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

Burkhard, 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 Burkhard surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Burkhard in America

Burkhard is the 26975th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Burkhard surname appeared 899 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 Burkhard.

We can also compare 2010 data for Burkhard 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 Burkhard

The surname Burkhard originated in Germany, emerging in the medieval period around the 12th century. It derives from the Old German words "burg" meaning "fortress" and "hard" meaning "brave" or "hardy". This suggests the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a fort or castle and was known for their bravery.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Burkhard name appears in the Codex Traditional Corbeiensis, a 12th-century manuscript from the Corveyer Convent in modern-day Lower Saxony, Germany. This document mentions a nobleman named Burkhard von Sevelingen, who lived in the village of Sevelingen near the town of Höxter.

By the 13th century, variations of the name such as Burckhard, Burckart, and Burkart had emerged in various regions of Germany. The Burkhard name is also found in the Codex Traditionum Westfalicarum, a collection of medieval records from Westphalia, which includes references to individuals named Burkhard von Horhusen and Burkhard von Rietberg.

Notable historical figures with the Burkhard surname include Burkhard von Worms (c. 965-1025), a German bishop and saint who served as the Bishop of Worms from 1000 until his death. Another prominent figure was Burkhard von Horneck (c. 1300-1368), a German knight and military leader who fought in the Hundred Years' War.

In the 15th century, the Burkhard name appeared in the Swiss German region, with records showing a Burkhard Zink (c. 1396-1475) who was a renowned goldsmith and sculptor in Basel. Around the same time, a Burkhard von Hewen (c. 1420-1492) served as a city councilor in Zürich.

Moving into the 16th century, Burkhard Waldis (c. 1490-1556) was a German writer and playwright from Allendorf an der Werra, best known for his adaptations of fables by Aesop. Another notable figure was Burkhard Mithoff (c. 1501-1564), a German Renaissance painter and engraver active in Nuremberg.

While the Burkhard surname has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of Europe and beyond, with variations in spelling and pronunciation emerging over time. However, its origins can be traced back to the medieval period and the Old German words that gave rise to this distinctive surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Burkhard

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

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

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

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