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

Bursby, 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 Bursby surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bursby in America

Bursby is the 157234th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bursby surname appeared 103 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 Bursby.

The history of the last name Bursby

The surname Bursby is of English origin, originating from the county of Yorkshire in the north of England during the medieval period. The name is derived from the Old English words 'burh' meaning a fortified town or manor, and 'by' meaning a farmstead or settlement. This suggests that the name may have originated from a place name referring to a farm or hamlet near a fortified town or manor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Bursby can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation commissioned by William the Conqueror after the Norman conquest of England. The name is spelled 'Buresbi' in this historical manuscript, indicating that the surname has evolved over time.

During the 13th century, the name Bursby appeared in various medieval records and charters, with variations in spelling such as 'Buresbie' and 'Bursbie'. These variations were common due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions at the time.

One notable individual bearing the surname Bursby was Sir John Bursby, a prominent landowner and knight who lived during the reign of King Edward III in the 14th century. He was recorded as owning estates in Yorkshire and served as a member of the king's council.

Another historical figure with the surname Bursby was William Bursby, born in 1512, who was a renowned scholar and theologian. He was educated at the University of Cambridge and later became the rector of St. Peter's Church in York, where he served until his death in 1585.

In the 17th century, the Bursby family established themselves as prominent landowners and farmers in the Yorkshire Dales region. One member of this family, Thomas Bursby (1621-1687), was known for his contributions to improving agricultural practices and promoting the cultivation of new crop varieties in the area.

During the 18th century, there are records of a Bursby family living in the village of Burnsall, located in the Yorkshire Dales. This village is believed to have derived its name from a variation of the surname Bursby, further solidifying the connection between the name and the region.

In the 19th century, a notable figure with the surname Bursby was Elizabeth Bursby (1805-1879), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's education. She founded one of the first schools for girls in the city of Leeds and worked tirelessly to promote educational opportunities for women during a time when such efforts were rare.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bursby

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

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 Bursby 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.

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!