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

Burcaw, 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 Burcaw surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Burcaw in America

Burcaw is the 91981st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Burcaw surname appeared 200 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Burcaw.

We can also compare 2010 data for Burcaw 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.

The history of the last name Burcaw

The surname Burcaw has its origins in the German language and can be traced back to the late 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the northern regions of Germany, particularly in areas such as Saxony and Westphalia. The name is thought to be derived from the Old German word "burc," meaning a fortified town or castle, and the suffix "aw," which denotes a person or a place.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Burcaw can be found in the town records of Hannover, dated around 1590. These records mention a certain Johannes Burcaw, who was a blacksmith by trade. It is possible that the name initially referred to someone who lived or worked near a fortified settlement.

In the 17th century, the name Burcaw appeared in various church registers and parish records across northern Germany. For example, a baptismal record from 1632 in the town of Lübeck mentions a child named Anna Burcaw, born to parents Hans and Greta Burcaw.

As the name spread across Europe, variations in spelling began to emerge. Some of the earliest known spellings include Burchau, Burckau, and Burkhau. These variations were likely influenced by regional dialects and the varying literacy levels of those recording the name.

One notable individual with the surname Burcaw was Johann Burcaw, a German philosopher and theologian who lived from 1675 to 1742. He authored several works on religious philosophy and was a prominent figure in the academic circles of his time.

Another significant bearer of the name was Wilhelm Burcaw, a German military officer who fought in the Napoleonic Wars. He was born in 1782 and served as a captain in the Prussian army, gaining recognition for his bravery and leadership during the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

In the 19th century, the name Burcaw began to appear in various parts of Europe as families migrated and settled in new regions. One such individual was Hans Burcaw, a German immigrant who settled in the Netherlands in the 1850s and established a successful trade business.

Across the Atlantic, the name Burcaw also found its way to North America, carried by German immigrants seeking new opportunities. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in the United States was that of Johann Burcaw, who arrived in Pennsylvania in the late 18th century and became a farmer.

Another notable individual was Sarah Burcaw, born in 1812 in New York, who was a prominent advocate for women's rights and was actively involved in the abolitionist movement. She worked alongside notable figures like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, campaigning for gender equality and the abolition of slavery.

While the name Burcaw has its roots in Germany, it has since spread across the globe, carried by generations of individuals who have left their mark on various aspects of human endeavor.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Burcaw

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

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 Burcaw was:

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 Burcaw has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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 Burcaw was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!