NameCensus.

UK surname

Burrow

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a burrow or hill, or in a fortified town.

In the 1881 census there were 2,064 people recorded with the Burrow surname, ranking it #2,133 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,117, ranked #3,056, down from #2,133 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lancaster Borough, London parishes and Preston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Lakeland and Lancaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Burrow is 2,911 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.6%.

1881 census count

2,064

Ranked #2,133

Modern count

2,117

2016, ranked #3,056

Peak year

1911

2,911 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Burrow had 2,064 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,133 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,117 in 2016, ranked #3,056.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,911 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Burrow surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Burrow surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Burrow 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 1,772 #1,626
1861 historical 1,868 #1,551
1881 historical 2,064 #2,133
1891 historical 2,700 #1,758
1901 historical 2,410 #2,254
1911 historical 2,911 #1,790
1997 modern 2,280 #2,722
1998 modern 2,324 #2,778
1999 modern 2,335 #2,787
2000 modern 2,318 #2,785
2001 modern 2,221 #2,846
2002 modern 2,252 #2,868
2003 modern 2,175 #2,894
2004 modern 2,166 #2,910
2005 modern 2,115 #2,930
2006 modern 2,102 #2,951
2007 modern 2,128 #2,945
2008 modern 2,158 #2,932
2009 modern 2,203 #2,946
2010 modern 2,244 #2,959
2011 modern 2,203 #2,969
2012 modern 2,099 #3,047
2013 modern 2,162 #3,016
2014 modern 2,171 #3,018
2015 modern 2,130 #3,047
2016 modern 2,117 #3,056

Geography

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Where Burrows are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lancaster Borough, London parishes, Preston and Cartmell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Lakeland and Lancaster. 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 Lancaster Borough Lancashire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Preston Lancashire
4 London parishes London 2
5 Cartmell Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Lakeland 013 South Lakeland
2 Lancaster 002 Lancaster
3 South Lakeland 011 South Lakeland
4 Lancaster 001 Lancaster
5 Lancaster 020 Lancaster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Burrow

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Burrow

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Burrow, 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 Burrow surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Burrow 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Burrow 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

Burrow 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

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

Meaning and origin of Burrow

The surname Burrow is of English origin, and it can be traced back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "burg," which means a fortified town or a dwelling place. This name was likely used to identify individuals who lived near or worked in a fortified town or a borough.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Burrow can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, which dates back to 1273. This document mentions a person named Reginald de la Burgh, which is an early spelling variation of the surname Burrow.

During the medieval period, the name was often associated with place names that contained the word "burgh" or "borough." For example, the surname Burrow could have originated from places like Boroughbridge in Yorkshire, or Boroughbury in Northamptonshire.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, there are several entries that mention places with the "burgh" or "bury" element, which could have been the source of the surname Burrow. For instance, the book records the existence of Bury St. Edmunds in Suffolk, which was an important town at the time.

One notable individual with the surname Burrow was Sir James Burrow (1701-1782), an English lawyer and author. He served as Master of the Crown Office and is known for his legal writings, including the "Reports of Cases Adjudged in the Court of King's Bench."

Another prominent figure was George Burrow (1785-1845), a British naval officer and explorer. He was part of the expedition that explored the Arctic regions in the early 19th century and made important contributions to the mapping of the region.

In the literary world, Reuben Burrow (1747-1792) was an English poet and playwright. He is best known for his work "The Parliament of Venus," which satirized the political climate of his time.

Edward Burrow (1633-1701) was an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works, including "The Excellency of the Study of Divinity."

Lastly, William Burrow (1758-1827) was a British mathematician and inventor. He is credited with developing several mathematical instruments and contributing to the field of navigation and surveying.

These examples demonstrate the widespread use of the surname Burrow throughout history, highlighting its English origins and its association with various professions and achievements.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Burrow families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Burrow 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. Lancashire leads with 544 Burrows recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.29x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 544 2.29x
Yorkshire 336 1.69x
Devon 235 5.63x
Westmorland 112 25.42x
Middlesex 109 0.54x
Cumberland 93 5.39x
Worcestershire 87 3.32x
Cornwall 70 3.08x
Surrey 60 0.61x
Somerset 53 1.64x
Hampshire 46 1.12x
Gloucestershire 28 0.71x
Durham 27 0.45x
Kent 24 0.35x
Warwickshire 21 0.42x
Staffordshire 18 0.27x
Wiltshire 15 0.85x
Hertfordshire 14 1.01x
Dorset 13 0.99x
Suffolk 13 0.53x
Lanarkshire 12 0.19x
Norfolk 11 0.36x
Northamptonshire 11 0.58x
Selkirkshire 10 5.51x
Cheshire 9 0.20x
Northumberland 8 0.27x
Dumfriesshire 7 1.58x
Herefordshire 7 0.85x
Shropshire 7 0.40x
Buckinghamshire 6 0.50x
Bedfordshire 5 0.48x
Essex 5 0.13x
Glamorgan 5 0.14x
Nottinghamshire 5 0.19x
Sussex 5 0.15x
Berkshire 4 0.27x
Leicestershire 4 0.18x
Caernarfonshire 3 0.37x
Derbyshire 3 0.10x
Monmouthshire 2 0.14x
Oxfordshire 2 0.16x
Royal Navy 2 0.84x
Brecknockshire 1 0.25x
Denbighshire 1 0.13x
Midlothian 1 0.04x
Renfrewshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 114 Burrows recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.16x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 114 10.16x
Lower Holker 37 811.40x
Bentham 27 178.34x
Halton 27 536.78x
Bradford 25 5.20x
Lancaster 25 17.66x
Blackburn 24 3.79x
Hackney London 24 2.14x
Preston 23 3.61x
Lower Allithwaite 22 385.96x
Leigh 21 66.08x
Dalton In Furness 18 19.60x
Holbeck 18 13.68x
Hunslet 18 5.81x
Morwenstow 18 323.16x
Clovelly 17 312.50x
Poulton Barre 17 62.82x
Bolton Le Sands 16 296.85x
Colton 16 129.03x
Ecclesfield 16 10.99x
Hartland 16 123.17x
Wetheral 16 69.99x
Aston 15 1.08x
Great Bolton 15 4.76x
Horton In Bradford 15 4.84x
Kendal 15 18.60x
Beetham 14 206.19x
Chelsea London 14 2.32x
Kirkby Stephen 14 122.48x
Ottery St Mary 14 51.15x
Headley 13 116.38x
Morchard Bishop 13 149.25x
Portsea 13 1.61x
Ickleford 12 310.88x
Paddington London 12 1.63x
Yealand Conyers 12 566.04x
Bodmin 11 29.29x
Heysham 11 253.46x
Sutton 11 13.79x
Bideford 10 22.37x
Caldewgate 10 10.58x
Galashiels 10 14.91x
Great Malvern 10 18.31x
Lowther 10 309.60x
Nymett Rowland 10 1562.50x
Silverdale 10 297.62x
Stretford 10 7.64x
Warton With Lindeth 10 100.20x
Wennington 10 1149.43x
Woolfardisworthy 10 165.29x
Brushford 9 401.79x
Clifton 9 4.53x
Dent 9 108.43x
Finedon 9 54.48x
Hawkshead Monk Coniston 9 108.56x
Nateby 9 750.00x
Potter Newton 9 25.68x
Puncknowle 9 276.92x
Wardleworth 9 6.62x
Weare 9 201.34x
Welcombe 9 629.37x
West Derby 9 1.29x
Worcester St Martin 9 25.48x
Barrow In Furness 8 2.47x
Bristol St George 8 4.40x
Clevely 8 2285.71x
Egremont 8 19.44x
Gargrave 8 90.40x
Haverbrack 8 975.61x
Hayton 8 81.72x
Ingham 8 410.26x
Lanlivery 8 83.95x
Quernmore 8 199.50x
St Budeaux 8 61.59x
Ulverston 8 11.55x
Wimbledon 8 7.29x
Workington 8 8.10x
Battersea 7 0.95x
Hulme 7 1.41x
Thornley 7 32.44x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 147
Elizabeth 93
Jane 59
Sarah 59
Ann 47
Margaret 41
Annie 36
Eliza 29
Alice 26
Ellen 23
Agnes 22
Hannah 20
Emily 17
Emma 14
Isabella 12
Edith 11
Frances 11
Harriet 11
Catherine 10
Charlotte 10
Clara 10
Florence 10
Maria 10
Eleanor 9
Ada 8
Louisa 8
Martha 8
Anne 7
Ethel 7
Jessie 7
Rebecca 7
Susan 7
Amelia 6
Bessie 6
Esther 6
Lucy 6
Elizth. 5
Kate 5
Lydia 5
Minnie 5
Beatrice 4
Harriett 4
Priscilla 4
Ruth 4
Sophia 4
Susanna 4
Caroline 3
Margt. 3
Maude 3
Winifred 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 148
John 136
James 80
Thomas 75
George 43
Robert 39
Edward 37
Richard 35
Charles 32
Joseph 32
Henry 23
Arthur 20
Alfred 16
Albert 12
Frederick 12
Walter 12
Samuel 10
Benjamin 9
Thos. 9
Frank 8
Francis 6
Harry 6
Herbert 6
Isaac 6
Joshua 6
Wm. 6
Ernest 5
Sydney 5
Daniel 4
Fred 4
Mark 4
Matthew 4
Moses 4
Alexander 3
Edwin 3
Lewis 3
Myles 3
Robt. 3
Aaron 2
Arther 2
Davis 2
Fredrick 2
Horace 2
J. 2
Jas. 2
Jesse 2
Nathan 2
Reuben 2
Sidney 2
Stephen 2

FAQ

Burrow surname: questions and answers

How common was the Burrow surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,064 people were recorded with the Burrow surname. That placed it at #2,133 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Burrow surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,117 in 2016. That gives Burrow a modern rank of #3,056.

What does the Burrow surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a burrow or hill, or in a fortified town.

What does the Burrow map show?

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