Burlingham last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Burlingham

A surname of Anglo-Saxon origin indicating someone from the town of Burlingham.

Burlingham, 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 Burlingham surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Burlingham in America

Burlingham is the 32599th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Burlingham surname appeared 705 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 Burlingham.

We can also compare 2010 data for Burlingham 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 32599 32161 1.35%
Count 705 676 4.20%
Proportion per 100k 0.24 0.25 -4.08%

The history of the last name Burlingham

The surname Burlingham is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is a locational name, derived from the village of Burlingham in Norfolk, England. The name is believed to have originated from the Old English words "burh," meaning a fortified town or manor, and "inga," referring to the people or residents of that place.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Burlingham can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry mentions "Burlingeham" as a settlement in Norfolk, indicating the presence of the name in the region during the 11th century.

Over the centuries, the name Burlingham underwent various spelling variations, including Burlingam, Burlyngham, and Burlyngame, reflecting the fluid nature of surname spellings in those times. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the scribes' interpretations of the name.

Notably, the Burlingham family held land and property in Norfolk, and their name appeared in various historical records and manuscripts. One prominent figure was Sir Thomas Burlingham, who lived in the 15th century and served as a member of Parliament for Norfolk during the reign of Edward IV.

Another historical figure associated with the name Burlingham was William Burlingham, born in 1692 in Norfolk. He was a prominent merchant and landowner, known for his successful business ventures and philanthropic efforts in the local community.

In the 17th century, John Burlingham, born in 1632, was a notable clergyman and author who wrote several theological works and served as a minister in various parishes across England.

The name Burlingham also found its way to the American colonies, where several individuals bearing this surname made their mark. One such individual was Thomas Burlingham, born in 1710 in Massachusetts, who fought in the French and Indian War and later became a respected landowner and community leader.

Additionally, the village of Burlingham in Norfolk, from which the surname derives its origin, has a rich history dating back to the Anglo-Saxon era. The name of the village itself can be traced back to the Domesday Book, where it was recorded as "Burlingeham."

Throughout history, the surname Burlingham has been associated with various professions, including merchants, landowners, clergymen, and military personnel, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who bore this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Burlingham

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

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 Burlingham was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 95.04% 670
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 1.56% 11
Hispanic Origin 2.70% 19

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 Burlingham has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 95.04% 97.19% -2.24%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% 0.00% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 1.56% 1.33% 15.92%
Hispanic 2.70% 0.74% 113.95%

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

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

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"Burlingham last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 11, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/burlingham-surname-popularity/.

"Burlingham last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/burlingham-surname-popularity/. Accessed 11 July, 2025

Burlingham last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/burlingham-surname-popularity/.

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