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

Burnett, 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 Burnett surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Burnett in America

Burnett is the 554th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Burnett surname appeared 60,791 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 21 people would have the surname Burnett.

We can also compare 2010 data for Burnett 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 Burnett

The surname Burnett originated in Scotland and has its roots in the Gaelic language. It is derived from the word "bornait," which means "small stream" or "burn." This connection to natural water sources suggests that the earliest bearers of this name may have lived near such features.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Burnett name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which document the pledge of allegiance made to King Edward I of England by Scottish nobles and landowners. Among those listed is Robert de Burnard, whose name is believed to be an early spelling variation of Burnett.

In the 13th century, a family of Burnetts held lands in the parish of Killen, near the town of Ayr in Ayrshire, Scotland. This area is thought to be the ancestral home of the Burnett clan. Prominent members of this clan include Sir Robert Burnett, who was a supporter of Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Scottish Independence in the early 14th century.

The Burnett name also appears in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the 14th century, which were records of financial transactions kept by the Scottish government. In these rolls, individuals with the surname Burnett are mentioned in connection with various land holdings and legal matters.

One notable figure in the history of the Burnett name is Alexander Burnett of Leys (c. 1534-1619), who was a Scottish landowner and member of the Scottish Parliament. He played a role in the religious and political conflicts of the time, supporting the Protestant Reformation and the cause of Scottish independence.

Another noteworthy Burnett was Gilbert Burnett (1643-1715), who was a Scottish Bishop and historian. He served as the Bishop of Salisbury and wrote a influential work called "History of the Reformation of the Church of England."

Burnett is also the surname of Frances Hodgson Burnett (1849-1924), the renowned English-American playwright and author. She is best known for her children's novels, including "The Secret Garden" and "A Little Princess."

In terms of place names associated with the Burnett surname, there is the village of Burnett in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, which likely took its name from the nearby Burn of Burnett, a small river. Additionally, the town of Burnettholm in Dumfriesshire may have derived its name from a combination of the Burnett surname and the Scots word "holm," meaning a small island or riverside land.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Burnett

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

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

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

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