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

Burden, 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 Burden surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Burden in America

Burden is the 2770th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Burden surname appeared 13,028 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Burden.

We can also compare 2010 data for Burden 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 Burden

The surname Burden has its origins in medieval England, deriving from the Old English word "byrthen" or "byrđen," meaning a load or burden carried or borne. This name likely originated as an occupational name for someone who hauled goods or worked as a porter, carrying heavy loads.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Burden can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Burdun" in various counties across England, including Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire. This suggests that the name was already well-established by the late 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the name Burden was particularly prevalent in the counties of Gloucestershire and Somerset, where it was often associated with small villages and hamlets. In the 13th century, records show a Robert Burden holding lands in the village of Bitton, near Bristol, while a John Burden is mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1279.

Variations in spelling were common throughout the medieval and early modern periods, with the name appearing as Burdun, Burdon, Burdone, and Burdoun, among others. These spellings often reflected local dialects and the preferences of scribes who recorded the name.

One notable bearer of the surname Burden was Sir John Burden (c. 1470-1544), a wealthy merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London. He served as Lord Mayor of London in 1538 and was knighted by King Henry VIII for his services to the Crown.

Another historically significant figure was George Burden (1539-1599), an English scholar and theologian who served as the Regius Professor of Hebrew at the University of Cambridge from 1585 until his death. He was highly regarded for his contributions to biblical scholarship and his work in translating the Geneva Bible.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, several members of the Burden family fought on both sides of the conflict. Captain William Burden (1605-1679) was a Parliamentarian officer who served under Oliver Cromwell, while his cousin, Colonel Richard Burden (1610-1668), fought for the Royalist cause.

In the 18th century, the name Burden was associated with the agricultural and industrial sectors, including farmers, millers, and workers in the wool and textile trades. One notable figure from this period was John Burden (1738-1808), a successful sheep breeder and farmer from Gloucestershire, who was widely recognized for his innovative breeding techniques and contributions to animal husbandry.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Burden

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

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

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

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