NameCensus.

UK surname

Burrough

An English topographic surname referring to someone living near a fortified manor house or borough.

In the 1881 census there were 649 people recorded with the Burrough surname, ranking it #5,499 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 604, ranked #8,674, down from #5,499 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Sidbury and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Devon and New Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Burrough is 944 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 6.9%.

1881 census count

649

Ranked #5,499

Modern count

604

2016, ranked #8,674

Peak year

1911

944 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Burrough had 649 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,499 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 604 in 2016, ranked #8,674.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 944 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Burrough surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Burrough surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Burrough 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 496 #5,039
1861 historical 518 #5,049
1881 historical 649 #5,499
1891 historical 788 #5,100
1901 historical 639 #6,730
1911 historical 944 #4,767
1997 modern 617 #7,988
1998 modern 669 #7,742
1999 modern 664 #7,819
2000 modern 686 #7,606
2001 modern 648 #7,816
2002 modern 662 #7,839
2003 modern 621 #8,112
2004 modern 615 #8,203
2005 modern 575 #8,523
2006 modern 577 #8,533
2007 modern 568 #8,690
2008 modern 562 #8,812
2009 modern 574 #8,880
2010 modern 591 #8,884
2011 modern 576 #8,955
2012 modern 579 #8,830
2013 modern 594 #8,809
2014 modern 608 #8,709
2015 modern 612 #8,606
2016 modern 604 #8,674

Geography

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Where Burroughs are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to East Devon and New Forest. 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 Sidbury Devon
3 London parishes London 1
4 Chilmark Wiltshire
5 Paddington London (West Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Devon 005 East Devon
2 East Devon 001 East Devon
3 East Devon 004 East Devon
4 New Forest 001 New Forest
5 East Devon 006 East Devon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Burrough

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Burrough

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Burrough surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Burrough household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Burrough is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Burrough 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

Burrough falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Burrough

The surname Burrough has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "burh," meaning a fortified town or borough. The name was likely given to individuals who resided in or were associated with a particular borough or town.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Burrough can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where it is spelled "Burg." This document was a survey of landowners and their holdings, providing valuable information about the distribution of surnames during that period.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Burgh," "Borowe," and "Borugh," reflecting the inconsistent spelling practices of the time. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 include the name "Edith de Borowgh," suggesting the name's presence in that county.

The Burrough surname has also been associated with specific place names, such as Burrough-on-the-Hill in Leicestershire. This connection to geographical locations further reinforces the name's origin as a locational surname.

Notable individuals with the surname Burrough include:

1. Sir John Burrough (c. 1350 - 1416), an English judge and Chief Justice of the King's Bench during the reign of Henry IV. 2. Jeffery Burrough (c. 1580 - 1637), an English clergyman and author who wrote the influential book "The Watchman's Warning to England." 3. Edward Burrough (c. 1634 - 1662), a prominent Quaker leader and author who played a significant role in the early Quaker movement. 4. Sir James Burrough (1691 - 1772), a British naval officer and explorer who served as the Master of Leith Trinity House, a prominent maritime organization. 5. Stephen Burrough (1757 - 1830), an English architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital.

While the Burrough surname has maintained a presence throughout history, it has also evolved and been adapted over time, with variations such as Burroughs and Burrow emerging in different regions and contexts.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Burrough families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Burrough 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. Devon leads with 115 Burroughs recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.74x.

County Total Index
Devon 115 8.74x
Wiltshire 95 16.99x
Middlesex 83 1.31x
Surrey 62 2.01x
Somerset 59 5.80x
Gloucestershire 34 2.74x
Hampshire 22 1.70x
Cumberland 19 3.49x
Kent 16 0.74x
Staffordshire 16 0.75x
Lancashire 14 0.19x
Sussex 13 1.22x
Warwickshire 11 0.69x
Dorset 10 2.41x
Yorkshire 10 0.16x
Buckinghamshire 9 2.36x
Cornwall 8 1.12x
Norfolk 8 0.82x
Shropshire 8 1.46x
Cambridgeshire 6 1.50x
Derbyshire 5 0.51x
Glamorgan 4 0.36x
Suffolk 4 0.52x
Worcestershire 4 0.48x
Berkshire 3 0.63x
Bedfordshire 2 0.61x
Monmouthshire 2 0.44x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.17x
Cheshire 1 0.07x
Durham 1 0.05x
Essex 1 0.08x
Hertfordshire 1 0.23x
Northumberland 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chilmark in Wiltshire leads with 28 Burroughs recorded in 1881 and an index of 2333.33x.

Place Total Index
Chilmark 28 2333.33x
Hornsey 23 28.78x
Paddington London 23 9.90x
Sidbury 19 673.76x
Uffculme 19 484.69x
Honiton 18 247.25x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 17 14.56x
Croydon 17 9.94x
West Bromwich 16 13.10x
Burbage 12 421.05x
Taunton St Mary 12 64.24x
Aston 11 2.51x
Bermondsey 11 5.85x
Irton With Santon 9 666.67x
Little Marlow 9 426.54x
Rotherhithe 9 11.52x
Bodmin 8 67.57x
Clun 8 206.19x
Horsham 8 38.65x
Pendleton In Salford 8 8.95x
Broad Chalk 7 440.25x
Camberwell 7 1.73x
Farway 7 1111.11x
Shalford 7 205.28x
Sheldon 7 2333.33x
St George Hanover Square 7 6.29x
Staple Fitzpaine 7 1707.32x
Ashcott 6 387.10x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 6 10.28x
Bristol St James St Paul 6 14.51x
Dalwood 6 674.16x
Lee 6 19.16x
Melksham 6 61.79x
St Andrewthe Less 6 13.12x
Waberthwaite 6 1428.57x
Cranbrook 5 54.70x
Donyatt 5 602.41x
Dunkeswell 5 588.24x
East Tisbury 5 259.07x
Fovant 5 413.22x
Hilborough 5 684.93x
Horfield 5 40.06x
Lambeth 5 0.91x
Lynton 5 190.84x
North Curry 5 144.51x
Salisbury St Martin 5 85.91x
West Lavington 5 186.57x
Wherwell 5 427.35x
Brighton 4 1.86x
Cardiff St John 4 11.13x
Charmouth 4 296.30x
Christchurch 4 14.24x
Compton Dundon 4 322.58x
East Dean 4 1025.64x
Hampstead London 4 4.06x
Hatch Beauchamp 4 506.33x
Islington London 4 0.65x
Leeds 4 1.13x
Lowestoft 4 11.00x
Milford 4 133.78x
Offwell 4 555.56x
Shrewton 4 273.97x
South Stoneham 4 14.23x
Taunton St James 4 26.95x
Totnes 4 51.95x
Bristol St Paul In 3 9.08x
Derby St Peter 3 9.52x
Kensington London 3 0.85x
Kings Norton 3 4.05x
Luppitt 3 230.77x
Newbury 3 19.74x
Salcombe Regis 3 241.94x
Salisbury St Thomas 3 67.72x
Shoreditch London 3 1.09x
St Andrew Holborn London 3 10.96x
St Bartholomew Great 3 52.17x
Branscombe 2 111.11x
Newport 2 9.17x
West Hatch 2 219.78x
Wimborne Minster 2 29.81x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 39
Elizabeth 24
Sarah 15
Ann 13
Ellen 12
Emma 12
Emily 11
Edith 10
Jane 10
Fanny 9
Eliza 8
Alice 7
Harriet 7
Annie 6
Catherine 6
Florence 6
Martha 6
Grace 5
Maria 5
Clara 4
Elizth. 4
Hannah 4
Harriett 4
Lucy 4
Margaret 4
Rose 4
Selina 4
Susan 4
Anna 3
Charlotte 3
E. 3
Frances 3
Louisa 3
Rhoda 3
Agnes 2
Amelia 2
Amy 2
Beatrice 2
Eliz. 2
Esther 2
Ethel 2
Fanney 2
Flora 2
Georgina 2
Henrietta 2
Julia 2
Kate 2
Marian 2
Matilda 2
Ruth 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 54
John 42
James 26
Charles 19
George 19
Edward 14
Thomas 10
Joseph 8
Francis 7
Henry 7
Richard 7
Robert 7
Walter 7
Arthur 4
Frederick 4
Samuel 4
Sidney 4
Thos. 4
Alfred 3
Harry 3
Jesse 3
Albert 2
Charlie 2
Chas. 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Herbert 2
Willie 2
Willm. 2
Wm. 2
Alfd.H. 1
Andrew 1
Bertty 1
Bleakley 1
Charley 1
Charly 1
Emmanuel 1
Felix 1
Frederic 1
Frederich 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Jonathan 1
Josh. 1
Leopold 1
Mark 1
Peter 1
R. 1
Robt.H. 1

FAQ

Burrough surname: questions and answers

How common was the Burrough surname in 1881?

In 1881, 649 people were recorded with the Burrough surname. That placed it at #5,499 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Burrough surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 604 in 2016. That gives Burrough a modern rank of #8,674.

What does the Burrough surname mean?

An English topographic surname referring to someone living near a fortified manor house or borough.

What does the Burrough map show?

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