Show ContentsBurdette History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Burdette

What does the name Burdette mean?

Burdette is one of the many names that the Normans brought with them when they conquered England in 1066. The Burdette family lived in Leicestershire. This surname, however, is a reference to the family's former district of residence, "Bordet," Normandy, where they held a family seat as Lords of Cuilly. Another source notes: "Hugh and Robert Burdet occur in Domesday, the family hail from some spot in Normandy, and 'came in with the Conqueror.' " 1

Later, William Burdett, held lands in Potton, Bedfordshire in 1214 and Nicolas Burdett held by service of half a knight's fee in 1284.

Early Origins of the Burdette family

The surname Burdette was first found in Leicestershire where the family can be traced to "Hugo de Burdet, who came into England with William I, and was lord of the manor of Loseby in 1066." 2

Arrow in Warwickshire was for a long time the family seat of the Burdetts but was passed to the Conways in the reign of Henry VI which resulted in many lawsuits which remained unsettled until the end of the reign of Henry VIII.

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included: William Burdet, Leicestershire; and Stephen Burdet, Lincolnshire while the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Nicholaus Burdet, franktllyn; and Gilbertus Burdet, faber. 1

Early History of the Burdette family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Burdette research. Another 136 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1536, 1602, 1630, 1636, 1640, 1642, 1658, 1668, 1671, 1675, 1679, 1701, 1704, 1713, 1716, 1719, 1727, 1747, 1788, 1804 and 1967 are included under the topic Early Burdette History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Burdette Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Burdette family name include Burdett, Bordet, Bourdet, Burdet, Burdit, Burditt and many more.

Early Notables of the Burdette family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was George Burdett (c. 1602-1671), English settler to America in 1636, the second colonial governor of the Upper Plantation of New Hampshire; Sir Francis Burdett, 2nd Baronet, from the Warwickshire branch of the family; his son Sir Robert Burdett, 3rd Baronet DL (1640-1716), a Tory politician; and Sir Robert Burdett, 3rd Baronet (1640-1716) from Warwickshire and Debyshire who...
Another 65 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Burdette Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Burdette Ranking

In the United States, the name Burdette is the 3,130th most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 3

Migration of the Burdette family to Ireland

Some of the Burdette family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 71 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Burdette migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Burdette family to immigrate North America:

Burdette Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • William Burdette, who settled in Virginia in 1639
Burdette Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Ruda Burdette, aged 23, who landed in America, in 1895
Burdette Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Jonah Burdette, aged 26, who landed in America, in 1904
  • Amy Everest Burdette, aged 26, who landed in America from Stroud, in 1905
  • Fred L. Burdette, who settled in America, in 1906
  • Clara Burdette, who landed in America, in 1908
  • Richard S. Burdette, aged 24, who settled in America, in 1908
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Burdette migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Burdette Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Anne Burdette, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1830

Contemporary Notables of the name Burdette (post 1700) +

  • Linda Burdette (1948-2023), American gymnastics head coach at West Virginia University who coached her teams to 35 winning seasons, five-time EAGL coach of the year
  • Robert Jones Burdette (1844-1914), American humorist and clergyman from Greensboro, Pennsylvania
  • Cornelius Lonzo Burdette (1878-1955), American gold medalist sport shooter at the 1912 Summer Olympics
  • Blake Burdette (b. 1980), American rugby union player
  • Freddie Thomason Burdette (1936-2010), American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher for the Chicago Cubs
  • Mallory Burdette (b. 1991), American professional tennis player
  • Kevin Burdette, American opera singer
  • Nicole Burdette, American playwright and actress
  • Robert Jones Burdette (1844-1914), American humorist
  • Selva Lewis "Lew" Burdette (1927-1980), American Major League Baseball player, MVP of the 1957 World Series
  • ... (Another 14 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Arrow Air Flight 1285
  • Mr. James D Burdette (1961-1985), American Specialist 4th Class from Lancaster, California, USA who died in the Arrow Air Flight 1285 crash 4
USS Arizona
  • Mr. Ralph Warren Burdette, American Musician Second Class from New Jersey, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 5


  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
  3. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  4. American War Memorials - Flight 1285. (Retrieved 2016, August 24) . Retrieved from http://www.uswarmemorials.org/html/monument_details.php?SiteID=317&MemID=550
  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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