NameCensus.

UK surname

Burn

An occupational surname derived from the Old English "byrnan" meaning to burn, referring to a burner of charcoal or lime.

In the 1881 census there were 4,044 people recorded with the Burn surname, ranking it #1,117 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,517, ranked #1,501, down from #1,117 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, South Tyneside and Hambleton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Burn is 5,012 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 11.7%.

1881 census count

4,044

Ranked #1,117

Modern count

4,517

2016, ranked #1,501

Peak year

1911

5,012 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Burn had 4,044 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,117 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,517 in 2016, ranked #1,501.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,012 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Burn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Burn surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Burn 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 3,713 #764
1861 historical 3,831 #732
1881 historical 4,044 #1,117
1891 historical 4,284 #1,112
1901 historical 4,594 #1,237
1911 historical 5,012 #1,044
1997 modern 4,428 #1,485
1998 modern 4,610 #1,474
1999 modern 4,614 #1,483
2000 modern 4,528 #1,503
2001 modern 4,422 #1,504
2002 modern 4,562 #1,493
2003 modern 4,406 #1,502
2004 modern 4,414 #1,508
2005 modern 4,287 #1,524
2006 modern 4,339 #1,512
2007 modern 4,434 #1,491
2008 modern 4,448 #1,499
2009 modern 4,600 #1,485
2010 modern 4,750 #1,469
2011 modern 4,665 #1,475
2012 modern 4,504 #1,502
2013 modern 4,579 #1,502
2014 modern 4,626 #1,496
2015 modern 4,558 #1,503
2016 modern 4,517 #1,501

Geography

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Where Burns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes, Gateshead, Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon) and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, South Tyneside and Hambleton. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon) Northumberland
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 034 Northumberland
2 South Tyneside 002 South Tyneside
3 Northumberland 003 Northumberland
4 South Tyneside 001 South Tyneside
5 Hambleton 009 Hambleton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Burn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Burn

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Burn is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Burn is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Burn

The surname "Burn" is believed to have originated in England, with records dating back to the 11th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "burna," meaning a stream or small river. This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near a stream or a river.

One of the earliest documented records of the surname "Burn" can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Burne" and "Bourne," reflecting the evolving nature of surnames during that time period.

During the 13th century, the surname "Burn" began to appear in various English regions, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Suffolk. It is believed that the name may have been associated with certain place names, such as Burnham in Buckinghamshire or Burnley in Lancashire, further reinforcing its connection to watercourses or streams.

Notable individuals bearing the surname "Burn" throughout history include Robert Burn (c. 1752-1793), a Scottish poet and writer best known for his poetry collection "Tam o' Shanter." Richard Burn (1709-1785) was an English legal writer and clergyman who authored several influential works on ecclesiastical law.

In the 19th century, George Burn (1805-1890) was a British naval officer and explorer who conducted surveying expeditions in the Pacific Ocean. William Burn (1789-1870) was a Scottish architect and pioneer of the Scots Baronial architectural style, responsible for designing many notable buildings, including Glamis Castle in Angus.

Another prominent figure with the surname "Burn" was John Elliot Burn (1923-2022), a British politician and member of the House of Lords. He served as the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs during the 1970s and played a significant role in Britain's relations with the European Economic Community (EEC) at the time.

While the surname "Burn" has evolved over the centuries and has been adopted by individuals from various regions, its origins can be traced back to the Old English word "burna," reflecting the importance of watercourses and natural features in the development of surnames in England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Burn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Burn 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. Northumberland leads with 829 Burns recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.17x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 829 14.17x
Durham 827 7.07x
Yorkshire 441 1.13x
Middlesex 269 0.68x
Lancashire 207 0.44x
Surrey 176 0.92x
Devon 174 2.13x
Midlothian 107 2.03x
Cumberland 97 2.87x
Kent 75 0.56x
Staffordshire 67 0.50x
Lincolnshire 61 0.97x
Hampshire 60 0.74x
Warwickshire 56 0.56x
Glamorgan 49 0.72x
Lanarkshire 41 0.32x
Westmorland 41 4.75x
Essex 40 0.52x
Cheshire 39 0.45x
Derbyshire 38 0.62x
Roxburghshire 36 5.06x
Cambridgeshire 32 1.29x
Cornwall 27 0.61x
Gloucestershire 21 0.27x
Somerset 18 0.28x
Angus 16 0.44x
Norfolk 16 0.26x
Nottinghamshire 14 0.26x
Shetland 13 3.24x
Leicestershire 12 0.28x
Sussex 11 0.17x
Worcestershire 10 0.19x
Fife 8 0.34x
Montgomeryshire 8 0.89x
Northamptonshire 8 0.22x
Shropshire 7 0.21x
Buckinghamshire 6 0.25x
Caithness 6 1.11x
East Lothian 6 1.15x
Morayshire 6 0.98x
Suffolk 5 0.10x
Wiltshire 5 0.14x
Argyllshire 4 0.37x
Berwickshire 4 0.84x
Royal Navy 4 0.85x
Selkirkshire 4 1.12x
Aberdeenshire 3 0.08x
Channel Islands 3 0.26x
Hertfordshire 3 0.11x
Perthshire 3 0.17x
Renfrewshire 3 0.10x
Isle of Man 2 0.27x
Monmouthshire 2 0.07x
Oxfordshire 2 0.08x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.16x
Berkshire 1 0.03x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.06x
Dorset 1 0.04x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.12x
Inverness-shire 1 0.09x
Kincardineshire 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bishopwearmouth in Durham leads with 109 Burns recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.86x.

Place Total Index
Bishopwearmouth 109 10.86x
Westoe 78 11.76x
Tynemouth 66 21.07x
Elswick 62 13.28x
Gateshead 61 6.97x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 60 2.83x
Lambeth 55 1.60x
Westgate 54 14.91x
Wallsend 43 23.18x
Byker 41 14.18x
Millom 41 39.53x
Bedlington 40 20.48x
Plymouth St Andrew 39 6.19x
Alnwick 38 37.79x
Leeds 36 1.64x
Newcastle On Tyne St 35 11.54x
Tavistock 35 37.55x
Holy Trinity 31 3.31x
Whickham 31 28.81x
Manchester 30 1.43x
Shoreditch London 30 1.76x
Birmingham 29 0.88x
Hexham 28 30.93x
Newington 28 1.93x
Benwell 26 40.67x
South Shields 26 24.96x
Darlington 25 5.54x
Islington London 25 0.66x
Liverpool 25 0.88x
Monkwearmouth Shore 25 10.95x
Aston 24 0.88x
Morpeth 24 34.89x
Stockton On Tees 24 4.26x
Heworth 22 9.55x
Scarborough 22 6.22x
Chirton 21 15.86x
Hetton Le Hole 20 13.49x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 20 5.73x
Cowpen 19 14.11x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 19 3.75x
Chiswick 18 8.38x
Thirsk 18 40.04x
Tormoham 18 5.20x
Tweedmouth 18 24.68x
West Bromwich 18 2.37x
Toxteth Park 17 1.08x
Earsdon 16 33.63x
Houghton Le Spring 16 19.79x
Sculcoates 16 2.59x
Stoke Damerel 16 2.79x
Barony 15 0.47x
Poplar London 15 2.02x
St Giles 15 20.55x
Eglingham 14 260.71x
Govan 14 0.45x
Hursley 14 74.91x
Manningham 14 2.92x
March 14 16.79x
Mirfield 14 6.55x
North Shields 14 11.99x
Paddington London 14 0.97x
Preston In Tynemouth 14 60.87x
St Marylebone London 14 0.67x
St Pancras London 14 0.44x
Stranton 14 3.56x
Whitworth 14 16.35x
Camberwell 13 0.52x
Cleator 13 9.23x
Evenwood Barony 13 32.70x
Mile End Old Town London 13 1.55x
Newton Cap 13 71.63x
Unst 13 44.28x
Bampton 12 164.61x
Bishop Auckland 12 7.65x
Glasgow 12 0.53x
Kelloe 12 95.16x
Kensington London 12 0.55x
Middlesbrough 12 2.37x
Stoke Upon Trent 12 0.85x
Wall 12 223.88x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 300
Elizabeth 160
Jane 136
Margaret 109
Sarah 92
Ann 83
Ellen 55
Annie 52
Isabella 52
Hannah 51
Alice 39
Eliza 34
Emma 29
Catherine 24
Louisa 24
Emily 21
Martha 21
Charlotte 16
Dorothy 16
Edith 16
Harriet 16
Maria 16
Florence 14
Helen 13
Amelia 12
Caroline 12
Agnes 11
Anne 11
Clara 11
Eleanor 11
Kate 11
Lucy 11
Rebecca 11
Ada 10
Bridget 10
Fanny 10
Elizth. 9
Ethel 9
Susan 9
Esther 8
Jessie 8
Minnie 8
Amy 7
Anna 7
Barbara 7
Bessie 7
Frances 7
Isabel 7
Sophia 7
Julia 6

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 288
William 236
Thomas 173
James 136
George 107
Robert 96
Joseph 87
Henry 76
Charles 57
Edward 38
Alfred 26
Richard 22
Michael 19
Samuel 18
Ralph 16
Walter 16
Arthur 15
Frederick 15
Patrick 15
David 13
Andrew 12
Matthew 11
Wm. 11
Edwin 10
Fred 10
Christopher 9
Frank 9
Harry 8
Peter 8
Stephen 8
Alexander 7
Francis 7
Robt. 7
Thos. 7
Albert 6
Benjamin 6
Geo. 6
Lancelot 6
Martin 6
Adam 5
Daniel 5
Ernest 5
Joshua 5
Tom 5
Herbert 4
Leonard 4
Edmund 3
Fredk. 3
Josiah 3
Percy 3

FAQ

Burn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Burn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,044 people were recorded with the Burn surname. That placed it at #1,117 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Burn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,517 in 2016. That gives Burn a modern rank of #1,501.

What does the Burn surname mean?

An occupational surname derived from the Old English "byrnan" meaning to burn, referring to a burner of charcoal or lime.

What does the Burn map show?

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