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

Burnem, 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 Burnem surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Burnem in America

Burnem is the 131379th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Burnem surname appeared 129 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 Burnem.

We can also compare 2010 data for Burnem 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 Burnem

The surname BURNEM is of English origin, with its roots traceable back to the 14th century. It is believed to have originated in the county of Oxfordshire, where the earliest records of the name can be found in the parish registers of Burnam, a small village near the town of Woodstock.

The name BURNEM likely derives from the Old English words "burna" and "ham," which together translate to "stream village" or "homestead by the stream." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname may have lived near a stream or brook, with the name serving as a geographical identifier.

One of the earliest documented references to the BURNEM surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which lists a William de Burnam as a landowner in Oxfordshire. This record provides evidence of the name's existence and its connection to the village of Burnam during the medieval period.

In the 15th century, a notable figure bearing the BURNEM surname was John Burnem, a wealthy merchant and landowner who lived in the village of Burnam. His descendants continued to reside in the area for several generations, contributing to the local community and helping to establish the name's legacy in Oxfordshire.

Another prominent individual with the BURNEM surname was Sir Thomas Burnem, who lived in the 16th century. He served as a member of the English Parliament and was knighted for his services to the Crown during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

During the 17th century, the BURNEM surname began to spread beyond Oxfordshire, with records showing families bearing the name in neighboring counties such as Berkshire and Buckinghamshire. One notable bearer from this period was Richard Burnem, a successful farmer and landowner in the village of Braybrook, Northamptonshire.

In the 18th century, the BURNEM surname gained further recognition with the birth of James Burnem, a celebrated writer and poet who was born in 1724 in the town of Burford, Oxfordshire. His works, which explored themes of nature and rural life, received widespread acclaim and helped to cement the BURNEM name in the annals of English literature.

As the centuries passed, the BURNEM surname continued to be carried by individuals across various professions and walks of life, from clergymen and scholars to soldiers and tradesmen. Despite its modest origins in a small Oxfordshire village, the name has endured and spread throughout the English-speaking world, becoming a part of the rich tapestry of surnames that reflect the diverse histories and cultures of the British Isles.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Burnem

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

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

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

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