NameCensus.

UK surname

Burry

An English surname derived from the Old English term for a fortified town or manor.

In the 1881 census there were 344 people recorded with the Burry surname, ranking it #8,864 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 375, ranked #12,457, down from #8,864 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Battersea and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cotswold, Wiltshire and Whitfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Burry is 550 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 9.0%.

1881 census count

344

Ranked #8,864

Modern count

375

2016, ranked #12,457

Peak year

1861

550 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Burry had 344 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,864 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 375 in 2016, ranked #12,457.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 550 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Burry surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Burry surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Burry 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 482 #5,171
1861 historical 550 #4,785
1881 historical 344 #8,864
1891 historical 483 #7,638
1901 historical 388 #9,685
1911 historical 430 #8,804
1997 modern 378 #11,474
1998 modern 369 #12,077
1999 modern 376 #11,979
2000 modern 364 #12,223
2001 modern 364 #12,033
2002 modern 373 #12,060
2003 modern 352 #12,365
2004 modern 355 #12,326
2005 modern 357 #12,194
2006 modern 357 #12,253
2007 modern 352 #12,546
2008 modern 367 #12,264
2009 modern 361 #12,663
2010 modern 362 #12,914
2011 modern 354 #12,982
2012 modern 369 #12,443
2013 modern 375 #12,497
2014 modern 382 #12,408
2015 modern 374 #12,495
2016 modern 375 #12,457

Geography

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Where Burrys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Battersea, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry 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 Cotswold, Wiltshire, Whitfield and Dingwall. 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 Battersea London (South Districts)
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cotswold 009 Cotswold
2 Wiltshire 038 Wiltshire
3 Wiltshire 016 Wiltshire
4 Whitfield Dundee City
5 Dingwall Highland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Burry

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Burry

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Burry is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Burry is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Burry falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Burry

The surname BURRY is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Worcestershire. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "burh," meaning a fortified town or manor. This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a locational surname, referring to someone who lived near or worked at a particular fortified settlement.

The earliest known record of the BURRY surname dates back to the 13th century. One notable reference is found in the Hundred Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275, which mentions a Robert de Bury. This suggests that the name may have initially been spelled as "Bury" before evolving into its current form.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various documents and records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which lists a John de Bury. This indicates that the name was well-established in the region by this time.

Over the centuries, the BURRY surname has been associated with several notable individuals. One of the earliest was Sir John Bury (c. 1350-1415), a prominent English lawyer and judge who served as Chief Baron of the Exchequer during the reign of King Henry IV.

Another notable figure was William Bury (c. 1490-1545), an English Catholic priest and educator who served as the headmaster of Eton College and later became the Bishop of Bath and Wells.

In the 18th century, Sir Thomas Bury (1655-1722) was a prominent English landowner and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Kidderminster.

Moving into more recent history, there is Sir Edward Bury (1794-1858), a British naval officer and explorer who is remembered for his expeditions to the Arctic regions in the early 19th century.

Finally, one cannot discuss the BURRY surname without mentioning the American investor and hedge fund manager Michael Burry (born 1971), who famously predicted and profited from the subprime mortgage crisis of the late 2000s, as depicted in the book and film "The Big Short."

While the BURRY surname has its roots in England, particularly in the county of Worcestershire, it has since spread to various parts of the world, with notable bearers contributing to fields ranging from law and politics to exploration and finance.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Burry families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Burry 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. Wiltshire leads with 63 Burrys recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.35x.

County Total Index
Wiltshire 63 21.35x
Middlesex 52 1.56x
Hampshire 47 6.87x
Angus 34 11.00x
Surrey 27 1.66x
Lancashire 18 0.45x
Kent 15 1.32x
Glamorgan 11 1.89x
Perthshire 9 6.01x
Devon 8 1.15x
Somerset 8 1.49x
Sussex 8 1.42x
Pembrokeshire 5 4.72x
Shropshire 5 1.73x
Worcestershire 5 1.15x
Lanarkshire 4 0.37x
Berkshire 3 1.20x
Monmouthshire 3 1.24x
Northamptonshire 3 0.96x
Warwickshire 3 0.36x
Yorkshire 3 0.09x
Hertfordshire 2 0.87x
Midlothian 2 0.45x
Staffordshire 2 0.18x
Dorset 1 0.46x
Dunbartonshire 1 1.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Christchurch in Hampshire leads with 25 Burrys recorded in 1881 and an index of 168.58x.

Place Total Index
Christchurch 25 168.58x
All Cannings 17 2982.46x
Battersea 17 13.85x
Liff Benvie 16 34.11x
Dundee 15 13.00x
Portsea 11 8.21x
Dover St Mary Virgin 10 90.74x
Bishops Cannings 9 825.69x
Tottenham 9 16.94x
Urchfont 9 743.80x
Longforgan 8 377.36x
Wilsford 8 1904.76x
Holdenhurst 7 39.04x
Timsbury 7 429.45x
Hillingdon 6 56.39x
Stoke Damerel 6 12.35x
Westminster St Margaret 6 37.29x
Camberwell 5 2.35x
Gelligaer 5 37.68x
Merthyr Tydfil 5 8.96x
Slebech 5 1219.51x
Sompting 5 641.03x
Woolwich 5 11.89x
Fisherton Anger 4 73.26x
Hopton Castle 4 3076.92x
Hornsey 4 9.48x
Islington London 4 1.24x
Layton With Warbreck 4 27.53x
St George Hanover Square 4 6.81x
Alton Barnes 3 1666.67x
Areley Kings 3 389.61x
Brighton 3 2.64x
Bury 3 6.63x
Devizes St James 3 76.53x
Devizes St Mary 3 100.67x
Glasgow 3 1.57x
Kensington London 3 1.62x
Leeds 3 1.61x
Market Lavington 3 187.50x
Southampton St Mary 3 6.98x
Wellingborough 3 19.01x
Baldock 2 92.59x
Inverarity 2 202.02x
Liverpool 2 0.83x
Poplar London 2 3.18x
Shoreditch London 2 1.38x
St Luke London 2 3.74x
St Woollos 2 7.43x
Stert 2 1250.00x
Tanworth 2 90.09x
Teddington London 2 26.46x
Wardleworth 2 8.84x
Westminster St James 2 5.83x
Aldworth 1 322.58x
Birmingham 1 0.36x
Cardross 1 9.29x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 1.59x
Claines 1 8.36x
Dodderhill 1 53.76x
East Stonehouse 1 7.31x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.56x
Hackney London 1 0.53x
Haigh 1 72.46x
Halliwell 1 6.94x
Handsworth 1 3.60x
Hendon 1 8.33x
Lambeth 1 0.34x
Ludlow St Lawrence 1 17.45x
Membury 1 135.14x
Newport 1 8.70x
North Meols 1 2.58x
Penge 1 4.69x
Perth West Church 1 14.08x
Rescobie 1 128.21x
Ringwood 1 22.88x
Rowde 1 73.53x
Salford 1 0.86x
Steepleton Preston 1 1250.00x
White Waltham 1 106.38x
Withington 1 7.84x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 21
Ellen 11
Elizabeth 10
Jane 10
Sarah 10
Catherine 5
Emily 5
Maria 5
Anne 4
Charlotte 4
Ann 3
Annie 3
Bridget 3
Caroline 3
Eliza 3
Emma 3
Louisa 3
Susan 3
Adelaide 2
Alice 2
Emilie 2
Fanny 2
Frances 2
Hannah 2
Amey 1
Bessie 1
Betsy 1
Daisey 1
Edith 1
Elixe 1
Elizth. 1
Ella 1
Esther 1
Gertrude 1
Helena 1
Henrietta 1
Infant 1
Lizzie 1
Lousia 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Margaret 1
Marian 1
Martha 1
Maryann 1
Minney 1
Minnie 1
Patience 1
Rebecca 1
Salylean 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Burry surname: questions and answers

How common was the Burry surname in 1881?

In 1881, 344 people were recorded with the Burry surname. That placed it at #8,864 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Burry surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 375 in 2016. That gives Burry a modern rank of #12,457.

What does the Burry surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old English term for a fortified town or manor.

What does the Burry map show?

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