Explore the Family Name Burkett

The meaning of Burkett

1. English: from an Old English personal name, Burgheard, composed of the elements burh, burg ‘fort’ (see Burke) + heard ‘hardy, brave, strong’. The name was reintroduced into Middle English by the Normans in the forms Bou(r)chart, Bocard. 2. English: possibly also from a Middle English personal name Burcard, Burchard (Norman Burcard, Old French Burchard), which was imported by the Normans and derives from ancient Germanic Burghard (in the form Burkhard this was a very popular medieval German name; see Burkhart), cognate with the Old English name above. In France this gives rise to the surname Bouchard, Bouchart, but evidence for its use in Norman England is difficult to pin down and modern surnames in Burch- often have a different origin altogether. 3. English: variant of Birkett, a spelling commonly found in northern England. 4. Americanized form of German Burkhart.

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

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

The Burkett surname has modestly grown in popularity over the last decade, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. In 2000, it was the 1837th most popular surname but rose to 1852nd rank by 2010, representing a slight decline of 0.82%. However, the actual count of individuals bearing this surname increased from 17,959 in 2000 to 19,369 in 2010, showing an overall growth of 7.85%. The proportion of the Burkett surname per 100k population also slightly dipped from 6.66 in 2000 to 6.57 in 2010, marking a -1.35% change.

20002010Change
Rank#1,837#1,852-0.82%
Count17,95919,3697.85%
Proportion per 100k6.666.57-1.35%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Burkett

As for the ethnic identity associated with the Burkett surname, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows some shifts between 2000 and 2010. While the majority of people with this surname identified as White (88.20% in 2000 and 86.89% in 2010), there were noticeable increases in those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (from 0.28% to 0.44%) and Hispanic (from 1.36% to 2.09%). The census also revealed a small increase in the number of Burketts who identified as Black (from 8.32% to 8.44%) and as American Indian and Alaskan Native (from 0.53% to 0.57%). Meanwhile, those identifying with two or more races grew from 1.30% in 2000 to 1.57% in 2010.

20002010Change
White88.2%86.89%-1.49%
Black8.32%8.44%1.44%
Hispanic1.36%2.09%53.68%
Two or More Races1.3%1.57%20.77%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.53%0.57%7.55%
Asian/Pacific Islander0.28%0.44%57.14%

Burkett 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 Burkett is British & Irish, which comprises 52.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (28.2%) and Eastern European (3.5%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Scandinavian, Nigerian, and Indigenous American.

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ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
British & Irish52.5%
French & German28.2%
Eastern European3.5%
Other15.8%
Burkett

Possible origins of the surname Burkett

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 Burkett have recent ancestry locations in United Kingdom and Ireland.

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Glasgow City, United Kingdom88.50%
West Midlands, United Kingdom88.50%
Greater London, United Kingdom88.50%
Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom88.30%
West Yorkshire, United Kingdom88.00%

What Burkett 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 Burkett 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-CTS241 and E-V13, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Roth, Keller, Schaefer, Schneider, Lange, Smith, Mueller, Albert, Miller, Bauer.

The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Burkett surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.

burkettPaternal 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 Burkett 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

Burkett

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Burkett" Surname 42.5%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Burkett

Misophonia

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

"Burkett" Surname 26.5%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Burkett

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Burkett" Surname 25.4%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Burkett

Migraine

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

"Burkett" Surname 21.7%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Burkett?

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 Burkett 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%