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Burke Family History

Burke Name Meaning

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 ). German: variant of Burk . Americanized form of Norwegian Børke (see Borke ). Americanized form of French Bourg or of its altered form Bourque .

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


Similar surnames: Burk, Berke, Birke, Burge, Burden, Buske, Turk, Duke, Burse, Buren

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Burke family from?

You can see how Burke families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Burke family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Burke families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 2,615 Burke families living in Lancashire. This was about 36% of all the recorded Burke's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Burke families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Burke surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Burke 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 Burke. 16% of Burke men worked as a General Labourer and 63% of Burke women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Burke were Incapacitated and Incapacitated. .

View Census Data for Burke | 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
    16%
  • Builders Labourer
    6%
  • Bricklayer
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    63%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Domestic Servant
    2%
  • Incapacitated
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Burke family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 794,000 census records available for the last name Burke. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Burke census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Burke

Passenger Lists

There are 150,000 immigration records available for the last name Burke. 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 Burke immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 163,000 military records available for the last name Burke. For the veterans among your Burke ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Burke lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Burke life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Burke in 1940 was 31, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Burke

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