Burnham Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Burnham last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Burnham last name
Meaning of the Burnham last name: homestead on a stream. Burnham is an English surname from places in Norfolk, Essex, Buckinghamshire and Somerset, from Old English burna, "stream", and ham, "homestead". Burnham Thorpe in Norfolk was Nelson's birthplace. The architect Daniel Burnham planned Chicago, and the last name is found in eastern England and America.
Arms associated with the Burnham name
Coats of arms associated with the Burnham surname follow English heraldry, each set out in a short blazon.
Get your full Burnham family history
This is only a glimpse of the Burnham story. The full Burnham history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Burnham coat of arms. Get the full Burnham report.
Burnham name FAQ
What does the Burnham name mean?
Homestead on a stream. Common variants include Burnam, Burnum.
Where does the Burnham surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Burnham coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Burnham coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).