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

Burk, 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 Burk surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Burk in America

Burk is the 2352nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Burk surname appeared 15,500 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Burk.

We can also compare 2010 data for Burk 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 Burk

The surname "BURK" is of Irish and English origin, derived from the Gaelic word "burc" or "boric," which means a fortified residence or a small castle. It is believed to have originated in the 12th century, during the Norman invasion of Ireland.

The name was first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey commissioned by William the Conqueror. It appeared as "de Burc" or "de Burgh," referring to individuals who hailed from a particular town or region.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was William de Burgh, a Norman knight who accompanied King Henry II to Ireland in 1171. He later became the first Earl of Ulster and established a powerful Anglo-Norman dynasty in Ireland.

In the 13th century, the name was further anglicized to "Burke" or "Bourke," and it became widespread in various parts of Ireland, particularly in the provinces of Connacht and Munster.

Another notable figure in history was Edmund Burke (1729-1797), an Irish statesman, philosopher, and author who played a significant role in the British political landscape during the 18th century. He is considered one of the founding fathers of modern conservatism.

Robert O'Hara Burke (1821-1861) was an Irish-born explorer and police officer who led an ill-fated expedition across Australia, known as the Burke and Wills Expedition. He perished during the journey, and his remains were eventually recovered and buried in Melbourne.

In the United States, the name gained prominence with the likes of Billie Burke (1884-1970), an American actress and comedian best known for her role as Glinda the Good Witch in the classic film "The Wizard of Oz."

James Lee Burke (born 1936) is a renowned American author known for his crime fiction novels, particularly the Dave Robicheaux series set in Louisiana. He has received numerous literary awards and critical acclaim for his work.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Burk

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

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

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

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