Burman
Potentially a variant form of the masculine name "Burr" or "Buren".
Name Census estimates that about 17 living Americans carry the first name Burman. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Burman today is around 84 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Burman births was 1924 (11 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Burman. 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
- • The typical person named Burman is about 84 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Burmans were born before 1952.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Burman. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
17
~ 1 in 20,162,020 Americans
Peak year
1924
11 babies that year
Average age
84
years old
1960 SSA rank
#4,104
Tracked since 1915
Popularity
Burman: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Burman from the 1910s through to the 1960s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 53 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Burman 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 Burman during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Burman
The name Burman has its origins in the Germanic languages, derived from the Old High German word "buriman," meaning "people of the fortress" or "townspeople." This name was prevalent during the Medieval period, particularly in regions now part of modern-day Germany and neighboring areas.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Burman can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of historical documents from the 9th century. It mentions a man named Buriman who was a landowner in present-day Bavaria.
In the 11th century, a monk named Burman is mentioned in the chronicles of the Benedictine Abbey of St. Gall, located in modern-day Switzerland. He is noted for his scholarly works and contributions to the abbey's library.
During the Crusades, a knight named Burman de Montfort is recorded as having participated in the Third Crusade (1189–1192) under the leadership of Richard the Lionheart. He is believed to have hailed from the region of Montfort in present-day France.
In the 15th century, a notable figure named Burman von Biberach was a German architect and stonemason responsible for the construction of several churches and cathedrals in southern Germany, including the iconic Ulm Minster.
Another individual worth mentioning is Johann Burman, a Dutch botanist and physician who lived from 1707 to 1780. He made significant contributions to the study of plant taxonomy and is remembered for his extensive work on the flora of South Africa and the East Indies.
During the 18th century, a German composer named Johann Gottlieb Burman (1737–1805) gained recognition for his contributions to church music and his compositions for various instruments, including the organ and harpsichord.
Fast-forwarding to the 20th century, a notable figure named Burman Nytra (1901–1987) was a Finnish artist and sculptor renowned for his modernist works and unique style, often incorporating elements of Finnish folklore and mythology.
These are just a few examples of the historical figures who have borne the name Burman, showcasing its longevity and presence across various cultures and regions throughout the centuries.
People
Burman + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Burman 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
Burman: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Burman?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 17 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Burman 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 1 in 20,162,020 US residents.
Is Burman a common name?
We classify Burman as "Very Rare". It ranks above 37.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 120 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Burman most popular?
The single biggest year for Burman was 1924, when 11 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Burman is about 84 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 Burman in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Burman a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Burman 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 Burman still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Burman 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 Burman 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 Burman?
See how many Americans are named Burman on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.