Burgess Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: BUR-jess //ˈbɜːrdʒəs//
Origin: English; Old French
Meaning: English: dweller by the castle; Old French: from the fortress
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Burgess has its roots in the Old French word "burgeis," which means "a citizen of a town" or "a freeman." This term was derived from the Latin "burgensis," meaning "of a town" or "townsman," which itself comes from "burgus," referring to a fortified town or castle. The transition of the name into English occurred during the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century, when many Old French terms were adopted into the English language, particularly in legal and administrative contexts.
As a result, Burgess became associated with individuals who held certain civic responsibilities or privileges within a community. Historically, the name has been linked to various notable figures and events.
In medieval England, the term "burgess" was used to denote representatives of boroughs in Parliament, particularly from the 13th century onward. This connection to governance and civic duty imbued the name with a sense of respectability and importance.
Additionally, the name appears in various historical documents and records, including those related to the English Parliament, where burgesses played a crucial role in the representation of towns and cities. Culturally, the name Burgess has been associated with themes of community, citizenship, and civic engagement.
It reflects the values of participation and responsibility within a societal framework. The name has also been used in various literary and historical contexts, contributing to its resonance in English-speaking cultures.
While diminutive forms of the name are less common, the surname Burgess has persisted through generations, often signifying a connection to local governance or community leadership.
Famous people named Burgess
In this section, you will find notable people named Burgess. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Burgess who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Burgess who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Burgess Owens is a former professional American football player best known for his time with the New York Jets and the Oakland Raiders.
Fictional characters named Burgess
The following list of fictional characters named Burgess is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Burgess Meredith is a fictional character from the film Rocky. He is the wise and tough trainer Mickey Goldmill who mentors the protagonist, Rocky Balboa.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Burgess, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Burgess. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Burgess was first seen in the United States in 1884.
Burgess has ranked as high as #2836 nationally, which occurred in 1922, and has been most popular in Kentucky, North Carolina, and West Virginia.
In the past 5 years the name Burgess has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Burgess is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Burgess was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Burgess.
| Year | Total Births | Boy |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 7 | 7 |
| 2007 | 5 | 5 |
| 1999 | 5 | 5 |
| 1991 | 6 | 6 |
| 1990 | 5 | 5 |
| 1987 | 9 | 9 |
| 1986 | 6 | 6 |
| 1985 | 8 | 8 |
| 1984 | 7 | 7 |
| 1983 | 6 | 6 |
| 1982 | 7 | 7 |
| 1981 | 8 | 8 |
| 1980 | 7 | 7 |
| 1978 | 8 | 8 |
| 1977 | 6 | 6 |
| 1976 | 8 | 8 |
| 1975 | 5 | 5 |
| 1974 | 9 | 9 |
| 1973 | 6 | 6 |
| 1972 | 15 | 15 |
| 1971 | 7 | 7 |
| 1969 | 6 | 6 |
| 1968 | 10 | 10 |
| 1967 | 9 | 9 |
| 1966 | 12 | 12 |
| 1965 | 9 | 9 |
| 1964 | 11 | 11 |
| 1963 | 12 | 12 |
| 1962 | 9 | 9 |
| 1961 | 8 | 8 |
| 1960 | 9 | 9 |
| 1959 | 6 | 6 |
| 1958 | 15 | 15 |
| 1957 | 10 | 10 |
| 1956 | 13 | 13 |
| 1955 | 12 | 12 |
| 1954 | 13 | 13 |
| 1953 | 10 | 10 |
| 1952 | 13 | 13 |
| 1951 | 10 | 10 |
| 1950 | 12 | 12 |
| 1949 | 13 | 13 |
| 1948 | 16 | 16 |
| 1947 | 18 | 18 |
| 1946 | 14 | 14 |
| 1945 | 14 | 14 |
| 1944 | 22 | 22 |
| 1943 | 19 | 19 |
| 1942 | 26 | 26 |
| 1941 | 23 | 23 |
| 1940 | 12 | 12 |
| 1939 | 10 | 10 |
| 1938 | 19 | 19 |
| 1937 | 18 | 18 |
| 1936 | 20 | 20 |
| 1935 | 14 | 14 |
| 1934 | 11 | 11 |
| 1933 | 16 | 16 |
| 1932 | 17 | 17 |
| 1931 | 14 | 14 |
| 1930 | 15 | 15 |
| 1929 | 23 | 23 |
| 1928 | 13 | 13 |
| 1927 | 19 | 19 |
| 1926 | 24 | 24 |
| 1925 | 22 | 22 |
| 1924 | 23 | 23 |
| 1923 | 17 | 17 |
| 1922 | 28 | 28 |
| 1921 | 21 | 21 |
| 1920 | 18 | 18 |
| 1919 | 26 | 26 |
| 1918 | 22 | 22 |
| 1917 | 15 | 15 |
| 1916 | 16 | 16 |
| 1915 | 20 | 20 |
| 1914 | 13 | 13 |
| 1913 | 21 | 21 |
| 1912 | 11 | 11 |
| 1911 | 9 | 9 |
| 1910 | 9 | 9 |
| 1909 | 6 | 6 |
| 1907 | 7 | 7 |
| 1894 | 5 | 5 |
| 1890 | 6 | 6 |
| 1884 | 5 | 5 |
Top States for Burgess (1964)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| WV | 5 |