Explore the Family Name Bourke
The meaning of Bourke
1. Irish: variant of Burke. 2. Americanized form of French Bourg or of its altered form Bourque. History: Some of the American bearers of the surname Bourke are descendants of Antoine Bourg/Bourque from France (see Bourg). Some characteristic forenames: Irish Brendan, Dermot, Liam, Murphy.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Bourke in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Bourke has experienced slight fluctuations over the past decade. In 2000, Bourke ranked 11,788 in terms of surname popularity and this decreased slightly to 12,370 by 2010, showing a marginal decline of 4.94%. However, the overall count of people with this surname increased from 2,434 in 2000 to 2,514 in 2010, indicating a growth of 3.29%. The proportion of people with the Bourke surname per 100,000 also declined by 5.56% during this period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #11,788 | #12,370 | -4.94% |
| Count | 2,434 | 2,514 | 3.29% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.9 | 0.85 | -5.56% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Bourke
When analyzing the ethnicity associated with the Bourke surname, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some significant changes over the decade from 2000 to 2010. The majority of individuals with the Bourke surname identify as White, although this proportion saw a small decrease from 91.99% in 2000 to 89.86% in 2010. The percentage of Bourkes identifying as Hispanic almost doubled during this period, rising from 1.52% to 3.02%. Those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native fluctuated slightly, with the most significant change being a 25% increase in those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native. Individuals identifying with two or more ethnicities increased by approximately a third, going from 1.19% to 1.59%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 91.99% | 89.86% | -2.32% |
| Hispanic | 1.52% | 3.02% | 98.68% |
| Black | 2.38% | 2.39% | 0.42% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.56% | 1.95% | 25% |
| Two or More Races | 1.19% | 1.59% | 33.61% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.36% | 1.19% | -12.5% |
Bourke ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Bourke is British & Irish, which comprises 65.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (12.4%) and Eastern European (4.7%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Nigerian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 65.7% |
| French & German | 12.4% |
| Eastern European | 4.7% |
| Other | 17.2% |
Possible origins of the surname Bourke
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Bourke have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 89.90% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 89.90% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 89.90% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 89.90% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 89.90% |
What Bourke haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Bourke is R-Z209, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z209 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-P311 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Huddleston, Perron, Cushing, Ruggles, Wenger, Jauregui, Benoit, Lomax, Burke, Maness.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Bourke surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Bourke have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Bourke" Surname 55.6%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Bourke" Surname 18.9%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Bourke" Surname 20.0%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Bourke" Surname 17.2%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Bourke?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Bourke are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition