NameCensus.

UK surname

Burston

An English habitational surname denoting someone from the village of Burston in Norfolk.

In the 1881 census there were 590 people recorded with the Burston surname, ranking it #5,919 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 924, ranked #6,176, down from #5,919 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Great Malvern, Madresfield and Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Malvern Hills, Bradford and Sevenoaks.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Burston is 980 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 56.6%.

1881 census count

590

Ranked #5,919

Modern count

924

2016, ranked #6,176

Peak year

2000

980 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Burston had 590 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,919 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 924 in 2016, ranked #6,176.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 852 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Burston surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Burston surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Burston 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 470 #5,285
1861 historical 552 #4,768
1881 historical 590 #5,919
1891 historical 767 #5,208
1901 historical 835 #5,436
1911 historical 852 #5,208
1997 modern 925 #5,838
1998 modern 977 #5,784
1999 modern 966 #5,869
2000 modern 980 #5,791
2001 modern 952 #5,806
2002 modern 947 #5,939
2003 modern 906 #6,055
2004 modern 910 #6,045
2005 modern 904 #6,009
2006 modern 923 #5,922
2007 modern 931 #5,931
2008 modern 902 #6,124
2009 modern 928 #6,103
2010 modern 954 #6,102
2011 modern 932 #6,157
2012 modern 910 #6,201
2013 modern 933 #6,176
2014 modern 940 #6,178
2015 modern 930 #6,181
2016 modern 924 #6,176

Geography

Back to top

Where Burstons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Great Malvern, Madresfield, Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick, Cardiff St John and St Mary and West Ashbrittle, Stawley, Milverton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Malvern Hills, Bradford, Sevenoaks and North Somerset. 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 Great Malvern, Madresfield Worcestershire
3 Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick Worcestershire
4 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire
5 West Ashbrittle, Stawley, Milverton Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Malvern Hills 006 Malvern Hills
2 Bradford 061 Bradford
3 Malvern Hills 007 Malvern Hills
4 Sevenoaks 010 Sevenoaks
5 North Somerset 005 North Somerset

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Burston

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Burston

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

Burston is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Burston

The surname Burston is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Norfolk. The name is thought to derive from the Old English words "burh" meaning "fortified place" and "tun" meaning "farm" or "settlement." This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived in a fortified farmstead or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Burston can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book mentions a place called "Burgestuna" in Norfolk, which is believed to be the origin of the modern surname Burston.

The name Burston is also associated with several place names in Norfolk, such as Burston and Burston St. Andrew. These place names likely predate the surname and may have contributed to its formation.

One notable early bearer of the name was Sir John Burston, a prominent landowner and knight who lived in the 14th century. He was involved in the Hundred Years' War and fought alongside King Edward III.

Another individual with the surname Burston was Richard Burston, a wealthy merchant from Norwich who lived in the 15th century. He was known for his philanthropic efforts and donated funds for the construction of a church in his hometown.

During the 16th century, a family with the surname Burston was recorded as residing in the village of Burston St. Andrew, which lends further credence to the theory that the name originated from this area.

In the 17th century, a notable figure named William Burston played a role in the English Civil War, serving as a captain in the Parliamentarian forces under Oliver Cromwell.

Another individual of note was Elizabeth Burston, born in 1732, who was a prominent educator and advocate for women's education. She established a successful school for girls in Norfolk and wrote several influential texts on educational theory.

Throughout its history, the surname Burston has maintained a strong presence in Norfolk and surrounding areas, with various branches of the family dispersing to other parts of England and, later, to other parts of the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Burston families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Burston 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. Somerset leads with 200 Burstons recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.30x.

County Total Index
Somerset 200 21.30x
Worcestershire 106 13.91x
Gloucestershire 40 3.50x
Middlesex 31 0.53x
Cheshire 27 2.10x
Kent 26 1.31x
Devon 18 1.48x
Glamorgan 17 1.67x
Lancashire 17 0.25x
Sussex 16 1.63x
Yorkshire 14 0.24x
Warwickshire 13 0.88x
Staffordshire 9 0.46x
Surrey 9 0.32x
Channel Islands 7 4.05x
Flintshire 7 4.46x
Monmouthshire 7 1.66x
Nottinghamshire 5 0.64x
Durham 4 0.23x
Essex 4 0.35x
Oxfordshire 4 1.11x
Derbyshire 3 0.33x
Hampshire 3 0.25x
Cumberland 2 0.40x
Herefordshire 2 0.84x
Royal Navy 2 2.88x
Cornwall 1 0.15x
Dorset 1 0.26x
Leicestershire 1 0.15x
Norfolk 1 0.11x
Northamptonshire 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Milverton in Somerset leads with 42 Burstons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1213.87x.

Place Total Index
Milverton 42 1213.87x
Leigh 40 432.43x
Great Malvern 33 207.68x
North Petherton 24 317.04x
Bedminster 19 21.53x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 14 13.00x
Islington London 14 2.48x
Langford Budville 12 1666.67x
Worcester St Martin 11 107.00x
Portishead 9 128.94x
Wellington 9 70.70x
Bradford 8 5.72x
Cheddleton 8 194.17x
New Shoreham 8 135.82x
Taunton St James 8 58.44x
Higher Kinnerton 7 864.20x
Hillfarrance 7 823.53x
Manchester 7 2.25x
Over 7 53.48x
St Lawrence 7 148.31x
Burlescombe 6 363.64x
Cardiff St Mary 6 10.72x
Deptford St Paul 6 3.91x
Failsworth 6 37.88x
Llandaff 6 17.76x
Monmouth 6 53.67x
Beckenham 5 19.22x
Birmingham 5 1.02x
Bristol St George 5 9.45x
Bristol St James In 5 29.71x
Camerton 5 183.15x
Chilton Trinity 5 1515.15x
Clifton 5 8.64x
East Wickham 5 211.86x
Halse 5 617.28x
Kings Norton 5 7.32x
Lambeth 5 0.98x
Plumstead 5 7.54x
Stock And Bradley 5 1111.11x
West Bagborough 5 526.32x
Wimboldsley 5 2631.58x
Ashburton 4 68.97x
Broadwater 4 17.73x
Brompton Ralph 4 470.59x
Buckland 4 701.75x
Caterham 4 31.85x
Claines 4 19.13x
Ipsley 4 148.15x
Lydeard St Lawrence 4 380.95x
North Curry 4 125.39x
St George Hanover Square 4 3.89x
Stogumber 4 161.29x
Studley 4 63.59x
Bishops Hull 3 99.01x
Carlton 3 33.44x
Derby St Peter 3 10.31x
Knottingley 3 29.53x
Lewisham 3 2.83x
Sandbach 3 27.32x
Stapleton 3 13.82x
Taunton St Mary 3 17.40x
West Ham 3 1.18x
Bishopwearmouth 2 1.34x
Clerkenwell London 2 1.45x
Crosscanonby 2 12.04x
Crowton 2 217.39x
Darlington 2 2.99x
Horton In Bradford 2 2.22x
Huntspill 2 52.08x
Marton In Whitegate 2 143.88x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 2.14x
Preston 2 11.65x
Royal Navy 2 3.37x
St Giles In Fields London 2 6.99x
St Pancras London 2 0.43x
Swerford 2 238.10x
Wardle 2 666.67x
West Teignmouth 2 21.53x
Wiveliscombe 2 38.24x
Worcester St John 2 21.98x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 39
Elizabeth 20
Sarah 17
Ann 16
Ellen 13
Eliza 11
Emma 11
Jane 10
Emily 9
Kate 9
Alice 8
Martha 7
Edith 6
Louisa 6
Lucy 6
Fanny 5
Hannah 5
Ada 4
Annie 4
Harriet 4
Caroline 3
Charlotte 3
Florence 3
Maria 3
Rebecca 3
Bertha 2
Bessie 2
Elizth. 2
Ethel 2
Lydia 2
Matilda 2
May 2
Minnie 2
Rose 2
Sophia 2
Anne 1
Bessy 1
Blanche 1
Elizebeth 1
Ella 1
Elsie 1
Emmia 1
Helen 1
Helena 1
Henrietta 1
Hester 1
Isabel 1
Iscet 1
J. 1
Winnifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 45
John 36
James 25
Thomas 20
Charles 19
George 15
Henry 15
Frederick 10
Walter 8
Joseph 6
Edward 5
Frank 5
Robert 5
Samuel 5
Alfred 4
Ernest 4
Harry 4
Arthur 3
Richard 3
Aaron 2
Albert 2
Chas. 2
David 2
Francis 2
Fredrick 2
Isaac 2
Percy 2
Philip 2
Rowland 2
Sidney 2
Tom 2
Archer 1
Archibald 1
Baby 1
Bertram 1
Charlotte 1
Eli 1
Enoch 1
Francies 1
Fred 1
Fredk.C. 1
Geo. 1
Jonathan 1
Lechmere 1
Levi 1
Louis 1
Luke 1
Mark 1
Mary 1
Wyndom 1

FAQ

Burston surname: questions and answers

How common was the Burston surname in 1881?

In 1881, 590 people were recorded with the Burston surname. That placed it at #5,919 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Burston surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 924 in 2016. That gives Burston a modern rank of #6,176.

What does the Burston surname mean?

An English habitational surname denoting someone from the village of Burston in Norfolk.

What does the Burston map show?

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