| ![Show Contents]() Burkett History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of BurkettWhat does the name Burkett mean? The name Burkett first arose amongst the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from their having lived in Northern England where the term 'of the birk-head,' as in "the head of the birches" was derived. Thus the name literally means "dweller by the birch-covered headland." 1 The name is related to the names Birkenhead and Beckett 2 and was frequented in Cumberland and Lancashire. 1 The Birket is a tributary of the River Mersey, on the Wirral, Merseyside. Early Origins of the Burkett familyThe surname Burkett was first found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire where John de Birkhaved was listed in 1301. Later, John Birkehede was listed as a Freeman or York in 1442 and Henry Brikket, Byrkett was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Suffolk in 1524. 1 The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included an entry for Adam Birkeued. 2 Early History of the Burkett familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Burkett research. Another 161 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1425, 1503, 1507, 1573, 1607, 1623, 1634, 1636, 1638, 1646, 1650, 1653, 1666, 1700, 1703, 1746, 1838, 1908, 1929, 1958 and 1982 are included under the topic Early Burkett History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Burkett Spelling VariationsOne relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Burkett has appeared include Birket, Birkett, Bircket, Burkett, Birckett, Burket, Burkert and many more. Early Notables of the Burkett familySir Anthony Birket of Beldorney Castle; Josiah Burchett (1666-1746), Secretary of the Admiralty in England; and William Burkitt (1650-1703), biblical expositor and vicar in Dedham, Essex, best known for his "Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament" published in 1700. 3
Baron Birkett, of Ulverston in the County Palatine of Lancaster, is a hereditary title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom...
Another 63 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Burkett Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Burkett Rankingthe United States, the name Burkett is the 1,480th most popular surname with an estimated 19,896 people with that name. 4 Migration of the Burkett family to IrelandSome of the Burkett family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 37 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Burkett migration to the United States | + |
At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Burkett arrived in North America very early:
Burkett Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Mr. Christopher Burkett, who arrived in Plymouth, Mass in 1628 aboard the ship "White Angel" 5
- Henry Burkett, aged 34, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 6
- Ellins Burkett, who landed in Virginia in 1636 6
Burkett Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Anne Burkett, who landed in Virginia in 1700 6
- Tho Burkett, who arrived in Virginia in 1705 6
- Philip Burkett, who landed in Virginia in 1714 6
Burkett Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- John Burkett, aged 24, who landed in America in 1822 6
Burkett Settlers in United States in the 20th Century- William Walter Burkett, aged 33, who arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Ulua" from Liverpool, England 7
- Albert Burkett, aged 2, arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Panama" from Cristobal, Canal Zone 7
- John Burkett, aged 4, who arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Panama" from Cristobal, Canal Zone 7
| Burkett migration to Australia | + |
Burkett Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century- James Burkett, aged 22, a shoemaker, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Ostrich" 8
| Burkett 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: Burkett Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century- Benjamin Burkett, aged 38, a farm labourer, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Slains Castle" in 1841
- Mary Burkett, aged 35, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Slains Castle" in 1841
- Javis Burkett, aged 11, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Slains Castle" in 1841
- Edward Burkett, aged 6, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Slains Castle" in 1841
- George Burkett, aged 2, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Slains Castle" in 1841
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
| Burkett migration to West Indies | + |
The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 9Burkett Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century- Jo Burkett, aged 21, who arrived in Barbados in 1635 6
| Contemporary Notables of the name Burkett (post 1700) | + |
- Walter Jackson Burkett (1936-2017), American football linebacker in the National Football League
- Jesse Cail Burkett (1868-1953), American Major League Baseball player, elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946
- Elmer Jacob Burkett (1867-1935), American Representative and a Senator from Nebraska
- Newton Jones Burkett (b. 1962), American award-winning correspondent for WABC-TV
- Chris Burkett (b. 1962), former professional American football player
| Historic Events for the Burkett family | + |
- Peter Andrew Burkett (1965-1989), English insurance clerk who was attending the FA Cup semi-final at Hillsborough Stadium, in Sheffield, Yorkshire when the stand allocated area became overcrowded and 96 people were crushed in what became known as the Hillsborough disaster and he died from his injuries 10
| Suggested Readings for the name Burkett | + |
- The History of the Burkett-Gilliam Generations by Maxine Burkett Seltzer.
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
- 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)
- Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result
- South Australian Register Saturday 22nd July 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Ostrich 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/ostrich1854.shtml
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
- Hillsborough Victims (retreived 21st March 2021). Retreived from https://metro.co.uk/2019/04/15/remembering-96-victims-hillsborough-disaster-30-years-9206566/
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