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

Burks, 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 Burks surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Burks in America

Burks is the 1278th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Burks surname appeared 27,523 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 9 people would have the surname Burks.

We can also compare 2010 data for Burks 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 Burks

The surname BURKS is of English origin and can be traced back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "buroc," meaning a small stream or brook. This word later evolved into various spellings, including "Broke," "Brook," and eventually "Burk" or "Burks."

The earliest known record of the surname BURKS dates back to the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1190, where it was spelled "de Brok." This suggests that the name may have originally been a locational surname, referring to someone who lived near a small stream or brook.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in the Hundredorum Rolls of Oxfordshire as "Brok" and "de la Broke," further solidifying its connection to waterways. During this time, the surname was also found in various parts of England, including Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Worcestershire.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname BURKS was Sir John de la Brok, a Knight of the Shire for Gloucestershire in 1322. Another notable figure was William Brooke, the 7th Baron Cobham (c. 1460-1508), who fought for the Yorkist cause during the Wars of the Roses.

In the 16th century, the spelling "Burks" became more prevalent, as seen in the records of John Burks, a landowner in Warwickshire in 1580. Other variations, such as "Burkes" and "Bourke," also emerged during this period.

Over the centuries, the BURKS surname has been associated with several prominent individuals, including:

1. Edmund Burke (1729-1797), an Irish statesman and philosopher, known as the father of modern conservatism.
2. Robert Burks (1910-1968), an American film director and editor who worked closely with Alfred Hitchcock.
3. Arthur Burks (1915-2008), an American mathematician and computer scientist who worked on the ENIAC project during World War II.
4. Walter Burks (1914-1988), an American composer and music educator known for his contributions to electronic music.
5. Rufus Burks (1913-1981), an American baseball player who spent several seasons in the Negro Leagues.

While the BURKS surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, reflecting the migration patterns of English settlers and their descendants.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Burks

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

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

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

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