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

Burston, 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 Burston surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Burston in America

Burston is the 31184th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Burston surname appeared 744 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 Burston.

We can also compare 2010 data for Burston 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 Burston

The surname Burston is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Norfolk. The name is thought to derive from the Old English words "burh" meaning "fortified place" and "tun" meaning "farm" or "settlement." This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived in a fortified farmstead or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Burston can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book mentions a place called "Burgestuna" in Norfolk, which is believed to be the origin of the modern surname Burston.

The name Burston is also associated with several place names in Norfolk, such as Burston and Burston St. Andrew. These place names likely predate the surname and may have contributed to its formation.

One notable early bearer of the name was Sir John Burston, a prominent landowner and knight who lived in the 14th century. He was involved in the Hundred Years' War and fought alongside King Edward III.

Another individual with the surname Burston was Richard Burston, a wealthy merchant from Norwich who lived in the 15th century. He was known for his philanthropic efforts and donated funds for the construction of a church in his hometown.

During the 16th century, a family with the surname Burston was recorded as residing in the village of Burston St. Andrew, which lends further credence to the theory that the name originated from this area.

In the 17th century, a notable figure named William Burston played a role in the English Civil War, serving as a captain in the Parliamentarian forces under Oliver Cromwell.

Another individual of note was Elizabeth Burston, born in 1732, who was a prominent educator and advocate for women's education. She established a successful school for girls in Norfolk and wrote several influential texts on educational theory.

Throughout its history, the surname Burston has maintained a strong presence in Norfolk and surrounding areas, with various branches of the family dispersing to other parts of England and, later, to other parts of the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Burston

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

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

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

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