Burbach last name popularity, history, and meaning

Find out how popular the last name Burbach is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Burbach.

Meaning of Burbach

A Germanic surname derived from a place name, likely related to a stream or brook.

Burbach, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Burbach surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Burbach in America

Burbach is the 16802nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Burbach surname appeared 1,699 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Burbach.

We can also compare 2010 data for Burbach to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 16802 16721 0.48%
Count 1,699 1,575 7.57%
Proportion per 100k 0.58 0.58 0.00%

The history of the last name Burbach

The surname Burbach originated in Germany, particularly in the region of Westphalia. It is believed to have derived from the name of a small town called Burbach, located near the city of Siegen. The name itself is composed of two Old German words: "bur" meaning a small house or cottage, and "bach" meaning a stream or brook. Therefore, Burbach likely referred to a settlement or homestead situated along a stream.

The earliest recorded instance of the Burbach surname dates back to the 13th century. One of the earliest known bearers of this name was Henricus de Burbach, who was mentioned in a charter from the year 1280. This document, which was issued by the Archbishop of Cologne, granted certain rights and privileges to the residents of Burbach.

In the late 14th century, the name appeared in the Cologne City Records, which documented the activities and transactions of the city's inhabitants. One notable entry from 1386 mentions a certain Johann Burbach, who was a merchant and landowner in the area.

During the 16th century, the Burbach surname gained prominence in the neighboring regions of Hesse and the Rhineland. The Burbachs were known as successful entrepreneurs and craftsmen, particularly in the fields of metalworking and mining. One notable figure from this period was Hans Burbach (1520-1589), a master blacksmith who crafted intricate ironwork for churches and noble households.

In the 17th century, the Burbach name can be found in various ecclesiastical records and parish registers. For instance, a certain Matthias Burbach (1632-1701) served as a Lutheran pastor in the town of Marburg, where he was known for his scholarly works on theology and biblical interpretation.

As the surname spread across Germany and into neighboring countries, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Burbacher, Burbach, and Burbacher. One notable bearer of this name was Friedrich Wilhelm Burbacher (1785-1858), a German artist and engraver who gained recognition for his landscapes and portraits.

Throughout history, the Burbach surname has been associated with individuals from various professions and walks of life, including scholars, artisans, merchants, and religious figures. While the name may have originated from a small settlement in Westphalia, it has since become a part of the diverse tapestry of German surnames, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Burbach

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Burbach.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

  1. White only
  2. Black only
  3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
  4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
  5. Hispanic
  6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Burbach was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 95.00% 1,614
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.94% 16
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 0.71% 12
Hispanic Origin 3.00% 51

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Burbach has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 95.00% 96.57% -1.64%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.94% 0.44% 72.46%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 0.71% 0.76% -6.80%
Hispanic 3.00% 2.03% 38.57%

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Burbach was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Burbach, please contact us.

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"Burbach last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 11, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/burbach-surname-popularity/.

"Burbach last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/burbach-surname-popularity/. Accessed 11 July, 2025

Burbach last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/burbach-surname-popularity/.

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