2000
#11,701
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,456
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.91
Rare Last name
Burkhead
Derived from a place name meaning "stream with a birch tree," or from a person living near such a stream.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,684 Americans carry the last name Burkhead. That puts it at #12,598 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.78 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 127,703 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Burkhead surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
2.7K
1 in 127,703
Census rank
#12,598
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,341 bearers of the surname Burkhead in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.78 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12598th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Burkhead, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.5%) and Black (4.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Burkhead
The surname Burkhead has its origins in the German language, specifically in the region of Bavaria. It is believed to have originated sometime during the 12th or 13th century. The name is derived from the German word "Burg," which means "castle" or "fortified town," and "Kopf," meaning "head" or "summit." Essentially, the name refers to someone who lived near or at the top of a fortified town or castle.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Burkhead can be found in a manuscript from the year 1274, which mentions a certain "Johannes Burckhovet" residing in the town of Nuremberg. This document provides evidence of the name's existence during the medieval period in Germany.
In the 16th century, the name appears in the records of the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, where a family by the name of Burckheadt is mentioned as prominent landowners and merchants. This suggests that the name had already established itself as a respectable surname among the German nobility and bourgeoisie.
As the name spread across Europe, variations in spelling began to emerge. In England, for instance, the name was sometimes spelled as "Birkhead" or "Burkhead," while in France it took on the form "Bourquehaye" or "Bourquehaut."
One notable figure bearing the surname Burkhead was Wilhelm Burkhead (1634-1701), a German philosopher and theologian who made significant contributions to the field of ethics and moral philosophy. His writings on the nature of virtue and the pursuit of happiness were widely studied and debated during his lifetime.
Another individual of note was Johann Burkhead (1770-1842), a German-born explorer and cartographer who was instrumental in mapping the American West during the early 19th century. His detailed maps and journals provided valuable information for future expeditions and settlements in the region.
In the realm of literature, the name Burkhead is associated with the American author and poet, Emily Burkhead (1895-1968). Her works, which often explored themes of nature and rural life, were celebrated for their lyrical quality and vivid imagery.
During the 19th century, the Burkhead family established itself in the United States, particularly in the state of Virginia. One prominent member of this family was William Burkhead (1832-1912), a successful businessman and philanthropist who founded the Burkhead Textile Mills, a major employer in the region.
Finally, in the field of science, the name Burkhead is associated with the American biologist, Robert Burkhead (1914-1997). His pioneering research on freshwater fish species and their habitats contributed significantly to the understanding of aquatic ecosystems and the conservation of endangered species.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Burkhead
Among Census respondents with the surname Burkhead, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.5%) and Black (4.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Burkhead bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Burkhead surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.4% · 2,023
- Two or more races5.5% · 129
- Black or African American4.1% · 95
- Hispanic or Latino2.9% · 69
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 21
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Burkhead
Burkhead appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#12,454
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,492
+36 bearers (+1.5%)
Per 100,000 0.84
Rank movement Down 753 places
2020
#12,598
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,341
-151 bearers (-6.1%)
Per 100,000 0.78
Rank movement Down 144 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,701 | 2,456 | 0.91 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,454 | 2,492 | 0.84 | +36 bearers (+1.5%) | Down 753 places |
| 2020 | #12,598 | 2,341 | 0.78 | -151 bearers (-6.1%) | Down 144 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Burkhead surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #12,454 | #12,598 | -1.2% |
| Count | 2,492 | 2,341 | -6.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.84 | 0.78 | -6.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Burkhead bearers went from 2,492 to 2,341 (-6.1% change). The surname moved down 144 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,454 to #12,598.
FAQ
Burkhead surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Burkhead?
Name Census estimates that about 2,684 living Americans carry the surname Burkhead. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 127,703 residents.
How common is Burkhead?
Burkhead ranks #12,598 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.78 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,341 people with the surname Burkhead. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,684), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.78 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.78 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Burkhead.
Has Burkhead become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Burkhead went from 2,492 recorded bearers to 2,341. That is a decrease of 151 (-6.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #12,454 to #12,598.
What does the Census say about the background of Burkhead?
Among Census respondents with the surname Burkhead, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.5%) and Black (4.1%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Burkhead in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.4% (2,023 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Burkhead appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.4%), Two or More Races (5.5%), Black (4.1%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Burkhead (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Burkhead mean?
Derived from a place name meaning "stream with a birch tree," or from a person living near such a stream. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Burkhead (0.78 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Burkhead?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.