Burr
An English occupational surname referring to a cloth-maker or someone who worked with coarse wool cloth.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 18,235 Americans carry the last name Burr. That puts it at #2,323 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 5.32 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 18,797 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Burr surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
18K
1 in 18,797
Census rank
#2,323
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
5.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
16K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 15,703 bearers of the surname Burr in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 5.32 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2323rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Burr, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.1%. The next largest groups are Black (7.5%) and Hispanic (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Burr
The surname Burr has its roots in the Old English word 'byrgen' or 'burren', meaning a burial place or hill. It is believed to have originated in England during the Anglo-Saxon period, around the 5th to 11th centuries.
In the early medieval period, Burr was a topographic surname, given to individuals living near a burial mound or hill. It is found in areas like Derbyshire, Staffordshire, and Yorkshire, where such landscape features were common.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Burr dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions a landowner named Burred in Cambridgeshire. Other early records include a Robertus de Bure in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire in 1198, and a Henry de la Bure in the Assize Rolls of Somerset in 1268.
Over time, the name evolved into various spellings, including Burgh, Borowe, and Burrough, reflecting regional dialects and scribal variations. These variations were often associated with place names, such as Burrow-on-the-Hill in Leicestershire and Burrough Green in Cambridgeshire.
Notable individuals with the surname Burr include Aaron Burr (1756-1836), the third Vice President of the United States and a prominent political figure. Another famous bearer was the English artist and engraver Wenceslaus Hollar (1607-1677), whose last name was sometimes spelled as Hollar Burr.
Other historical figures with the surname Burr include Jonathan Burr (1635-1641), one of the first settlers of Fairfield, Connecticut; Joseph Burr (1610-1653), an early colonist of Hartford, Connecticut; and Theodosia Burr (1783-1813), the daughter of Aaron Burr and a prominent figure in her own right.
The surname Burr has also been connected to other prominent families throughout history, such as the Burrs of Scotland and the Burr-Benningtons of England.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Burr
Among Census respondents with the surname Burr, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.1%. The next largest groups are Black (7.5%) and Hispanic (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Burr bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Burr surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.1%
- Black or African American7.5%
- Hispanic or Latino2.5%
- Two or more races1.9%
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.4%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Burr surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,323 | #2,323 | 0.0% |
| Count | 15,703 | 15,703 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 5.32 | 5.32 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Burr bearers went from 15,703 to 15,703 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #2,323 to #2,323.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Burr
FAQ
Burr surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Burr?
The surname Burr holds position #2,323 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 18,235 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 5.32 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Burr surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Burr, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.1%. The next largest groups are Black (7.5%) and Hispanic (2.5%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.