Show ContentsBurcham History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Burcham family

The surname Burcham was first found in Swabia, where the name could be considered to make a great early contribution to the feudal society which became the backbone of early development of Europe. The name became prominent in local affairs and branched into many houses which played important roles in the savage tribal and national conflicts, each group seeking power and status in an ever changing territorial profile. The family originated as a branch of the Andlau family and took their name from the castle and village Middle-Berkheim near Strassburg. The family acquired extensive estates and became knights of Swabia in the Neckar-Schwarzwald and Ortenau regions.

Early History of the Burcham family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Burcham research. Another 102 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1787, 1817 and 1849 are included under the topic Early Burcham History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Burcham Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Berckheim, Berckham, Berkham, Berckheimer, Berkheim, Berkheimer, Berkhamer, Berkehamer, Burkhamer, Burkheim, Burckheim, Burcheim, Burcham, Burkham, Burckham, Berckhane, Burckhane, Berkhane and many more.

Early Notables of the Burcham family

Notables with the surname Burcham during this period were Carl Christian Berckheim (d.1849), who became a Minister of State for Baden as well as Lord Chamberlain to the court of the Archduke of Baden...
Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Burcham Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Burcham Ranking

In the United States, the name Burcham is the 6,192nd most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1


Burcham migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Burcham Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • William Burcham, who landed in New England in 1644 2

Burcham 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:

Burcham Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • James Nelson Burcham, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
  • William Burcham, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840 aboard the ship Adelaide 3
  • James Nelson Burcham, aged 33, a gardener, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Adelaide" in 1858 3
  • William Burcham, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Adelaide" in 1858 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Burcham (post 1700) +

  • Rose La Monte Burcham (1857-1944), American physician and mining company executive based in Southern California
  • Margaret Williams Burcham, American retired brigadier general of the United States Army, the first female brigadier general in the United States Army Corps of Engineers
  • David W. Burcham (b. 1951), American constitutional law scholar, professor, and former university administrator, 15th President of Loyola Marymount University (2010-2015)
  • Robert Wayne "Bob" Burcham Sr. (1935-2009), American NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver whose career spanned from 1968 to 1979
  • Milo Garrett Burcham (1903-1944), American stunt pilot, airshow pilot, and test pilot from Cadiz, Indiana
  • Ralph Jack Burcham (b. 1931), American mid-west civil engineer
  • Ronald Burcham, American Libertarian politician, Candidate for Presidential Elector for Michigan, 1988; Candidate for Michigan State House of Representatives 28th District, 1998 4
  • Michael L. Burcham, American politician, Candidate for Mayor of Wadena, Minnesota, 2012 4
  • John B. Burcham Jr., American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Maryland, 1972 4
  • George A. Burcham, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from California, 1972 4
  • ... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

USS Arizona
  • Mr. Jimmie C. Burcham, American Seaman First Class working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he survived 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. Shadow Time Settlers (Retrieved 5th November 2010), retrieved from http://shadowsoftime.co.nz/settlers.html
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  5. Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html


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