Burn Name Origin, Meaning and Family History

Burn Name Meaning: A topographic derivation from the old Endlish 'Burna,Burne',a 'spring' or 'stream',indicated to someone who lived beside a 'stream'.

The name is of Anglo-Saxon origin & was gradually replaced by the old English 'broc' meaning 'brook'.

Discover how your Burn ancestors earned their living and spread across the country. Find out more about your family history by using the Free Search box.

Surname Distribution

Census frequency by county

Name Concentrations Within England and Wales

England

Bedfordshire 0
Buckinghamshire 10
Berkshire 0
Cambridgeshire 20
Channel Islands 12
Cheshire 38
Cornwall 67
Cumberland 29
Derbyshire 51
Devon 187
Dorset 1
Durham 484
Essex 38
Gloucestershire 15
Hampshire 60
Herefordshire 2
Hertfordshire 18
Huntingdonshire 0
Isle of Man 4
Kent 59
Lancashire 216
Leicestershire 59
Lincolnshire 41
London 522
Middlesex 9
Northumberland 582
Norfolk 53
Northamptonshire 7
Nottinghamshire 18
Oxfordshire 4
Rutland 0
Shropshire 8
Suffolk 3
Somerset 29
Surrey 31
Sussex 30
Staffordshire 69
Warwickshire 58
Westmorland 33
Wiltshire 7
Worcestershire 65
Yorkshire 363

Wales

Anglesey 0
Brecknockshire 1
Cardiganshire 0
Carnarvonshire 2
Carmarthenshire 1
Denbighshire 0
Flintshire 5
Glamorgan 26
Merionethshire 0
Montgomeryshire 0
Monmouthshire 7
Pembrokeshire 0
Radnorshire 0

Burn Surname Statistics


Top Professions for the Burn family

Profession Census Frequency
Agricultural Labourer 120
Female Servant 120
Independent 96
Labourer 86
Male Servant 40
Farmer 36
Coal Miner 26
Shoe Maker 25
Tailor 23
Blacksmith 18
Dress Maker 13
Cotton Weaver 12
Carpenter 11
Weaver 11
Joiner 11
Mariner 11
Clerk 10
Servant 10
Publican 10
Nailor 8
Apprentice 8
Gardener 8
Ag Labourer 7
Miner 7
Grocer 7

Most Frequent Forenames for Burn

Name Census Frequency
Mary Burn 2,482
John Burn 2,353
William Burn 2,076
Elizabeth Burn 1,496
Thomas Burn 1,429
James Burn 1,154
Jane Burn 1,027
George Burn 963
Robert Burn 910
Margaret Burn 909
Ann Burn 846
Sarah Burn 827
Joseph Burn 667
Henry Burn 592
Charles Burn 445
Annie Burn 406
Isabella Burn 398
Ellen Burn 371
Hannah Burn 357
Edward Burn 336
Eliza Burn 303
Catherine Burn 295
Alice Burn 292
Emma Burn 268
Richard Burn 268

Burn Surname Variants Ranking

Rank Surname Match Census Frequency
1 Bourne 67% 39,866
2 Burn 100% 32,363
3 Byrne 60% 26,322
4 Brain 40% 24,766
5 Baron 60% 22,589
6 Obrien 33% 17,701
7 Brian 40% 12,455
8 Brien 40% 12,036
9 Brine 40% 6,722
10 Bourn 80% 6,046
11 Breen 40% 5,606
12 Burne 80% 5,511
13 Obrian 33% 3,536
14 Braine 33% 3,530
15 Born 75% 3,243
16 Barn 75% 2,880
17 Barne 60% 2,685
18 Bearne 50% 2,586
19 Bran 50% 2,432
20 Borne 60% 2,130
21 Oborne 50% 2,120
22 Brion 40% 2,087
23 Birnie 50% 1,362
24 Broun 40% 1,240
25 Brane 40% 1,126
26 Eborn 60% 1,104
27 Oborn 60% 1,062
28 Braun 40% 1,044
29 Boran 60% 1,005
30 Beran 60% 970
31 Brun 50% 941
32 Bruin 60% 842
33 Auburn 67% 821
34 Boorn 60% 775
35 Brean 40% 734
36 Eburne 67% 709
37 Bearon 50% 610
38 Obern 60% 553
39 Boorne 50% 543
40 Bearn 60% 508
41 Burnie 67% 495
42 Baren 60% 478
43 Broune 33% 376
44 Bern 75% 365
45 Bren 50% 363
46 Broon 40% 336
47 Eaborn 50% 334
48 Beirne 50% 318
49 Breene 33% 309
50 Brin 50% 306
51 Obrine 33% 299
52 Bruen 60% 290
53 Berne 60% 248
54 Buron 80% 236
55 Baurne 67% 224
56 Brone 40% 220
57 Eaborne 43% 214
58 Bron 50% 202
59 Aburn 80% 196
60 Obrion 33% 195
61 Baran 60% 187
62 Barin 60% 180
63 Brune 40% 167
64 Baaran 50% 153
65 Aborn 60% 149
66 Broan 40% 140
67 Eburn 80% 138
68 Broone 33% 135
69 Bernie 50% 134
70 Obrain 33% 132
71 Beron 60% 130
72 Birne 60% 130
73 Biron 60% 129
74 Bruun 60% 126
75 Baurn 80% 122
76 Biren 60% 117
77 Boarne 50% 117
78 Brein 40% 116
79 Burno 80% 116
80 Boron 60% 115
81 Bruno 40% 111
82 Bearan 50% 104

Did you know?

The surname Burn is the 2nd most popular variant of Bourne.

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