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

Burkhart, 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 Burkhart surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Burkhart in America

Burkhart is the 2204th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Burkhart surname appeared 16,526 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Burkhart.

We can also compare 2010 data for Burkhart 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 Burkhart

The surname Burkhart originated in the German regions of Bavaria and Swabia during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old High German words "burc" meaning a fortified place or castle, and "hart" meaning hardy or brave. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a castle or fortress, or who worked as a guard or soldier.

One of the earliest known records of the name Burkhart dates back to the 13th century, when it appeared in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of historical documents from Saxony. The name was also found in the Hirsauer Codex, a manuscript from the Hirsau Abbey in the Black Forest region of Germany, dated around 1300.

In the 14th century, the name Burkhart appeared in the Hausbuch der Mendelschen zwölfbrüderstiftung, a household book from the city of Nuremberg. This record listed individuals with the surname Burkhart living in the area during that time.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Burkhart was Hans Burkhart, a German painter and woodcarver who lived in the late 15th century and early 16th century. He was known for his religious artwork and altarpieces, many of which can still be found in churches throughout Bavaria and Swabia.

Another notable figure was Johann Burkhart, a German theologian and Protestant reformer who lived from 1508 to 1566. He was a follower of Martin Luther and played a significant role in the Reformation movement in Germany.

In the 17th century, the name Burkhart was found in the records of the city of Augsburg, where several families with this surname were documented as living in the area. One of these families included Johann Georg Burkhart, a prominent merchant and city councilor who lived from 1628 to 1701.

During the 18th century, the surname Burkhart spread to other parts of Europe and beyond. One notable individual was Johann Jakob Burkhart, a Swiss composer and organist who lived from 1705 to 1786. He composed numerous works for the organ and was highly regarded in his time.

As the name Burkhart spread, it also underwent various spelling variations, such as Burckhart, Burckhardt, and Burkaart, depending on the region and local dialects. However, the root meaning and origin remained the same, tracing back to the fortified places and castles of medieval Germany.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Burkhart

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

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

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

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