NameCensus.

UK surname

Burnham

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a stream or brook.

In the 1881 census there were 1,826 people recorded with the Burnham surname, ranking it #2,383 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,992, ranked #2,248, up from #2,383 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Clipston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Bolsover and Kettering.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Burnham is 3,200 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 63.9%.

1881 census count

1,826

Ranked #2,383

Modern count

2,992

2016, ranked #2,248

Peak year

1999

3,200 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Burnham had 1,826 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,383 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,992 in 2016, ranked #2,248.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,925 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Burnham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Burnham surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Burnham 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 1,237 #2,313
1861 historical 1,167 #2,419
1881 historical 1,826 #2,383
1891 historical 2,035 #2,270
1901 historical 2,483 #2,200
1911 historical 2,925 #1,780
1997 modern 3,029 #2,123
1998 modern 3,176 #2,114
1999 modern 3,200 #2,110
2000 modern 3,180 #2,113
2001 modern 3,102 #2,117
2002 modern 3,108 #2,167
2003 modern 2,960 #2,224
2004 modern 3,003 #2,186
2005 modern 2,953 #2,195
2006 modern 2,930 #2,208
2007 modern 2,958 #2,211
2008 modern 2,937 #2,242
2009 modern 2,979 #2,266
2010 modern 3,048 #2,267
2011 modern 3,030 #2,245
2012 modern 3,038 #2,198
2013 modern 3,079 #2,206
2014 modern 3,077 #2,224
2015 modern 3,020 #2,243
2016 modern 2,992 #2,248

Geography

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Where Burnhams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Clipston and Alfreton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Bolsover 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 Clipston Leicestershire
5 Alfreton Derbyshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 024 County Durham
2 Bolsover 010 Bolsover
3 Kettering 002 Kettering
4 Bolsover 009 Bolsover
5 County Durham 038 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Burnham

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Burnham

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Burnham 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

Burnham is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Burnham falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Burnham

The surname BURNHAM is of Anglo-Saxon origin, deriving from the Old English words "burna" meaning a stream or brook, and "ham" referring to a homestead or village. It is believed to have originated in England during the 7th to 11th centuries as a locational name for people who lived near a prominent brook or stream.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the BURNHAM surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a great survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This ancient record documents several places named Burnham, including those in Buckinghamshire, Essex, and Somerset.

During the Middle Ages, the BURNHAM name was predominantly found in the counties of Buckinghamshire, Essex, and Norfolk, where it is believed to have originated from various place names such as Burnham-on-Crouch, Burnham Norton, and Burnham Overy. These locations were often named after the nearby streams or brooks.

Notable historical figures bearing the BURNHAM surname include Richard Burnham (1711-1752), an English explorer and naval captain who explored the South Pacific, and Hiram Burnham (1709-1789), an American manufacturer and politician who served as a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives.

Another prominent individual was William Burnham (1779-1843), an English architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Mint and the Royal Opera House. Additionally, Ambrose Everett Burnside (1824-1881), a Union Army officer during the American Civil War, gained fame for his distinctive style of facial hair known as "sideburns."

The BURNHAM name has also been associated with several places, such as Burnham-on-Sea, a town in Somerset, England, and Burnham, a village in Buckinghamshire, both of which likely derived their names from the Old English words for a homestead near a stream.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Burnham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Burnham 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 273 Burnhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.52x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 273 1.52x
Yorkshire 175 0.98x
Northamptonshire 168 9.94x
Buckinghamshire 147 13.53x
Derbyshire 147 5.23x
Surrey 120 1.37x
Leicestershire 95 4.77x
Nottinghamshire 87 3.59x
Warwickshire 74 1.63x
Durham 69 1.29x
Berkshire 62 4.60x
Oxfordshire 49 4.42x
Lincolnshire 44 1.53x
Kent 42 0.69x
Lancashire 33 0.15x
Norfolk 31 1.12x
Hertfordshire 28 2.26x
Staffordshire 26 0.43x
Cambridgeshire 25 2.20x
Sussex 21 0.69x
Suffolk 18 0.82x
Rutland 16 12.13x
Bedfordshire 15 1.61x
Gloucestershire 15 0.43x
Hampshire 14 0.38x
Essex 12 0.34x
Huntingdonshire 11 3.08x
Channel Islands 7 1.31x
Cheshire 4 0.10x
Royal Navy 4 1.87x
Midlothian 3 0.12x
Devon 2 0.05x
Worcestershire 2 0.09x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.14x
Lanarkshire 1 0.02x
Somerset 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Alfreton in Derbyshire leads with 53 Burnhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 62.02x.

Place Total Index
Alfreton 53 62.02x
Clipston 50 1168.22x
Camberwell 38 3.31x
Sculcoates 35 12.40x
Wycombe 33 40.75x
Bishopwearmouth 30 6.54x
St Marylebone London 29 3.02x
Leicester St Margaret 25 5.15x
Hackney London 23 2.28x
Aston Clinton 21 228.01x
Islington London 21 1.21x
Oadby 21 196.81x
South Normanton 21 106.28x
Birmingham 20 1.32x
Nottingham St Mary 20 3.19x
Aston 19 1.52x
Beeston 19 68.27x
Feltham 19 105.91x
Holy Trinity 17 3.97x
Bethnal Green London 16 2.05x
Battersea 15 2.27x
Mile End Old Town London 15 3.92x
Shoreditch London 15 1.93x
West Wycombe 15 101.76x
Bray 14 35.33x
Staverton 14 593.22x
Chalfont St Peter 13 145.09x
Cranbrook 13 50.06x
Eaton Bray 13 138.45x
Lambeth 13 0.83x
Litchurch 13 11.48x
South Frodingham 13 1150.44x
Bermondsey 12 2.24x
Burnham 12 86.64x
Croydon 12 2.47x
Hammersmith London 12 2.71x
Hasland 12 41.90x
Thornley 12 62.05x
Walpole St Peter 12 171.43x
Basford 11 9.85x
Parson Drove 11 241.76x
Reading St Giles 11 8.31x
Selston 11 40.67x
Berkhampstead 10 35.92x
Brandon Byshottles 10 14.93x
Church Lawford 10 609.76x
Claylane 10 25.57x
Eynsham 10 142.45x
Peterborough 10 8.17x
Bow London 9 3.93x
Burstwick With 9 346.15x
Clapton 9 687.02x
Hanwell 9 28.26x
Lewisham 9 2.75x
Marston 9 220.05x
Newington 9 1.36x
Pilsley In Chesterfield 9 267.86x
Preston 9 91.56x
Rye 9 31.26x
St George Hanover Square 9 2.84x
Stamford Baron St Martin 9 99.45x
Sunninghill 9 48.10x
Sutton 9 44.36x
Woodford 9 95.74x
Addingham 8 60.15x
Clifton On Dunsmore 8 217.98x
Great Grimsby 8 4.39x
Hunsdon 8 246.91x
Liverpool 8 0.62x
Mapledurham 8 307.69x
Ockbrook 8 67.00x
St Luke London 8 2.78x
Tottenham 8 2.80x
Weedon Beck 8 66.06x
West Ham 8 1.02x
Beccles 7 19.87x
Beckenham 7 8.73x
Norwich St Clement 7 21.85x
St Helier 7 4.04x
Whittlesey St Mary St 7 17.61x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 106
Elizabeth 73
Sarah 68
Ann 40
Eliza 37
Emma 36
Alice 29
Annie 29
Ellen 25
Emily 25
Jane 25
Hannah 20
Ada 18
Fanny 18
Louisa 18
Maria 16
Harriet 14
Martha 13
Kate 10
Catherine 9
Lucy 9
Caroline 8
Clara 8
Edith 8
Elizth. 8
Florence 8
Harriett 7
Lydia 7
Matilda 7
Rose 7
Frances 6
Rebecca 6
Agnes 5
Charlotte 5
Eleanor 5
Esther 5
Jessie 5
Minnie 5
Lilly 4
Rachel 4
Rosa 4
Ruth 4
Susan 4
Amelia 3
Anna 3
Anne 3
Ethel 3
Flora 3
Sophia 3
Deborah 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 124
George 106
John 99
Thomas 68
James 50
Henry 49
Joseph 33
Charles 26
Edward 26
Alfred 24
Arthur 22
Walter 20
Frederick 17
Robert 14
Frank 13
Samuel 13
Ernest 11
Richard 11
Albert 10
Harry 8
Herbert 8
David 7
Francis 7
Edwin 6
Ralph 6
Fredrick 5
Matthew 5
Isaac 4
Percy 4
Chas. 3
Christopher 3
Dan 3
Edmund 3
Frederic 3
Harrison 3
Josiah 3
Septimus 3
Stephen 3
W. 3
Alexander 2
Benjamin 2
Coleman 2
Daniel 2
Fredk. 2
Jesse 2
Levi 2
Philip 2
Reuben 2
Richd. 2
Robt. 2

FAQ

Burnham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Burnham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,826 people were recorded with the Burnham surname. That placed it at #2,383 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Burnham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,992 in 2016. That gives Burnham a modern rank of #2,248.

What does the Burnham surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a stream or brook.

What does the Burnham map show?

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