NameCensus.

UK surname

Burman

An English surname derived from the Old English term "burhmann," meaning a person living in or near a fortified town.

In the 1881 census there were 1,190 people recorded with the Burman surname, ranking it #3,390 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,010, ranked #3,204, up from #3,390 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Lincolnshire, Westminster and King's Lynn and West Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Burman is 2,115 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 68.9%.

1881 census count

1,190

Ranked #3,390

Modern count

2,010

2016, ranked #3,204

Peak year

2000

2,115 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Burman had 1,190 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,390 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,010 in 2016, ranked #3,204.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,909 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Burman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Burman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Burman 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 701 #3,723
1861 historical 811 #3,398
1881 historical 1,190 #3,390
1891 historical 1,328 #3,276
1901 historical 1,586 #3,255
1911 historical 1,909 #2,601
1997 modern 1,993 #3,061
1998 modern 2,078 #3,063
1999 modern 2,103 #3,058
2000 modern 2,115 #3,021
2001 modern 2,043 #3,057
2002 modern 2,078 #3,075
2003 modern 2,025 #3,083
2004 modern 2,040 #3,066
2005 modern 2,011 #3,071
2006 modern 2,022 #3,057
2007 modern 2,019 #3,097
2008 modern 2,006 #3,145
2009 modern 2,009 #3,201
2010 modern 2,076 #3,177
2011 modern 2,061 #3,159
2012 modern 2,041 #3,138
2013 modern 2,065 #3,160
2014 modern 2,073 #3,165
2015 modern 2,024 #3,208
2016 modern 2,010 #3,204

Geography

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Where Burmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Manchester and St Matthew Bethnal Green. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Lincolnshire, Westminster, King's Lynn and West Norfolk and Stratford-on-Avon. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Lincolnshire 001 North Lincolnshire
2 Westminster 011 Westminster
3 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 012 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
4 North Lincolnshire 011 North Lincolnshire
5 Stratford-on-Avon 001 Stratford-on-Avon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Burman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Burman

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Burman 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

Burman is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Burman falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Burman

The surname Burman has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "burh" meaning a fortified town, and "mann" meaning a man or servant. This suggests that the name may have originated as an occupational surname for someone who worked in or guarded a town or borough.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Bureman" in Cambridgeshire. This entry shows the name in its early form and provides evidence of its existence in England during the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records as "Burman" and "Burmand," reflecting the evolution of its spelling over time. These variations were likely influenced by regional dialects and the way the name was pronounced in different areas.

One notable individual bearing the surname Burman was John Burman, a prominent English merchant and politician who lived in the 14th century. He served as the Mayor of Bristol in 1386 and played a significant role in the city's trade and governance.

Another historical figure with the Burman surname was Thomas Burman, a 17th-century English playwright and poet. He was born in 1629 and is best known for his plays "The Valiant Scot" and "The Constant Couple," which were performed in London during the Restoration period.

In the 18th century, the Burman name was also associated with John Burman, a renowned English landscape architect and garden designer. He was born in 1707 and designed gardens for several notable estates, including Stowe and Claremont.

The name Burman has also been linked to various place names in England, such as Burman's Heath in Surrey and Burman's Court in Kent. These place names likely originated from individuals bearing the Burman surname who were associated with or owned land in those areas.

Another significant figure with the Burman surname was Sir William Burman, a British diplomat and colonial administrator who lived in the 19th century. He served as the Governor of British Honduras (now Belize) from 1862 to 1870 and played a crucial role in the development of the colony.

Throughout its history, the surname Burman has been found across various parts of England, particularly in the southern and eastern regions. Its origins as an occupational surname and its connection to place names reflect the diverse backgrounds and experiences of those who bore this name over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Burman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Burman 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 202 Burmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.74x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 202 1.74x
Lincolnshire 184 9.90x
Suffolk 110 7.77x
Warwickshire 97 3.31x
Yorkshire 85 0.74x
Devon 46 1.90x
Northamptonshire 44 4.02x
Gloucestershire 39 1.71x
Lancashire 38 0.28x
Surrey 35 0.62x
Worcestershire 35 2.31x
Norfolk 29 1.62x
Glamorgan 25 1.23x
Essex 24 1.05x
Staffordshire 23 0.59x
Oxfordshire 18 2.51x
Kent 17 0.43x
Leicestershire 14 1.09x
Derbyshire 13 0.71x
Somerset 13 0.69x
Cheshire 11 0.43x
Durham 11 0.32x
Hampshire 10 0.42x
Buckinghamshire 8 1.14x
Aberdeenshire 7 0.65x
Northumberland 7 0.40x
Cornwall 6 0.46x
Bedfordshire 5 0.83x
Sussex 5 0.26x
Wiltshire 5 0.49x
Channel Islands 4 1.16x
Dorset 4 0.52x
Cumberland 3 0.30x
Isle of Man 3 1.39x
Berkshire 2 0.23x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.27x
Denbighshire 2 0.46x
Merionethshire 2 0.94x
Cardiganshire 1 0.35x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.32x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.06x
Royal Navy 1 0.72x

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 37 Burmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.33x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 37 7.33x
Tanworth 34 438.71x
Hackney London 30 4.60x
Aston 20 2.48x
Holy Trinity 19 6.86x
Ipswich St Clement 19 52.78x
Alvechurch 18 278.64x
Louth 18 42.24x
Mile End Old Town London 18 7.27x
Islington London 15 1.33x
Shoreditch London 15 2.98x
West Ham 14 2.76x
Horncastle 13 67.74x
Hunslet 13 7.24x
Mile End New Town London 13 56.60x
Roath 13 14.14x
Great Grimsby 12 10.17x
St Pancras London 12 1.28x
Thornton Curtis 11 588.24x
Cheltenham 10 5.68x
Chipping Norton 10 60.24x
Coventry St Michael 10 10.62x
Creeting St Peter 10 1052.63x
Deptford St Paul 10 3.27x
Great Yarmouth 10 6.75x
Ipswich St Mary Stoke 10 76.10x
Kings Norton 10 7.34x
Ipswich St Helen 9 53.60x
Leeds 9 1.38x
Linthorpe 9 13.09x
Wappenham 9 486.49x
Westminster St Margaret 9 16.05x
Barton St Peter 8 93.90x
Bideford 8 30.85x
Birmingham 8 0.82x
Carrington 8 677.97x
Clifton 8 6.94x
Clovelly 8 253.16x
Hitcham 8 224.09x
Llantwit Lower 8 44.94x
Partney 8 454.55x
Poplar London 8 3.65x
Staveley 8 24.75x
Tealby 8 306.51x
Trusthorpe 8 601.50x
Aberdeen Old Machar 7 3.11x
Camberwell 7 0.94x
Cheetham 7 6.80x
Dinton 7 253.62x
Dumbleton 7 400.00x
Edgcott 7 2333.33x
Ilfracombe 7 28.09x
Ipswich St Mathew 7 17.64x
Ipswich St Peter 7 36.71x
Norwich St James 7 49.89x
Sharnford 7 382.51x
South Elkington 7 492.96x
Wigtoft 7 260.22x
Battersea 6 1.40x
Belchford 6 309.28x
Brackley St Peter 6 80.00x
Bradford 6 2.15x
Bristol St Augustine 6 16.30x
Bromley London 6 2.35x
Burton Upon Trent 6 6.53x
Dewsbury 6 5.08x
Great Bowden 6 51.15x
Handsworth 6 6.20x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 6 4.00x
Kensington London 6 0.93x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 6 11.18x
Mavis Enderby 6 1071.43x
Morton Pinkney 6 338.98x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 2.56x
St Martin Lincoln 6 34.78x
Tutnall Cobley 6 301.51x
Westminster St John 6 4.24x
Whitton 6 239.04x
Wardleworth 5 6.34x
Yarcombe 5 179.86x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 78
John 53
George 44
Thomas 36
James 31
Henry 28
Charles 27
Richard 22
Edward 20
Frederick 16
Alfred 14
Joseph 13
Arthur 12
Samuel 10
Frank 9
Robert 9
David 8
Isaac 8
Albert 7
Harry 6
Walter 6
Edwin 5
Ernest 5
Herbert 5
Abraham 4
Edmund 4
Wm. 4
Benjamin 3
Fred 3
Fredk. 3
Geo. 3
Insull 3
Frederic 2
Harvey 2
Jacob 2
Job 2
Michael 2
Tertius 2
Thos. 2
Tom 2
Willm. 2
Colin 1
Cornelius 1
Dand 1
Emmerson 1
Fisher 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Hyram 1
Zachariah 1

FAQ

Burman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Burman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,190 people were recorded with the Burman surname. That placed it at #3,390 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Burman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,010 in 2016. That gives Burman a modern rank of #3,204.

What does the Burman surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old English term "burhmann," meaning a person living in or near a fortified town.

What does the Burman map show?

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