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Burnson Family History

Burnson Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Burson, Bernson, Burnison, Burston, Benson, Branson, Burns, Brunson

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Burnson family from?

You can see how Burnson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Burnson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Burnson families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 10 Burnson families living in Durham. This was about 28% of all the recorded Burnson's in United Kingdom. Durham and 1 other county had the highest population of Burnson families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Burnson surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Burnson ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Burnson. 40% of Burnson men worked as a Farmer and 17% of Burnson women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Burnson were Manager and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Burnson | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    40%
  • Laborer
    25%
  • Farm Laborer
    8%
  • Manager
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    17%
  • Laborer
    17%
  • Cook
    10%
  • Housekeeper
    10%

What Burnson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Burnson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Burnson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Burnson

Passenger Lists

There are 161 immigration records available for the last name Burnson. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Burnson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 211 military records available for the last name Burnson. For the veterans among your Burnson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Burnson military records

You've only scratched the surface of Burnson family history

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What is the average Burnson lifespan?

Between 1964 and 2004, in the United States, Burnson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2002, and highest in 1983. The average life expectancy for Burnson in 1964 was 78, and 60 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Burnson

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Burnson ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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