Explore the Family Name Burke
The meaning of Burke
1. English and Irish (of Anglo-Norman origin): habitational name from Burgh (Castle) in Suffolk, England. Burk represents an Anglo-Norman pronunciation of Old English burg, Middle English burgh ‘fortification’ (see Burgh). 2. German: variant of Burk. 3. Americanized form of Norwegian Børke (see Borke). 4. Americanized form of French Bourg or of its altered form Bourque. History: Burke owes its importance as an Irish surname to William de Burgo, a Norman knight whose family held lands at Burgh Castle in Suffolk, and who married the daughter of the Irish king of Thomond. Thanks to this marriage and to grants of lands and titles in Ireland by Henry II and King John, William was the founder of the most powerful of all the Anglo-Irish families. Many generations later Thomas Burke (1747–83) was born in County Galway, Ireland, settled in VA after immigration, and in 1771 moved to NC, where he became a prominent revolutionary statesman. — Some of the American bearers of the surname Burke are descendants of Antoine Bourg/Bourque from France (see Bourg). Some characteristic forenames: Irish Brendan, Kieran, Siobhan, Aileen, Brennan, Brigid, Donovan, Liam, Murphy, Ulick, Aidan, Dermot.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Burke in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Burke has seen a slight decrease in popularity over the past decade. In 2000, it was ranked the 229th most common surname, while by 2010, it had dropped to the 246th position, marking a change of -7.42%. However, the count of individuals with this surname increased from 119,175 to 122,877, showing a growth rate of 3.11%. The proportion per 100k also saw a slight decrease, moving from 44.18 in 2000 to 41.66 in 2010, a drop of -5.7%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #229 | #246 | -7.42% |
| Count | 119,175 | 122,877 | 3.11% |
| Proportion per 100k | 44.18 | 41.66 | -5.7% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Burke
When looking at the ethnic identity associated with the surname Burke based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, there were some shifts between 2000 and 2010. The percentage of Burke's identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander rose from 0.48% to 0.68%, an increase of 41.67%. Those claiming two or more races increased from 1.31% to 1.68%, a rise of 28.24%. Meanwhile, those identifying as White decreased slightly from 87.74% to 85.93%. The Hispanic population with Burke as their surname grew from 1.57% to 2.41%, a significant increase of 53.50%. The Black population increased slightly from 8.40% to 8.76%, while American Indian and Alaskan Native representation grew from 0.49% to 0.54%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 87.74% | 85.93% | -2.06% |
| Black | 8.4% | 8.76% | 4.29% |
| Hispanic | 1.57% | 2.41% | 53.5% |
| Two or More Races | 1.31% | 1.68% | 28.24% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.48% | 0.68% | 41.67% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.49% | 0.54% | 10.2% |
Burke 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 Burke is British & Irish, which comprises 56.8% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (17.7%) and Eastern European (5.8%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Nigerian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 56.8% |
| French & German | 17.7% |
| Eastern European | 5.8% |
| Other | 19.7% |
Possible origins of the surname Burke
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 Burke have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 87.00% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 86.80% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 86.80% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 86.70% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 86.40% |
What Burke 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 Burke 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-L51 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Bernard, Goss, Vickers, Backus, Lomax, Benoit, Paquette, Shelby, Burk, Manuel.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Burke 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 Burke 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.
"Burke" Surname 41.4%
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.
"Burke" Surname 24.4%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Burke" Surname 20.7%
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.
"Burke" Surname 16.9%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Burke?
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 Burke are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition