NameCensus.

UK surname

Burroughs

From English placenames derived from the Old English words "burh" or "burg," meaning a fortress or fortified town.

In the 1881 census there were 958 people recorded with the Burroughs surname, ranking it #4,044 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,464, ranked #4,206, down from #4,044 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and St James. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rochford, Horsham and St Edmundsbury.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Burroughs is 1,606 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 52.8%.

1881 census count

958

Ranked #4,044

Modern count

1,464

2016, ranked #4,206

Peak year

1999

1,606 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Burroughs had 958 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,044 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,464 in 2016, ranked #4,206.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,292 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Burroughs surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Burroughs surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Burroughs 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 561 #4,515
1861 historical 431 #5,963
1881 historical 958 #4,044
1891 historical 994 #4,173
1901 historical 1,292 #3,856
1911 historical 1,179 #3,969
1997 modern 1,526 #3,853
1998 modern 1,556 #3,927
1999 modern 1,606 #3,861
2000 modern 1,582 #3,889
2001 modern 1,554 #3,884
2002 modern 1,565 #3,936
2003 modern 1,469 #4,067
2004 modern 1,468 #4,074
2005 modern 1,449 #4,074
2006 modern 1,430 #4,127
2007 modern 1,430 #4,162
2008 modern 1,439 #4,167
2009 modern 1,464 #4,192
2010 modern 1,504 #4,176
2011 modern 1,502 #4,153
2012 modern 1,449 #4,199
2013 modern 1,480 #4,194
2014 modern 1,482 #4,208
2015 modern 1,480 #4,184
2016 modern 1,464 #4,206

Geography

Back to top

Where Burroughs' are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Rochford, Horsham, St Edmundsbury, Charnwood and South Norfolk. 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 London parishes London 1
3 St James Suffolk
4 London parishes London 3
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rochford 010 Rochford
2 Horsham 010 Horsham
3 St Edmundsbury 007 St Edmundsbury
4 Charnwood 006 Charnwood
5 South Norfolk 010 South Norfolk

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Burroughs

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Burroughs

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

Burroughs is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Burroughs

The surname Burroughs has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is a locational name, derived from one of the numerous places in England called "Burgh" or "Borough," which were originally fortified towns or villages. The name is thought to be an Old English compound word, formed by the elements "burh" meaning "a fortified place" and "hog" meaning "a ridge."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Borgge" and "Burges." This suggests that the name was already well-established in England by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records with spellings such as "de Burgh," "de Burgo," and "de Burgho." These variations reflect the Norman French influence on English surnames during this period.

Notable historical figures with the surname Burroughs include Sir John Burroughs (c. 1322–1388), an English military commander who fought in the Hundred Years' War. Another prominent bearer of the name was William Burroughs (1572–1645), an English mathematician and surveyor who is credited with introducing the symbol for the modern mathematical concept of "less than."

In the literary world, the name is perhaps most associated with the American writer William S. Burroughs (1914–1997), a celebrated author and member of the Beat Generation. His experimental novels, such as "Naked Lunch" and "The Soft Machine," explored themes of addiction, control systems, and the human condition.

Other notable individuals with the surname include Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875–1950), the American author best known for creating the iconic character Tarzan. Additionally, John Burroughs (1837–1921) was an influential American naturalist and essayist, who played a significant role in the early conservation movement.

The name Burroughs has also been associated with various places in England, such as Burroughs Green in Cambridgeshire and Burroughs on the Hill in Leicestershire, further underscoring its locational origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Burroughs families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Burroughs 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 157 Burroughs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.68x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 157 1.68x
Suffolk 101 8.85x
Surrey 95 2.08x
Norfolk 81 5.63x
Gloucestershire 76 4.14x
Lancashire 67 0.60x
Hampshire 50 2.60x
Yorkshire 42 0.45x
Somerset 40 2.65x
Lincolnshire 31 2.07x
Shropshire 28 3.46x
Kent 24 0.75x
Sussex 23 1.46x
Hertfordshire 20 3.10x
Devon 13 0.67x
Dorset 11 1.79x
Berkshire 10 1.42x
Monmouthshire 10 1.48x
Durham 9 0.32x
Essex 8 0.43x
Cornwall 7 0.66x
Cumberland 6 0.74x
Oxfordshire 6 1.04x
Midlothian 5 0.40x
Warwickshire 5 0.21x
Wiltshire 5 0.60x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.71x
Denbighshire 4 1.13x
Leicestershire 4 0.39x
Worcestershire 4 0.33x
Montgomeryshire 3 1.40x
Northumberland 2 0.14x
Orkney 2 1.94x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.12x
Bedfordshire 1 0.21x
Herefordshire 1 0.26x
Lanarkshire 1 0.03x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.08x
Royal Navy 1 0.90x
Staffordshire 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. Camberwell in Surrey leads with 30 Burroughs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.02x.

Place Total Index
Camberwell 30 5.02x
Shoreditch London 28 6.90x
Newington 26 7.52x
Islington London 17 1.87x
St Pancras London 17 2.26x
Bethnal Green London 15 3.69x
Bury St Edmunds St James 15 49.23x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 14 8.10x
Lowestoft 14 25.98x
Reydon 13 1262.14x
Everton 12 3.39x
Yeadon 12 57.28x
Bow London 11 9.23x
Clifton 11 11.85x
Mile End Old Town London 11 5.52x
Ringwood 11 89.58x
Skillington 11 873.02x
Pawlett 10 588.24x
St Marylebone London 10 2.00x
Swindon 10 1538.46x
Bishop Stortford 9 41.74x
Cocking 9 486.49x
Lambeth 9 1.10x
Liverpool 9 1.33x
Musbury 9 526.32x
Oving 9 168.86x
Reading St Mary 9 15.99x
Banham 8 217.98x
Bermondsey 8 2.87x
Broxbourne 8 62.55x
Holy Trinity 8 3.58x
Newton 8 9.34x
Puriton 8 330.58x
Roydon In Guiltcross 8 408.16x
St George Hanover Square 8 4.85x
Thornbury 8 63.69x
Walcot 8 9.97x
Culford 7 729.17x
Deptford St Paul 7 2.84x
Hackney London 7 1.33x
Lavenham 7 117.25x
Loddon 7 189.19x
Oulton 7 181.82x
Portsea 7 1.86x
Sheviock 7 391.06x
Southampton St Mary 7 5.80x
Swaffham 7 59.78x
Wheatacre All Sts 7 1521.74x
Barrowby 6 231.66x
Boston 6 13.21x
Bristol St George 6 7.06x
Broseley 6 41.72x
Caversham 6 51.86x
Charlton Kings 6 47.21x
Crawley 6 410.96x
Langcliffe 6 270.27x
Lee 6 12.93x
Moss Side 6 10.26x
Newport 6 18.58x
Reedham 6 218.18x
Wellington 6 13.20x
Wells Next Sea 6 71.43x
Wickhambrook 6 139.86x
Yaxham 6 382.17x
Alverstoke 5 7.20x
Barrow 5 171.23x
Chelsea London 5 1.77x
Dalston 5 80.26x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 5 0.99x
Fulham London 5 3.68x
Godalming 5 17.41x
Hamworthy 5 233.64x
Kingston 5 186.57x
Newchurch 5 5.50x
South Witham 5 381.68x
Southcoates 5 9.71x
Stranton 5 5.33x
Westbury On Trym 5 8.04x
Weston Super Mare 5 13.14x
Whitchurch Canonicorum 5 146.20x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 60
John 48
George 32
Charles 26
James 25
Thomas 24
Henry 19
Joseph 17
Alfred 16
Robert 14
Walter 12
Arthur 11
Frederick 11
Benjamin 9
Edward 8
Richard 8
Samuel 8
Thos. 8
Albert 7
Herbert 6
Wm. 6
Francis 4
Frank 4
Fredk. 4
Harry 4
Ernest 3
Louis 3
Chas. 2
Daniel 2
Edwd. 2
Edwin 2
Geo. 2
Jas. 2
Mark 2
Philip 2
Rowland 2
Stephen 2
Sydney 2
Willm. 2
Austin 1
Ayliffe 1
David 1
E.F.H. 1
Faulkner 1
Freddy 1
Frederic 1
Jim 1
Jno. 1
Lewis 1
Zaccheus 1

FAQ

Burroughs surname: questions and answers

How common was the Burroughs surname in 1881?

In 1881, 958 people were recorded with the Burroughs surname. That placed it at #4,044 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Burroughs surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,464 in 2016. That gives Burroughs a modern rank of #4,206.

What does the Burroughs surname mean?

From English placenames derived from the Old English words "burh" or "burg," meaning a fortress or fortified town.

What does the Burroughs map show?

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