NameCensus.

UK surname

Burlington

A toponymic surname derived from various locations in England, particularly Burlington in Yorkshire.

In the 1881 census there were 116 people recorded with the Burlington surname, ranking it #18,126 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 117, ranked #28,033, down from #18,126 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Bees, London parishes and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Corby, Allerdale and Kettering.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Burlington is 125 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.9%.

1881 census count

116

Ranked #18,126

Modern count

117

2016, ranked #28,033

Peak year

2002

125 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Burlington had 116 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,126 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016, ranked #28,033.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 116 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Burlington surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Burlington surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Burlington 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 94 #17,837
1861 historical 114 #19,011
1881 historical 116 #18,126
1891 historical 106 #23,105
1901 historical 116 #20,933
1911 historical 100 #22,717
1997 modern 124 #23,669
1998 modern 121 #24,677
1999 modern 122 #24,745
2000 modern 121 #24,824
2001 modern 118 #24,832
2002 modern 125 #24,492
2003 modern 115 #25,538
2004 modern 113 #25,999
2005 modern 105 #27,203
2006 modern 110 #26,717
2007 modern 109 #27,253
2008 modern 118 #26,212
2009 modern 121 #26,373
2010 modern 116 #27,704
2011 modern 124 #26,367
2012 modern 117 #27,394
2013 modern 123 #26,974
2014 modern 120 #27,646
2015 modern 120 #27,561
2016 modern 117 #28,033

Geography

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Where Burlingtons are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Corby, Allerdale and Kettering. 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 St Bees Cumberland
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Corby 004 Corby
2 Corby 002 Corby
3 Allerdale 012 Allerdale
4 Kettering 002 Kettering
5 Corby 009 Corby

Forenames

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First names often paired with Burlington

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Burlington

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

Burlington 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

Burlington 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 Burlington 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 Burlington, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Burlington

The surname Burlington originated in England, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is a locational name, derived from the town of Burlington in Yorkshire, which was originally known as Bridlington. This name is formed from the Old English words 'brygg' meaning bridge and 'inga' meaning people or tribe, referring to the people who lived near the bridge.

The Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, includes references to Bridlington and its surrounding areas. This suggests that the name Burlington was already in use by this time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Burlington is found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, which mention a William de Bridlington. The spelling of the name varied over time, with other early forms including Brilington, Bridlingtun, and Bridlington.

During the medieval period, the town of Burlington (then known as Bridlington) was an important center for the fishing industry and maritime trade. This likely contributed to the spread of the surname as people from the area migrated to other parts of England.

Notable individuals with the surname Burlington throughout history include:

1. Sir Francis Burlington (c. 1578-1655), an English lawyer and Member of Parliament. 2. Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington and 4th Earl of Cork (1694-1753), an influential architect and patron of the arts during the English Baroque period. 3. George Burlington (1668-1722), an English playwright and poet. 4. Elizabeth Burlington (c. 1640-1708), an English philanthropist and benefactor of educational institutions. 5. John Burlington (1691-1772), an English clergyman and educator who served as the headmaster of Westminster School.

The name Burlington has also been used as a place name, most notably for the town of Burlington in Ontario, Canada, which was founded in the late 18th century and named after the Earl of Burlington.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Burlington families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Burlington 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. Surrey leads with 30 Burlingtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.44x.

County Total Index
Surrey 30 5.44x
Middlesex 17 1.50x
Renfrewshire 16 18.25x
Nottinghamshire 9 5.90x
Lancashire 7 0.52x
Wiltshire 7 7.00x
Cumberland 6 6.16x
Devon 5 2.12x
Lanarkshire 5 1.37x
Gloucestershire 4 1.80x
Kent 4 1.04x
Hampshire 2 0.86x
Shropshire 2 2.05x
Berkshire 1 1.18x
Somerset 1 0.55x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camberwell in Surrey leads with 25 Burlingtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.59x.

Place Total Index
Camberwell 25 34.59x
Neilston 16 363.64x
Worksop 9 199.12x
Chelsea London 7 20.53x
Semley 7 2592.59x
Whitehaven 6 115.61x
Windle 6 79.47x
Hamilton 5 48.97x
Wolborough 5 167.79x
Acton 4 60.33x
Deptford St Paul 4 13.43x
St Pancras London 4 4.39x
Bristol St Augustine 2 55.87x
Clifton 2 17.83x
Croydon 2 6.54x
Shrewsbury St Julian 2 82.64x
Kensington London 1 1.59x
Lambeth 1 1.01x
North Brewham 1 1111.11x
Reading St Mary 1 14.71x
Romsey Infra 1 126.58x
Shoreditch London 1 2.04x
Southampton 1 555.56x
Southwark St Saviour 1 17.21x
Westleigh 1 32.79x
Wimbledon 1 16.16x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Sarah 4
Annie 3
Charlotte 3
Elizabeth 3
Florence 3
Ada 2
Alice 2
Hannah 2
Jane 2
Margaret 2
Sophia 2
Agnes 1
Anna 1
Augusta 1
Eleanor 1
Elizebeth 1
Ellen 1
Esther 1
Harriet 1
Henrietta 1
Jenet 1
Louisa 1
Maria 1
Susan 1
Sussana 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Burlington surname: questions and answers

How common was the Burlington surname in 1881?

In 1881, 116 people were recorded with the Burlington surname. That placed it at #18,126 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Burlington surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016. That gives Burlington a modern rank of #28,033.

What does the Burlington surname mean?

A toponymic surname derived from various locations in England, particularly Burlington in Yorkshire.

What does the Burlington map show?

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