NameCensus.

UK surname

Burness

A surname derived from a place name, likely referring to someone who lived near a stream or brook.

In the 1881 census there were 573 people recorded with the Burness surname, ranking it #6,081 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 477, ranked #10,344, down from #6,081 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Arbroath and St. Vigeans, London parishes and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Montrose South, Montrose North and Brechin East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Burness is 573 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 16.8%.

1881 census count

573

Ranked #6,081

Modern count

477

2016, ranked #10,344

Peak year

1881

573 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Burness had 573 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,081 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 477 in 2016, ranked #10,344.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 573 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Burness surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Burness surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Burness 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 489 #5,104
1861 historical 542 #4,848
1881 historical 573 #6,081
1891 historical 568 #6,687
1901 historical 558 #7,458
1911 historical 296 #11,569
1997 modern 502 #9,273
1998 modern 518 #9,342
1999 modern 519 #9,401
2000 modern 522 #9,313
2001 modern 496 #9,526
2002 modern 517 #9,418
2003 modern 500 #9,481
2004 modern 487 #9,687
2005 modern 487 #9,621
2006 modern 489 #9,633
2007 modern 484 #9,796
2008 modern 486 #9,852
2009 modern 513 #9,654
2010 modern 511 #9,882
2011 modern 493 #10,056
2012 modern 474 #10,254
2013 modern 489 #10,195
2014 modern 495 #10,145
2015 modern 480 #10,311
2016 modern 477 #10,344

Geography

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Where Burness' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Arbroath and St. Vigeans, London parishes, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Benholm. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Montrose South, Montrose North, Brechin East, Hillside and Torridge. 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 Arbroath and St. Vigeans Forfar
2 London parishes London 3
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Benholm Kincardine

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Montrose South Angus
2 Montrose North Angus
3 Brechin East Angus
4 Hillside Angus
5 Torridge 008 Torridge

Forenames

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First names often paired with Burness

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Burness

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Burness, 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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Burness surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Burness household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Burness 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

Burness is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Burness falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Burness

The surname Burness is believed to have originated in Scotland, with records dating back to the 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "burna," which means a small stream or brook. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a small stream or brook.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Burness can be found in the Scottish parish records of Midlothian, where a James Burness was listed in 1607. It is possible that the name may have evolved from similar-sounding place names or locations in Scotland, such as Burness or Burnhouse.

In the 17th century, the Burness surname appeared in various Scottish records, including the Hearth Tax Rolls of 1691, where a John Burness was listed in the parish of Kirknewton, Midlothian. This suggests that the name was well-established in the region during this period.

Notable individuals with the surname Burness include Robert Burness (1759-1796), a Scottish poet and lyricist who is better known by his pen name, Robert Burns. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated for his lyrical works in both Scots and English.

Another prominent figure was James Burness (1788-1856), a Scottish architect who designed several notable buildings in Edinburgh, including the Collegiate Church of St. Mary's and the Calton Convening Rooms.

In the 19th century, John Burness (1836-1914) was a Scottish architect and surveyor who worked on various projects in Glasgow and the surrounding areas.

Moving into the 20th century, William Burness (1901-1980) was a Scottish mathematician and academic who made significant contributions to the field of algebra and number theory.

While the Burness surname originated in Scotland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including England, Canada, and the United States, due to migration and immigration patterns over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Burness families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Burness 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. Angus leads with 161 Burness' recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.04x.

County Total Index
Angus 161 31.04x
Kincardineshire 112 164.27x
Middlesex 66 1.18x
Aberdeenshire 46 8.87x
Midlothian 23 3.07x
Surrey 21 0.77x
Kent 18 0.94x
Banffshire 17 14.64x
Lanarkshire 17 0.94x
Durham 16 0.96x
Essex 13 1.18x
Warwickshire 11 0.78x
Lancashire 9 0.14x
Renfrewshire 8 1.84x
Northumberland 6 0.72x
Buteshire 4 11.79x
Sussex 4 0.42x
Argyllshire 3 1.92x
Glamorgan 3 0.31x
Perthshire 3 1.19x
Royal Navy 2 3.00x
Berkshire 1 0.24x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.30x
Cheshire 1 0.08x
Derbyshire 1 0.11x
Fife 1 0.30x
Gloucestershire 1 0.09x
Hampshire 1 0.09x
Hertfordshire 1 0.26x
Leicestershire 1 0.16x
Norfolk 1 0.12x
Worcestershire 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Montrose in Angus leads with 57 Burness' recorded in 1881 and an index of 181.30x.

Place Total Index
Montrose 57 181.30x
Dundee 27 13.94x
Laurencekirk 20 506.33x
Aberdeen Old Machar 19 17.55x
St Vigeans 19 67.86x
Fordoun 18 471.20x
Bervie 17 420.79x
Kensington London 16 5.14x
Liff Benvie 16 20.32x
Fetteresso 14 130.96x
Shoreditch London 14 5.77x
Brechin 13 63.79x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 13 4.31x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 12 12.37x
Benholm 11 375.43x
Birmingham 11 2.34x
Keith 10 80.78x
Shettleston 10 61.69x
Banchory Ternan 9 152.54x
Lewisham 9 8.83x
Abbey 8 12.08x
Enfield 8 21.77x
West Ham 8 3.28x
Edinburgh St Marys 7 48.01x
Gamrie 7 53.97x
Gateshead 7 5.61x
Witton Le Wear 7 148.31x
Arbroath 6 34.90x
Bermondsey 6 3.60x
Dunnottar 6 125.00x
Glenbervie 6 320.86x
Hornsey 6 8.47x
Logie Pert 6 314.14x
Rusholme 6 33.86x
Wandsworth 6 11.13x
Barking 5 15.46x
Croydon 5 3.30x
Ealing 5 9.99x
Echt 5 200.00x
Garvock 5 609.76x
Hillingdon 5 28.01x
North South Gosforth 5 471.70x
Plumstead 5 7.85x
Glenmuick Tullich 4 106.95x
Panbride 4 148.15x
Rothesay 4 24.35x
Accrington 3 4.97x
Banchory Devenick 3 47.10x
Eastbourne 3 6.91x
Edzell 3 188.68x
Kennethmont 3 155.44x
Llandaff 3 9.25x
Lochgoilhead 3 291.26x
Monifieth 3 16.38x
Perth East Church 3 12.66x
Teddington London 3 23.64x
Barony 2 0.44x
Deptford St Paul 2 1.36x
Govan 2 0.45x
Hamilton 2 3.96x
Islington London 2 0.37x
Kinneff Catterline 2 104.17x
Lambeth 2 0.41x
Rescobie 2 151.52x
Royal Navy 2 3.51x
South Leith 2 2.37x
St George Hanover Square 2 2.03x
Woolwich 2 2.83x
Claylane 1 8.20x
Clerkenwell London 1 0.76x
Craig 1 19.96x
Forfar 1 3.56x
Kemnay 1 31.85x
Langley Marish 1 24.04x
Long Ditton 1 22.47x
North Walsham 1 16.10x
Paddington London 1 0.49x
Ruthven 1 270.27x
Stockport 1 1.57x
Sunderland 1 3.40x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 11
Mary 7
Sarah 6
Jane 5
Margaret 5
Harriet 4
Ann 3
Caroline 3
M. 3
Catherine 2
Emma 2
Florence 2
Hellen 2
Julia 2
Louisa 2
Lydia 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Brenda 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.J. 1
Elspeth 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
H.M. 1
Harriett 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Katerine 1
Lucy 1
M.A.L. 1
Maggie 1
Margrate 1
Marian 1
Marion 1
Matilda 1
Mercy 1
Pricila 1
Rebecca 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 11
James 8
George 7
William 6
Joseph 5
Alfred 4
Samuel 4
Thomas 4
Alexander 3
Frederick 3
Benjamin 2
Charles 2
Henry 2
Hugh 2
Robert 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Alex. 1
Alfd.J. 1
Archibald 1
Arthur 1
Chas. 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Francis 1
Frdk. 1
G.R. 1
G.W.T. 1
H. 1
J.F.Wm. 1
Jas. 1
Richard 1
Stephen 1
Tho. 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Burness surname: questions and answers

How common was the Burness surname in 1881?

In 1881, 573 people were recorded with the Burness surname. That placed it at #6,081 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Burness surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 477 in 2016. That gives Burness a modern rank of #10,344.

What does the Burness surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name, likely referring to someone who lived near a stream or brook.

What does the Burness map show?

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