13,244
2010 modern 364 #12,851
2011 modern 358 #12,883
2012 modern 358 #12,724
2013 modern 368 #12,676
2014 modern 363 #12,908
2015 modern 376 #12,446
2016 modern 369 #12,617

Geography

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Where Burks' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lincoln St Botolph, Lincoln St Peter at Gowts, Hale, Great, Manchester and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Dorset, West Lindsey, East Lindsey, Pembrokeshire and Mid Devon. 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 Lincoln St Botolph Lincolnshire
2 Lincoln St Peter at Gowts Lincolnshire
3 Hale, Great Lincolnshire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Dorset 002 West Dorset
2 West Lindsey 003 West Lindsey
3 East Lindsey 003 East Lindsey
4 Pembrokeshire 011 Pembrokeshire
5 Mid Devon 009 Mid Devon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Burks

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Burks

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Burks is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Burks is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Burks falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Burks

The surname BURKS is of English origin and can be traced back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "buroc," meaning a small stream or brook. This word later evolved into various spellings, including "Broke," "Brook," and eventually "Burk" or "Burks."

The earliest known record of the surname BURKS dates back to the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1190, where it was spelled "de Brok." This suggests that the name may have originally been a locational surname, referring to someone who lived near a small stream or brook.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in the Hundredorum Rolls of Oxfordshire as "Brok" and "de la Broke," further solidifying its connection to waterways. During this time, the surname was also found in various parts of England, including Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Worcestershire.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname BURKS was Sir John de la Brok, a Knight of the Shire for Gloucestershire in 1322. Another notable figure was William Brooke, the 7th Baron Cobham (c. 1460-1508), who fought for the Yorkist cause during the Wars of the Roses.

In the 16th century, the spelling "Burks" became more prevalent, as seen in the records of John Burks, a landowner in Warwickshire in 1580. Other variations, such as "Burkes" and "Bourke," also emerged during this period.

Over the centuries, the BURKS surname has been associated with several prominent individuals, including:

1. Edmund Burke (1729-1797), an Irish statesman and philosopher, known as the father of modern conservatism. 2. Robert Burks (1910-1968), an American film director and editor who worked closely with Alfred Hitchcock. 3. Arthur Burks (1915-2008), an American mathematician and computer scientist who worked on the ENIAC project during World War II. 4. Walter Burks (1914-1988), an American composer and music educator known for his contributions to electronic music. 5. Rufus Burks (1913-1981), an American baseball player who spent several seasons in the Negro Leagues.

While the BURKS surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, reflecting the migration patterns of English settlers and their descendants.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Burks families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Burks 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. Yorkshire leads with 94 Burks' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.63x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 94 2.63x
Lincolnshire 81 14.04x
Middlesex 46 1.27x
Lancashire 45 1.05x
Staffordshire 25 2.05x
Nottinghamshire 16 3.29x
Flintshire 10 10.31x
Devon 9 1.20x
Surrey 9 0.51x
Warwickshire 9 0.99x
Durham 7 0.65x
Essex 5 0.70x
Glamorgan 3 0.48x
Worcestershire 3 0.64x
Lanarkshire 2 0.17x
Shropshire 2 0.64x
Cheshire 1 0.13x
Kent 1 0.08x
Leicestershire 1 0.25x
Northumberland 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Huggate in Yorkshire leads with 43 Burks' recorded in 1881 and an index of 6323.53x.

Place Total Index
Huggate 43 6323.53x
Mile End Old Town London 18 23.43x
Great Hale 15 1724.14x
Tealby 11 1358.02x
Pennington In Leigh 10 121.65x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 10 123.15x
Everton 9 6.59x
Radford 9 36.42x
St Luke London 9 15.55x
Birmingham 8 2.64x
Holywell 8 65.68x
Bilston 7 29.65x
Holy Trinity 7 8.14x
Stranton 7 19.36x
Ulceby 7 500.00x
Great Grimsby 6 16.38x
Habergham Eaves 6 15.33x
Newcastle Under Lyme 6 27.83x
Normanton 6 55.81x
Rowley Regis 6 17.67x
Wetwang 6 779.22x
Algarkirk 5 781.25x
Liverpool 5 1.92x
Mortlake 5 63.78x
Newark Upon Trent 5 28.60x
Owston 5 304.88x
Stonehouse East 5 131.23x
Warrington 5 9.85x
Wednesbury 5 16.42x
West Ham 5 3.18x
Billingborough 4 272.11x
Fosdyke 4 677.97x
Islington London 4 1.14x
Leeds 4 1.98x
Lustleigh 4 888.89x
Pudsey 4 20.92x
St Botolph Lincoln 4 96.39x
Bethnal Green London 3 1.91x
Bowling 3 8.47x
Brandesburton 3 319.15x
Gainsborough 3 22.06x
Great Driffield 3 40.87x
Sheffield 3 2.63x
Shoreditch London 3 1.92x
Barony 2 0.68x
Battersea 2 1.51x
Chelsea London 2 1.84x
Clerkenwell London 2 2.35x
Lye 2 25.51x
Manchester 2 1.04x
Northop 2 58.14x
Oystermouth 2 41.15x
Aston 1 0.40x
Austonley 1 49.51x
Beckingham 1 181.82x
Caterham 1 12.87x
Chadderton 1 4.78x
Eastrington 1 212.77x
Eaton Constantine 1 333.33x
Edgmond 1 29.15x
Eglwysilan 1 9.17x
Fimber 1 454.55x
Harborne 1 2.56x
Heap 1 4.40x
Hilderthorpe 1 55.25x
Hipperholme Cum 1 6.37x
Horton In Bradford 1 1.79x
Kensington London 1 0.50x
Knapton 1 232.56x
Lambeth 1 0.32x
Louth 1 7.56x
Lower Bebington 1 21.14x
North South Killingholme 1 104.17x
Northfield 1 11.19x
Saxelby With Ingleby 1 68.03x
Scarborough 1 3.08x
St Pancras London 1 0.34x
Stowe And Normanby 1 1111.11x
Warter 1 133.33x
West Derby 1 0.80x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 30
Sarah 15
Elizabeth 14
Ellen 9
Annie 8
Eliza 7
Hannah 7
Ann 6
Fanny 5
Margaret 5
Ada 4
Alice 4
Emily 4
Jane 4
Susan 4
Betsy 3
Catherine 3
Charlotte 3
Laura 3
Maria 3
Selina 3
Agness 2
Emma 2
Florence 2
Harriett 2
Lavinia 2
Louisa 2
Maggie 2
Martha 2
Ruth 2
An 1
Bridget 1
Bridgett 1
Caroline 1
Clara 1
Diana 1
Edith 1
Eliz. 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.A. 1
Emme 1
Eveline 1
Henrietta 1
Hilda 1
Kate 1
Lilly 1
Lizzie 1
Lydia 1
M.Josephine 1
Tille 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 24
Thomas 18
William 13
George 12
Charles 8
Henry 8
James 8
Joseph 7
Benjamin 6
Richard 4
Robert 4
Arthur 3
Edwin 3
Frederick 3
Harry 3
Peter 3
Albert 2
David 2
Edmund 2
Edward 2
Francis 2
Josiah 2
Agustin 1
Alva 1
C.R. 1
Daniel 1
Duke 1
Emmanuel 1
Enoc 1
Enoch 1
Ernest 1
F.W. 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Fredrick 1
Herbert 1
Holliday 1
Leonard 1
Martin 1
Newton 1
Patrick 1
Stephen 1
Thos. 1
W. 1
Walter 1
Ward 1
Willie 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Burks surname: questions and answers

How common was the Burks surname in 1881?

In 1881, 371 people were recorded with the Burks surname. That placed it at #8,417 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Burks surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 369 in 2016. That gives Burks a modern rank of #12,617.

What does the Burks surname mean?

Derived from the Old English word "burh," meaning a fortress or fortified town, likely referring to a town-dweller.

What does the Burks map show?

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