Explore the Family Name Burk
The meaning of Burk
1. South German (also Bürk): from a short form of the personal name Burkhard (see Burkhart). Compare Buerk. 2. German: habitational name from the common placenames Burk and Burg. 3. Sorbian: status name or nickname from Upper Sorbian burk, a diminutive of bur ‘peasant’ (see Buhr). 4. Germanized form of Sorbian Bórk (see Bork). 5. Irish and English: variant of Burke. 6. Americanized form of French Bourg or of its altered form Bourque. History: Some of the American bearers of the surname Burk are descendants of Antoine Bourg/Bourque from France (see Bourg).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Burk in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Burk has seen a slight drop in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Burk ranked as the 2215th most common surname, dropping to 2352nd in 2010, a change of -6.19%. Despite this, the actual count of individuals with this surname increased from 15,048 in 2000 to 15,500 in 2010, reflecting an increase of 3%. The proportion per 100,000 people also decreased slightly from 5.58 in 2000 to 5.25 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,215 | #2,352 | -6.19% |
| Count | 15,048 | 15,500 | 3% |
| Proportion per 100k | 5.58 | 5.25 | -5.91% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Burk
In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that the majority of individuals with the surname Burk identify as White, although this percentage decreased slightly from 92.52% in 2000 to 90.41% in 2010. There was a noticeable increase in those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic during this period, rising from 0.44% to 0.66% and 1.83% to 2.74%, respectively. Those identifying as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native also saw increases, from 3.32% to 3.72% and 0.60% to 0.68%, respectively. The proportion of individuals identifying as two or more races also increased, from 1.29% in 2000 to 1.80% in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 92.52% | 90.41% | -2.28% |
| Black | 3.32% | 3.72% | 12.05% |
| Hispanic | 1.83% | 2.74% | 49.73% |
| Two or More Races | 1.29% | 1.8% | 39.53% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.6% | 0.68% | 13.33% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.44% | 0.66% | 50% |
Burk 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 Burk is British & Irish, which comprises 48.9% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (30.1%) and Eastern European (5.2%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 48.9% |
| French & German | 30.1% |
| Eastern European | 5.2% |
| Other | 15.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Burk
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 Burk have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 89.80% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 89.80% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 89.80% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 89.50% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 89.20% |
What Burk 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 Burk is R-CTS241, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS241 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-Z209 and R-P311, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Vickers, Bernard, Richards, Winters, Harrison, Morgan, Roberts, Clemens, Morris, Evans.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Burk 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 Burk 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.
"Burk" Surname 43.6%
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.
"Burk" Surname 31.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Burk" Surname 23.3%
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.
"Burk" Surname 20.1%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Burk?
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 Burk are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition