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| Origins Available: |
| | England |
In ancient Anglo-Saxon England, the ancestors of the Burnam surname lived in any of the various places called Burnham in Buckinghamshire, Essex, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, or Suffolk. These place names derive from the Old English words burna or stream, and ham, or homestead.
The surname Burnam was first found in Herefordshire where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Burnam research. Another 49 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1619 and 1688 are included under the topic Early Burnam History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Burnam are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Burnam include: Burnham, Burnam and others.
More information is included under the topic Early Burnam Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
In the United States, the name Burnam is the 17,852nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1
Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Burnam or a variant listed above: