Burell
A masculine name of uncertain origin, possibly from an Old French word meaning "reddish brown".
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Burell. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Burell today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Burell births was 1926 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Burell. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Burell. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1926
6 babies that year
Average age
-
1926 SSA rank
#3,757
Tracked since 1920
Popularity
Burell: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Burell by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Burell during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 11 | 0 | 11 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Burell
The name Burell is of Old English origin, derived from the words "burr" and "hill," meaning a small rounded hill or hillock. Its earliest recorded use dates back to the 11th century, when it was primarily found in regions of England such as Northumberland and Yorkshire.
During the Middle Ages, the name Burell was relatively uncommon but appeared in various historical records and documents. One notable mention is in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a landowner named Burell is listed among the tenants of the Earl of Northumbria.
Throughout the centuries, the name Burell has undergone various spelling variations, including Burrell, Burryll, and Burhill. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and scribal errors in record-keeping.
While the name Burell does not appear to have any direct connection to religious scriptures or ancient texts, it has been borne by several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest recorded examples is Burell de Bracy, a 12th-century Norman knight who fought in the Third Crusade under King Richard I of England.
In the 15th century, Burell Baynard was a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament for Cambridgeshire. Another noteworthy figure was Burell Hayward, a 16th-century English merchant and explorer who is credited with establishing trade routes between England and West Africa.
During the 17th century, Burell Massingberd was a renowned English antiquarian and collector of ancient manuscripts. His extensive collection, known as the Massingberd Manuscripts, is now housed in the British Library.
In the realm of literature, the name Burell is associated with Burell Smythwick, an 18th-century English poet and satirist. His most famous work, "The Folly of Vanity," was widely circulated during his lifetime.
In the 19th century, Burell Roper was a prominent English lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas from 1834 to 1844.
While the name Burell has waned in popularity in recent times, it remains a part of historical records and genealogical records, serving as a reminder of its long-standing presence in English culture and society.
People
Burell + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Burell as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with B
Other first names starting with B with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Burell: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Burell?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Burell going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about - US residents.
Is Burell a common name?
We classify Burell as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 11 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Burell most popular?
The single biggest year for Burell was 1926, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Burell is about 0 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Burell in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Burell a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Burell in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Burell still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Burell in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Burell can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Burell?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.