Burton
A very common English surname meaning someone from one of many places called Burton.
The #280 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 2,793 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Burton comes from an Old English place-name meaning a fortified enclosure or settlement. It is usually explained from burh or burg, meaning a fort, stronghold, or defended place, plus tūn, meaning an enclosure, farmstead, or village. So the literal sense is roughly 'fortified settlement' or 'fortress town.'
History
Because there were many places called Burton across England, the surname arose independently in several districts. Early bearers were often styled 'de Burton' or 'of Burton' to show where they came from. The name is especially frequent in English records and later became widespread in Britain and the English-speaking world.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Lower noted that Burton was the name of so many English parishes and places that the surname became especially common.
From the historical record
“birch trees. BURTON. A fortified enclosure. (A- Sax.). Hence the names of no less than forty parishes and places in England, and hence the commonness of this surname. The B.'s of Longuer are deduced from Boerton or Burton, in Condover, co. Salop, B.L.G. BURTWELL. A corruption of Bright- well. BURWASH. A parish in…”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United KingdomNotable people named Burton
- Tim Burton (b. 1958)
- Richard Burton (1925–1984)
- Richard Francis Burton (1821–1890)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.