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

Burke, 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 Burke surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Burke in America

Burke is the 246th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Burke surname appeared 122,877 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 42 people would have the surname Burke.

We can also compare 2010 data for Burke 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 Burke

The surname BURKE originated in Ireland, deriving from the Old Norman word 'de Burgh' or 'de Bourke.' It emerged in the 12th century when the Anglo-Norman family de Burgh arrived in Ireland. The name is thought to have evolved from the town of Bourke (Burgh) in Normandy, France.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name is in the Annals of Ulster in 1193, referring to William de Burgh. He was the first de Burgh to establish a stronghold in Ireland, receiving lands in Connacht and Munster from King John of England. The de Burghs quickly became prominent landowners and members of the ruling class in Ireland.

The BURKE name appears in the 14th-century Pipe Rolls of Cloyne, a record of tenants and landholders in County Cork. Over time, the spelling evolved from de Burgh to Bourke and eventually to the modern BURKE form. The name is also linked to several Irish place names, such as Burrishoole (Buairidh Shúiligh) and Burrenrath (Buairidh Ráth).

Notable historical figures with the BURKE surname include William FitzAdelm de Burgh (c.1260-1333), who was appointed Lord Deputy of Ireland in 1277. Richard de Burgh (c.1285-1326), known as the Red Earl of Ulster, was a powerful Anglo-Norman nobleman and military commander during the Norman invasion of Ireland.

Edmund Burke (1729-1797) was a highly influential Anglo-Irish statesman, philosopher, and political theorist who played a pivotal role in the American Revolution and the French Revolution. He is considered one of the founders of modern conservatism.

Robert O'Hara Burke (1821-1861) was an Irish explorer who led an ill-fated expedition across Australia in 1860-1861, tragically perishing in the Australian outback.

Thomas Burke (1886-1945) was an American writer and novelist best known for his autobiographical works set in Chicago, including Limehouse Nights and Whispering Wires. He is considered a pioneer of the hard-boiled detective fiction genre.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Burke

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

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

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

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