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Burnett Family History

Burnett Surname Meaning

Scottish and Irish (Tyrone and Antrim): descriptive nickname of Norman origin from Old French burnete a diminutive of brun ‘brown’ (see Brown) or possibly in some instances a metonymic occupational name for a maker or seller of burnete a high quality woolen cloth originally dark brown in color.

Probably also an altered form of English Barnett. In some cases also an altered form of French Burnet; compare Burnette.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Burnett family from?

You can see how Burnett families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Burnett family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Burnett families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 970 Burnett families living in Yorkshire. This was about 16% of all the recorded Burnett's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Burnett families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Burnett 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 Burnett ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Burnett. 11% of Burnett men worked as a General Labourer and 68% of Burnett women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Burnett were Incapacitated and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Burnett | 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.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    11%
  • Builders Labourer
    4%
  • Dairy Farmer
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    68%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Private Means
    2%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%

What Burnett family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 413,000 census records available for the last name Burnett. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Burnett census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Burnett

Passenger Lists

There are 38,000 immigration records available for the last name Burnett. 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 Burnett immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 72,000 military records available for the last name Burnett. For the veterans among your Burnett ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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