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

Burnson, 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 Burnson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Burnson in America

Burnson is the 89403rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Burnson surname appeared 207 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 Burnson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Burnson 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 Burnson

The surname Burnson originated in England during the medieval period, likely stemming from a combination of the Old English words "burn" and "son," indicating the name may have been given to someone who lived near a stream or brook. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century in Yorkshire and Lancashire.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are no direct mentions of the surname Burnson. However, variations such as Burnessone and Burnesun appear, suggesting the name's origins predate the Norman Conquest.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir Robert Burnson, a knight who fought alongside Edward I during the Scottish Wars of Independence in the late 13th century. Another notable figure was William Burnson, a merchant from York who established a successful wool trade with the Low Countries in the 15th century.

During the Tudor period, the Burnson family established themselves as landed gentry in Cheshire. John Burnson (c. 1520-1585) was a prominent member of this branch and served as a Justice of the Peace under Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Burneson and Burnsonne, reflecting the fluid nature of spelling conventions at the time. One notable bearer was Reverend Thomas Burnson (1628-1701), a Presbyterian minister who played a pivotal role in the Great Ejection of 1662, when hundreds of Puritan ministers were expelled from the Church of England.

The 18th century saw the rise of several distinguished Burnsons, including Sir William Burnson (1710-1786), a wealthy merchant and philanthropist who founded a school for underprivileged children in his hometown of Bristol. Another prominent figure was General John Burnson (1745-1821), a decorated officer who served in the British Army during the American Revolutionary War.

As the Industrial Revolution took hold in the 19th century, many Burnsons migrated from rural areas to rapidly growing cities, seeking employment in factories and mills. One notable individual from this era was Elizabeth Burnson (1832-1914), a pioneering social reformer who campaigned for better working conditions and education for the urban poor.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Burnson

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

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

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

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