Burke History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  Ireland 
  England 


The surname is one of the Anglo-Norman names that came to Ireland in the 12th century. The surname Burke is derived from the Old English word "burh," which is derived from the Old German word "burg," the common Germanic word for a fortification. It seems likely that the first family to bear this surname would have lived in or near a prehistoric fort situated on a hill. In the Norman fashion, surnames created from place names or geographic locations were prefixed by "de," which means "from" in French.

Early Origins of the Burke family

The surname Burke was first found in County Galway (Irish: Gaillimh) part of the province of Connacht, located on the west coast of the Island, where the family name is descended from the Norman noble William Fitzadelm de Burgo who went to Ireland in the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland and was the succeeded Strongbow as Chief Governor.

"Robert de Burgh, Earl of Moreton in Normandy, son of Harlowen de Burgh, by Arlotta, his wife, mother of William the Conqueror, participated with his half-brother in the triumph at Hastings, was created Earl of Cornwall, and received, as a further recompense, grants of seven hundred and ninety-three manors. His son, William Earl of Cornwall, who, rebelling against the Henry I., joined Robert of Normandy, and led the van at the battle of Tenchebray. He fell into the hands of his opponents and was sent prisoner to England, where he was treated with much cruelty, and detaining him in captivity for life. He left two sons: I. Adelm, from whom descended the Burghs, Earls of Ulster, the noble House of Clanricarde, and the various families of Burke, so widely scattered over the south west district of Ireland; and II. John, whose son, Hubert de Burgh, Earl of Kent, was Justiciary of England, temp. Henry III., and one of the greatest subjects in England." 1

Great stretches of land were given to this family in the year 1177. Richard Oge de Burc, son of William, became the "Lord Justice of Ireland" under King Henry II in 1177 and was regranted the lands of his father the following year. 2

Richard Mor de Burc, the older son of William, was the ancestor of the family name Bourke or Burke. They formed several septs, the two most important having been the MacWilliam Uachtar sept of county Galway, and the MacWilliam Lochtar sept of county Mayo.

It should be noted that not all of the family were in Ireland as some were found in Knaresborough, in the West Riding of Yorkshire in ancient times. "At the time of the Domesday Survey it formed part of the royal demesnes, and was given by the Conqueror to Serlo de Burgh, Baron of Tonsburg, in Normandy, who had accompanied that monarch into England, and by whom its stately castle, now a ruin, was originally built, on the rocky heights north of the river Nidd." 3

Another noted source confirms Knaresborough as a point of origin, but has a different Norman baron: " 'Burgh' must here stand for Serlo de Burgh, a powerful Northern baron in the time of the Conqueror, who built Knaresborough Castle, and appears to have taken his name from the manor of Burgh, in Yorkshire. " 4

Early History of the Burke family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Burke research. Another 140 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1227, 1503, 1544, 1572, 1582, 1590, 1598, 1601, 1604, 1629, 1635, 1642, 1647, 1657, 1666, 1667, 1672 and 1722 are included under the topic Early Burke History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Burke Spelling Variations

Medieval scribes and church officials spelled the names as they sounded, so a name was often spelled many different ways during the lifetime of a single person. The investigation of the origin of the name Burke revealed many spelling variations including de Burgh, Burke, Bourke, Burk, Bourk, Gillick and many more.

Early Notables of the Burke family

Notable amongst the family up to this time was

Burke World Ranking

In the United States, the name Burke is the 243rd most popular surname with an estimated 109,428 people with that name. 5 However, in Canada, the name Burke is ranked the 255th most popular surname with an estimated 16,133 people with that name. 6 And in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Burke is the 143rd popular surname with an estimated 265 people with that name. 7 Australia ranks Burke as 195th with 16,574 people. 8 New Zealand ranks Burke as 312nd with 1,945 people. 9 The United Kingdom ranks Burke as 257th with 23,428 people. 10


Burke migration to the United States +

Ireland experienced a dramatic decrease in its population during the 19th century. This was in a great measure, a response to England's imperialistic policies. Hunger and disease took the lives of many Irish people and many more chose to leave their homeland to escape the horrific conditions. North America with its promise of work, freedom, and land was an extremely popular destination for Irish families. For those families that survived the journey, all three of these things were often attained through much hard work and perseverance. Research into early immigration and passenger lists revealed many immigrants bearing the name Burke:

Burke Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Burke Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Burke Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
Burke Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Burke migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Burke Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Burke migration to Australia +

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

Burke Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Burke 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:

Burke Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Burke (post 1700) +


The Burke Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Ung roy, ung foy, ung loy
Motto Translation: One king, one faith, one law.


Suggested Readings for the name Burke +
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