BOURNE

Bourne is a surname of English origin, derived from the Old English word burna or bourne, meaning a small stream or brook. The name is therefore a descriptive, topographic surname, originally applied to individuals who lived near such watercourses.

In addition to its use as a topographic name, Bourne could also be a habitational surname, reflecting residence by a place called Bourne. The town of Bourne in Lincolnshire, England, is one such source, and individuals who migrated from that locality often adopted the place name as their surname.

The oldest surviving reference to the name is found in a charter of 1044, which records a person named Godric aet Burnan during the reign of King Edward the Confessor. The surname subsequently appears in documentary evidence from the thirteenth century, and a further example is the marriage of John Bourne and Anne Craddocke at St. Peter's, Cornhill, on 24 June 1565.

Several spelling variants have existed over the centuries, including Bourn, Burn, Burns, Bourner and Born. In the northern part of England the word burn remains in use for a stream, whereas in the south it was replaced by the Old English term broc, which came to signify a winter‑flowing stream. These orthographic differences have produced the diverse forms noted in modern records.

The surname found in the United Kingdom is ranked within the top two thousand surnames. It has been borne by individuals who have made contributions to science, literature, politics and other fields. The popularity of the name has also been reinforced by its appearance in pop culture, notably through the fictional character Jason Bourne created by Robert Ludlum.

Migration from Britain, particularly during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, has spread the surname to other countries, with a substantial number of bearers recorded in the United States. Despite this diaspora, the greatest concentration remains in England, especially in counties that contain localities named Bourne, such as Lincolnshire, Kent, Hampshire and Cambridgeshire.

Typical given names associated with the Bourne surname

Male

• Andrew
• Christopher
• David
• James
• John
• Michael
• Peter
• Richard
• Robert
• Stephen

Female

• Carol
• Christine
• Claire
• Emma
• Helen
• Jennifer
• Margaret
• Nicola
• Patricia
• Sarah
• Susan

Similar and related surnames

Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.

How to communicate the surname Bourne in...

Braille

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Morse

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Did you know?

According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Bourne are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Hobnob.

Surname type: Location or geographical feature

Origin: English

Region of origin: British Isles

Country of origin: England

Religion of origin: Christian

Language of origin: English

Famous people named Bourne

• James Bourne - Musician
• Matthew Bourne - Ballet and dance choreographer
• Stephen Bourne -
• Stephen R. Bourne - Computer scientist
• Bette Bourne - Actor
• Francis Bourne - Catholic cardinal (1861 to 1934)
• Samuel Bourne - Photographer (1834 to 1912)
• Nick Bourne - Politician
• Matthew Bourne - Jazz musician
• Robert Bourne - Rower (1888 to 1938)
• Alan Bourne - Senior officer in the Royal Marines (1882 to 1967)
• Edmund Bourne - Cricketer (1885 to 1962)
• Ernie Bourne - Australian actor (1926 to 2009)
• John Bourne - Cricketer (1872 to 1952)
• Richard Bourne - Football player
• Chris Bourne - -born Guyanese international football player
• Frederick Samuel Augustus Bourne - Judge (1854 to 1940)
• Robert Bourne - Football player
• Teddy Bourne - Fencer
• Geoffrey Bourne, Baron Bourne - Army general (1902 to 1982)

Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.

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