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

Burcham, 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 Burcham surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Burcham in America

Burcham is the 6205th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Burcham surname appeared 5,512 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Burcham.

We can also compare 2010 data for Burcham 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 Burcham

The surname Burcham has its origins in the English county of Warwickshire, where it is believed to have first appeared in the late 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "burh" meaning a fortified town or manor, and "ham" meaning a homestead or settlement. This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived in a fortified manor or village.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Burcham can be found in the Warwickshire Subsidy Rolls of 1332, where a John de Burcham is listed as a taxpayer. The prefix "de" indicates that the name was originally a place name before becoming a hereditary surname.

The Burcham surname also appears in various spellings in historical records from the 14th to 16th centuries, including Burchham, Burcham, and Bircham. These variations were common before spelling standards were established.

In the 15th century, a prominent figure named Thomas Burcham (c.1420-1490) was a member of the gentry and served as the High Sheriff of Warwickshire in 1466. This suggests that the Burcham family had achieved a certain level of status and importance in the region by that time.

Another notable individual was Sir John Burcham (c.1530-1605), who was a military commander and served as the Lieutenant of the Tower of London during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He was knighted for his services in the suppression of the Northern Rebellion in 1569.

In the 17th century, a clergyman named William Burcham (1612-1675) was the Rector of St. Mary's Church in Warwick and published several religious works during his lifetime.

Moving into the 18th century, a wealthy merchant named Robert Burcham (1712-1785) was involved in the East India trade and amassed a considerable fortune, allowing his descendants to purchase large estates in Warwickshire and surrounding areas.

Finally, in the 19th century, a prominent figure was Sir Edward Burcham (1810-1892), who was a distinguished lawyer and served as the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court in British India from 1868 to 1878.

While the Burcham surname originated in Warwickshire, it eventually spread to other parts of England and beyond, carried by those who migrated or sought opportunities elsewhere. However, its roots remain firmly planted in the medieval history of that county, where the name first emerged as a marker of a fortified homestead or village.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Burcham

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

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

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

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