NameCensus.

UK surname

Burnett

A surname derived from a nickname for someone with dark brown hair or a dark complexion.

In the 1881 census there were 8,312 people recorded with the Burnett surname, ranking it #507 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 12,789, ranked #504, up from #507 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gateshead and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Deer and Mormond, Cornwall and Merchiston and Greenhill.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Burnett is 13,298 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 53.9%.

1881 census count

8,312

Ranked #507

Modern count

12,789

2016, ranked #504

Peak year

2010

13,298 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Burnett had 8,312 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #507 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 12,789 in 2016, ranked #504.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 10,482 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Burnett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Burnett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Burnett 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 4,420 #638
1861 historical 4,741 #596
1881 historical 8,312 #507
1891 historical 8,820 #502
1901 historical 10,482 #502
1911 historical 7,966 #638
1997 modern 12,430 #491
1998 modern 12,897 #495
1999 modern 12,882 #500
2000 modern 12,929 #490
2001 modern 12,583 #493
2002 modern 12,854 #495
2003 modern 12,496 #499
2004 modern 12,580 #491
2005 modern 12,474 #489
2006 modern 12,451 #490
2007 modern 12,571 #491
2008 modern 12,678 #491
2009 modern 13,000 #491
2010 modern 13,298 #490
2011 modern 13,094 #489
2012 modern 12,746 #495
2013 modern 12,902 #498
2014 modern 12,961 #500
2015 modern 12,810 #504
2016 modern 12,789 #504

Geography

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Where Burnetts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Gateshead, Edinburgh, Portsmouth, Portsea and Fraserburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Deer and Mormond, Cornwall, Merchiston and Greenhill, Rosehearty and Strathbeg and Ellon East. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
5 Fraserburgh Aberdeen

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Deer and Mormond Aberdeenshire
2 Cornwall 024 Cornwall
3 Merchiston and Greenhill City of Edinburgh
4 Rosehearty and Strathbeg Aberdeenshire
5 Ellon East Aberdeenshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Burnett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Burnett

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Burnett, 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 Burnett surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Burnett 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, Burnett 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

Burnett is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Burnett falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Burnett

The surname Burnett originated in Scotland and has its roots in the Gaelic language. It is derived from the word "bornait," which means "small stream" or "burn." This connection to natural water sources suggests that the earliest bearers of this name may have lived near such features.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Burnett name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which document the pledge of allegiance made to King Edward I of England by Scottish nobles and landowners. Among those listed is Robert de Burnard, whose name is believed to be an early spelling variation of Burnett.

In the 13th century, a family of Burnetts held lands in the parish of Killen, near the town of Ayr in Ayrshire, Scotland. This area is thought to be the ancestral home of the Burnett clan. Prominent members of this clan include Sir Robert Burnett, who was a supporter of Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Scottish Independence in the early 14th century.

The Burnett name also appears in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the 14th century, which were records of financial transactions kept by the Scottish government. In these rolls, individuals with the surname Burnett are mentioned in connection with various land holdings and legal matters.

One notable figure in the history of the Burnett name is Alexander Burnett of Leys (c. 1534-1619), who was a Scottish landowner and member of the Scottish Parliament. He played a role in the religious and political conflicts of the time, supporting the Protestant Reformation and the cause of Scottish independence.

Another noteworthy Burnett was Gilbert Burnett (1643-1715), who was a Scottish Bishop and historian. He served as the Bishop of Salisbury and wrote a influential work called "History of the Reformation of the Church of England."

Burnett is also the surname of Frances Hodgson Burnett (1849-1924), the renowned English-American playwright and author. She is best known for her children's novels, including "The Secret Garden" and "A Little Princess."

In terms of place names associated with the Burnett surname, there is the village of Burnett in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, which likely took its name from the nearby Burn of Burnett, a small river. Additionally, the town of Burnettholm in Dumfriesshire may have derived its name from a combination of the Burnett surname and the Scots word "holm," meaning a small island or riverside land.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Burnett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Burnett 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 966 Burnetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.21x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 966 1.21x
Aberdeenshire 819 10.94x
Middlesex 668 0.83x
Lancashire 494 0.52x
Angus 451 6.02x
Lincolnshire 405 3.13x
Durham 400 1.66x
Hampshire 380 2.29x
Surrey 332 0.84x
Devon 285 1.69x
Somerset 276 2.12x
Kent 256 0.93x
Midlothian 223 2.06x
Lanarkshire 201 0.77x
Gloucestershire 175 1.10x
Staffordshire 174 0.64x
Kincardineshire 142 14.43x
Northumberland 137 1.14x
Cumberland 98 1.41x
Cornwall 92 1.01x
Sussex 87 0.64x
Warwickshire 80 0.39x
Glamorgan 64 0.45x
Derbyshire 60 0.47x
Perthshire 58 1.60x
Renfrewshire 55 0.88x
Wiltshire 55 0.77x
Cheshire 51 0.29x
Nottinghamshire 51 0.47x
Norfolk 50 0.40x
West Lothian 50 4.11x
Essex 47 0.29x
Banffshire 45 2.68x
Fife 39 0.82x
Monmouthshire 32 0.55x
Dumfriesshire 31 1.74x
Herefordshire 30 0.91x
Worcestershire 30 0.28x
Berkshire 28 0.46x
East Lothian 27 2.52x
Hertfordshire 26 0.47x
Roxburghshire 26 1.78x
Stirlingshire 26 0.87x
Leicestershire 21 0.23x
Ayrshire 18 0.30x
Ross-shire 14 0.63x
Wigtownshire 14 1.30x
Bedfordshire 12 0.29x
Dorset 12 0.23x
Isle of Man 12 0.80x
Peeblesshire 12 3.16x
Suffolk 12 0.12x
Buckinghamshire 11 0.23x
Shetland 11 1.33x
Berwickshire 10 1.02x
Clackmannanshire 10 1.50x
Morayshire 10 0.80x
Orkney 10 1.12x
Sutherland 9 1.45x
Caithness 8 0.72x
Inverness-shire 8 0.33x
Royal Navy 8 0.83x
Shropshire 8 0.11x
Oxfordshire 5 0.10x
Selkirkshire 5 0.68x
Montgomeryshire 4 0.22x
Brecknockshire 3 0.19x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.06x
Denbighshire 3 0.10x
Dunbartonshire 2 0.09x
Flintshire 2 0.09x
Anglesey 1 0.07x
Argyllshire 1 0.04x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.03x
Channel Islands 1 0.04x
Northamptonshire 1 0.01x
Rutland 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Fraserburgh in Aberdeenshire leads with 167 Burnetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 79.26x.

Place Total Index
Fraserburgh 167 79.26x
Aberdeen Old Machar 160 10.24x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 124 2.85x
Montrose 96 21.16x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 90 6.43x
Portsea 87 2.68x
Dundee 79 2.83x
Barony 72 1.09x
Great Grimsby 69 8.41x
Islington London 65 0.83x
Leeds 63 1.39x
Kensington London 54 1.20x
Hackney London 53 1.17x
St Pancras London 51 0.78x
Govan 50 0.77x
Bishopwearmouth 49 2.37x
Heworth 49 10.34x
Brechin 46 15.63x
Ryde 46 12.93x
Lambeth 43 0.61x
Kirkdale 42 2.60x
Camberwell 40 0.77x
Liverpool 39 0.67x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 35 2.35x
Glasgow 35 0.75x
Birmingham 34 0.50x
Newhills 34 22.18x
Croydon 33 1.51x
Paddington London 33 1.11x
Toxteth Park 33 1.02x
Westoe 33 2.42x
Brighton 32 1.16x
Newington 32 1.07x
Arbroath 29 11.69x
Millbrook 29 6.95x
St Marylebone London 29 0.67x
Stranton 29 3.58x
Bermondsey 28 1.16x
Hunslet 28 2.24x
Kirriemuir 28 15.16x
Rotherhithe 28 2.80x
Salford 28 0.99x
Battersea 27 0.91x
Bow London 27 2.62x
Fetteresso 27 17.51x
Gomersal 27 7.22x
Horncastle 27 20.24x
Southwark St George Martyr 27 1.66x
Alnwick 26 12.58x
Hampstead London 26 2.07x
Monquhitter 26 33.55x
Woolwich 26 2.55x
Everton 25 0.82x
Plymouth St Andrew 25 1.93x
South Leith 25 2.05x
Tyrie 25 26.61x
Longside 24 26.85x
Old Cleeve 24 51.67x
Banchory Ternan 23 27.03x
Brompton Ralph 23 196.08x
Hammersmith London 23 1.16x
Louth 23 7.77x
Bedminster 22 1.80x
Bromley London 22 1.24x
North Bierley 22 5.09x
St Vigeans 22 5.44x
Forfar 21 5.18x
Gateshead 21 1.17x
Mile End Old Town London 21 1.22x
Rochester St Margaret 21 7.22x
Romsey Extra 21 21.32x
Tottenham 21 1.63x
Wetherby 21 40.25x
Aston 20 0.36x
Barnsley 20 2.42x
Boness 20 11.92x
Holy Trinity 20 1.04x
Leek Lowe 20 5.51x
Meare 20 51.23x
Plumstead 20 2.18x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 418
Elizabeth 253
Sarah 193
Jane 125
Annie 110
Eliza 102
Ann 93
Alice 92
Emma 87
Margaret 86
Emily 77
Hannah 61
Ellen 53
Charlotte 47
Martha 46
Edith 41
Louisa 38
Maria 37
Harriet 35
Florence 33
Kate 33
Catherine 32
Fanny 29
Harriett 29
Susan 29
Ada 28
Agnes 26
Caroline 25
Isabella 22
Frances 21
Jessie 21
Amelia 20
Clara 19
Lucy 19
Rose 19
Elizth. 18
Gertrude 16
Anne 15
Ethel 14
Helen 14
Matilda 14
Julia 13
Rebecca 13
Minnie 12
Sophia 12
Eleanor 11
Esther 11
Maud 11
Ruth 11
Laura 10

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 389
John 327
Thomas 206
George 197
James 183
Henry 120
Joseph 108
Robert 106
Charles 96
Richard 65
Edward 61
Alfred 56
Arthur 54
Frederick 53
Samuel 37
Walter 30
Harry 29
Frank 27
Albert 26
David 26
Francis 25
Edwin 23
Wm. 23
Ernest 21
Geo. 16
Thos. 16
Herbert 14
Andrew 13
Daniel 13
Fred 13
Matthew 13
Alexander 12
Benjamin 12
Sidney 12
Fredrick 9
Harold 8
Isaac 8
Christopher 7
Jesse 7
Jno. 7
Tom 7
Edmund 6
Percy 6
Philip 6
Abraham 5
Charlie 5
Chas. 4
Fred. 4
Mark 4
Timothy 4

FAQ

Burnett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Burnett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 8,312 people were recorded with the Burnett surname. That placed it at #507 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Burnett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 12,789 in 2016. That gives Burnett a modern rank of #504.

What does the Burnett surname mean?

A surname derived from a nickname for someone with dark brown hair or a dark complexion.

What does the Burnett map show?

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