Explore the Family Name Burford

The meaning of Burford

English (southwestern England and West Midlands): habitational name from Burford in Devon, Oxfordshire and Shropshire, or Burford Bridge in Surrey, so named with Old English burh ‘stronghold, fortified manor’ + ford ‘ford’.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Burford in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Burford has experienced a slight decline between 2000 and 2010. The ranking of this surname dropped from 6430 in 2000 to 6861 in 2010, equating to a change of -6.7%. However, the overall count of individuals bearing this surname increased marginally by 0.68%, rising from 4872 in 2000 to 4905 in 2010. Despite the increase in count, the proportion per 100,000 people dropped by 8.29%, indicating that it became less common relative to other surnames.

20002010Change
Rank#6,430#6,861-6.7%
Count4,8724,9050.68%
Proportion per 100k1.811.66-8.29%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Burford

In terms of ethnic identity associated with the surname Burford, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows some interesting trends. Notably, there was a significant increase in the percentage of individuals of Asian/Pacific Islander descent using this surname, with a rise of 46.15% between 2000 and 2010. There was also a notable increase in those identifying as belonging to two or more races (77.78%), Hispanic (42.94%) and Black (11.97%). On the other hand, there was a decrease of 4.23% among those identifying as White, dropping from 81.81% in 2000 to 78.35% in 2010. Meanwhile, the American Indian and Alaskan Native population experienced a slight decrease in usage of the surname, with a -10.91% change over the same period.

20002010Change
White81.81%78.35%-4.23%
Black14.37%16.09%11.97%
Hispanic1.7%2.43%42.94%
Two or More Races1.17%2.08%77.78%
Asian/Pacific Islander0.39%0.57%46.15%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.55%0.49%-10.91%

Burford 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 Burford is British & Irish, which comprises 56.2% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (24.1%) and Scandinavian (3.4%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Spanish & Portuguese, Nigerian, Italian, and Ashkenazi Jewish.

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ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
British & Irish56.2%
French & German24.1%
Scandinavian3.4%
Other16.3%
Burford

Possible origins of the surname Burford

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 Burford have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom93.50%
West Midlands, United Kingdom93.50%
Greater London, United Kingdom93.50%
Merseyside, United Kingdom93.50%
Greater Manchester, United Kingdom92.70%

What Burford 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 Burford is R-CTS4188, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS4188 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-M405 and R-P311, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Pelletier, Jernigan, Pitre, Minter, Beebe, Peltier, Pelkey, Swope, Maciel, Durand.

The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Burford surname are: J1c, H, T2. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.

burfordPaternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343

Your 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.

Maternal Haplo Image

What do people with the surname Burford 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

Burford

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Burford" Surname 37.1%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Burford

Misophonia

When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.

"Burford" Surname 18.9%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Burford

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Burford" Surname 13.6%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Burford

Migraine

A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

"Burford" Surname 19.4%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Burford?

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 Burford are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Y402H variant

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of irreversible vision loss among older adults. The disease results in damage to the central part of the retina (the macula), impairing vision needed for reading, driving, or even recognizing faces. The 23andMe Health + Ancestry DNA test includes the two most common variants associated with an increased risk of developing the condition: the Y402H variant in the CFH gene and the A69S variant in the ARMS2 gene. Learn more about Age-Related Macular Degeneration

British & Irish 62.1%

23andMe Users 57.2%