BURCHETT
Burchett is an English surname of Anglo‑Saxon origin, first recorded in the early twelfth century. The earliest known spelling appears in the Curia Regis Rolls of Suffolk in 1207 under the name Robert Bocard, a name that would later evolve into the modern form.
The surname derives from the Middle English word burche, meaning birch tree. The suffix -ett is a diminutive, indicating a small birch tree or a small area with birch trees. Thus the name originally identified a person who lived near a birch tree or in a birch grove.
Other scholars trace the root of the name to the Old English elements burh (a fort or stronghold) and ceat (woodland or clearing). In this sense Burchett can also be interpreted as a habitation name for someone living near a fort situated close to woodland.
Following the Norman Conquest of 1066, the personal name Burgheard was re‑introduced into Middle English. It was rendered in various forms such as Bou(r)chart and Bocard, producing a range of surnames including Burkart, Borkett, Burchett, Burkett, Burchatt, Burchard and Butchard. The medieval German name Burkhard is linguistically related, but the English variants developed independently within Britain.
Early documented individuals bearing the surname include Thomas Burchart of Suffolk (c.1248), Walter Buchard of Wiltshire (1255) and Richard Burkett of Suffolk (1524). In the early seventeenth century, a John Burkitt, aged twenty‑one, sailed aboard the Falcon in December 1635 bound for the Barbadoes, becoming one of the first bearers of the name to emigrate to the American colonies.
Arms have historically been associated with the family: a red shield bearing three gold mullets and a crest of a right arm embowed holding a club. These heraldic features were granted to the name in the early modern period, although variations exist in surviving records.
In contemporary times the surname is relatively uncommon in England, though it remains present in counties such as Kent, Hampshire and the West Midlands. According to genealogical databases, a significant concentration of people with the surname Burchett resides in the United States, especially in Kentucky; other notable populations exist in Massachusetts, Illinois and Texas.
The name has a number of orthographic variants, including Burchat, Burchet, Burchitt, Burckett, Burkett and Burket. These variations arose from regional dialects, ill‑literacy, and the predominantly phonetic approach of medieval scribes. Consequently, individuals with differing spellings may share a common ancestry but are not necessarily related by blood.
Typical given names associated with the Burchett surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- Gary
- James
- John
- Michael
- Nathan
- Nicholas
- Paul
- Peter
Female
- Ann
- Caroline
- Doreen
- Emma
- Helen
- Jacqueline
- Julie
- Karen
- Margaret
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Burchard
- Barchett
- Berchett
- Burchet
- Burchette
- Bauchet
- Berechet
- Berkett
- Birchett
- Birckett
- Borishade
- Brachet
- Brachett
- Bracht
- Brattio
- Brechet
- Brecht
- Brichet
- Brichta
- Brichto
- Brochado
- Brochet
- Brochett
- Brushett
- Brychta
- Burcett
- Burchatt
- Burchel
- Burchell
- Burcher
- Burchert
- Burches
- Burchess
- Burchitt
- Burckett
- Burghett
- Burtcher
- Burtchett
- Brachetta
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Burchett in...
Braille
⠃⠥⠗⠉⠓⠑⠞⠞
Morse
-.....-.-.-.-......--
Semaphore
There are approximately 1,108 people named Burchett in the UK. That makes it roughly the 6,815th most common surname in Britain. Around 17 in a million people in Britain are named Burchett.
Surname type: Diminutive
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Burchett
- George Burchett - Tattoo artist (1872 to 1953)
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.