Explore the Family Name Burton
The meaning of Burton
1. English: habitational name from a placename that is very common in central and northern England. The derivation in most cases is from Old English burh ‘fort’ (see Burke) + tūn ‘enclosure, settlement’. 2. French (northeastern): regional variant of Berton.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Burton in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Burton saw a slight shift between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Burton was the 255th most popular surname, but by 2010 it had dropped slightly in rank to the 280th position, marking a decline of 9.8%. Despite this fall in ranking, the count of individuals with the Burton surname actually increased during this period from 107,158 in 2000 to 110,529 in 2010, showing an increase of 3.15%. The proportion of Burtons per 100,000 people also decreased slightly, going from 39.72 in 2000 to 37.47 in 2010, a decrease of 5.66%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #255 | #280 | -9.8% |
| Count | 107,158 | 110,529 | 3.15% |
| Proportion per 100k | 39.72 | 37.47 | -5.66% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Burton
In terms of ethnicity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals a varied distribution among those carrying the Burton surname. In 2000, the majority were White (69.73%), followed by Black (26.03%). By 2010, while the highest percentage was still White (67.32%), there was a minor decrease (-3.46%). The Black population grew slightly to reach 27.06%, an increase of 3.96%. Those identifying as Hispanic saw a significant growth rate of 46.25%, increasing their overall percentage to 2.34% in 2010 from 1.60% in 2000. Those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander also grew, from 0.41% in 2000 to 0.53% in 2010, an increase of 29.27%. The group identifying as Two or more races also saw an increase of 31.58%, moving up to 2.25% in 2010. Conversely, the American Indian and Alaskan Native category saw a small decrease of -3.77%, reducing their representation to 0.51% in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 69.73% | 67.32% | -3.46% |
| Black | 26.03% | 27.06% | 3.96% |
| Hispanic | 1.6% | 2.34% | 46.25% |
| Two or More Races | 1.71% | 2.25% | 31.58% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.41% | 0.53% | 29.27% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.53% | 0.51% | -3.77% |
Burton 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 Burton is British & Irish, which comprises 52.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (21.7%) and Nigerian (3.9%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Scandinavian, Italian, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 52.7% |
| French & German | 21.7% |
| Nigerian | 3.9% |
| Other | 21.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Burton
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 Burton have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 84.30% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 84.10% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 83.90% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 83.70% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 83.60% |
What Burton 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 Burton 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-CTS4296 and R-L21, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Morgan, Jones, Phillips, Shaw, Lloyd, Lewis, Evans, James, Ford, Price.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Burton 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 Burton 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.
"Burton" Surname 39.7%
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.
"Burton" Surname 27.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Burton" Surname 21.4%
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.
"Burton" Surname 18.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Burton?
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 Burton are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition