Show ContentsBurmeister History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The history of the Burmeister family begins almost a millennium ago, in the northern German region of Schleswig-Holstein, where the family name first emerged. The name Burmeister is derived from the German words "bur" or "bauer," meaning "farmer," and "meister," meaning "master;" thus, the name literally means "master farmer." Alternatively, the Low German term "Burmester" refers to the town elder who held the position just below that of the mayor. From this source, the original bearer of the name Burmeister was likely the master of an estate or a prominent figure in his village.

Early Origins of the Burmeister family

The surname Burmeister was first found in Schleswig-Holstein, where the surname was first recorded. The earliest known bearer was Godeke Burmeister, who lived in the city of Rostock in 1265.

Early History of the Burmeister family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Burmeister research. Another 74 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1334, 1400, 1608, 1675, 1681 and 1714 are included under the topic Early Burmeister History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Burmeister Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Burmeister, Burmester, Burenmeister, Burmaster, Burenmester, Burenmeister, Boermeester, Buhrmeister and many more.

Early Notables of the Burmeister family

Notables of the time included

  • Christoph von Burmeister, a German military general in the late seventeenth century, Johann David Burmeister, the Organish at Ilsenberg in 1681, and Augustinus Gottlieb Burmeister (1675-1714), a Pomer...

Burmeister Ranking

In the United States, the name Burmeister is the 6,096th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1


United States Burmeister migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Burmeister Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Johann Gottfried Burmeister, aged 34, who landed in America in 1843 2
  • Friedrich Burmeister, who arrived in New York in 1850 2
  • Leopold Burmeister, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1850 2
  • John Burmeister, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 2
  • Fritz Burmeister, who landed in Iroquois County, Illinois in 1888 2

Canada Burmeister migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Burmeister Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Joachim Burmeister, who arrived in Quebec in 1850

Australia Burmeister migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Burmeister Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Heinrich Wilhelm Burmeister, aged 30, a coachman, who arrived in South Australia in 1848 aboard the ship "Pauline" 3

New Zealand Burmeister migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Burmeister Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mrs. Anna Burmeister, (b. 1840), aged 25, Russian settler from Prussia travelling from London aboard the ship "Tudor" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 24th September 1865 4
  • Mr. Carl Burmeister, (b. 1840), aged 25, Russian baker from Prussia travelling from London aboard the ship "Tudor" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 24th September 1865 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Burmeister (post 1700) +

  • Ken Burmeister (1947-2020), American college basketball coach at Loyola University Chicago, University of Texas at San Antonio, and Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas
  • Paul Burmeister (b. 1971), NFL Network analyst, former AFL quarterback
  • Eileen Burmeister (b. 1924), American professional baseball player
  • Daniel "Danny" Burmeister (b. 1963), American NFL football player
  • Jana Burmeister (b. 1989), German association football goalkeeper
  • Friedrich Burmeister (1890-1969), German geophysicist
  • Arnold Burmeister (1899-1988), German Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II, recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
  • Fritz Burmeister (b. 1888), German politician
  • Karl Hermann Konrad Burmeister (1807-1892), German zoologist and entomologist, eponym of Burmeister's porpoise
  • Saskia Burmeister (b. 1985), Australian actress
  • ... (Another 2 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bismarck
  • Rolf Burmeister (1919-1941), German Schreibersobergefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 5


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  3. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) PAULINE 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848Pauline.htm
  4. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  5. Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details


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