Surname Burchart - Meaning and Origin
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Burchart: What does the surname Burchart mean?
The last name Burchart is derived from the Middle High German word ‘burchard’, meaning ‘castle guard’. Burchard, or Burchardt as it is sometimes spelled, most likely referred to a noble family who acted as guardians of a castle or walled settlement, or were a part of a royal court where they served as a protector of the royal family.
The word is believed to have first been used around the 12th century and is derived from two elements: the Old High German word ‘burc’ (meaning ‘protection’) and the element ‘hart’ (meaning ‘brave’ or ‘strong’). It is often believed to have originated in Germany, especially in the regions of Bavaria and Prussia.
The Burchart family has been found in parts of the United States dating back to the 1800s. In areas such as Tennessee, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, there are records indicating that some of the earliest Burchart families had arrived there. In some cases, they had first traveled to England before coming to America.
Today, those with the surname Burchart come from diverse backgrounds, as they have spread over generations, and due to marriage. Whether originating in Germany or having immigrated many years ago, the Burcharts represent a unique lineage of brave and strong family protectors.
Order DNA origin analysisBurchart: Where does the name Burchart come from?
The last name Burchart is of German origin. Today, Burchart is most commonly found in various parts of Germany, as well as in neighboring Czech Republic and Austria. Other countries that may have higher concentrations of people surnamed Burchart are Switzerland, France, and Luxembourg. There is also a smaller population of individuals with the last name in the United States, Canada, and in many other parts of the world.
Burchart is thought to be a diminutive or pet form of the German word bürger which translates to "citizen". It was common for last names to reflect the profession of the family, and so those with the Burchart surname would have likely been involved in civil matters.
In Germany, the Burchart family likely came from an area in the Westphalia region of the country that now bears their last name. This Burchart area, today, is grouped in the municipality of Bad Oeynhausen and is part of the Minden-Lübbecke district of the North Rhine-Westphalia state.
The name Burchart is also found in the United States of America, with the highest concentrations being found in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. These states were all once part of the German-American ‘settlement belt’ which explains why many families still have the Burchart surname today. Additional people with the last name of Burchart can be found in various states around the country, including California, Illinois, New Jersey, and Virginia.
To this day, Burchart remains a popular last name in many countries with German heritage. There is an estimated 6,000 - 6,900 individuals bearing the surname today, mostly clustered around Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, and the United States.
Variations of the surname Burchart
The surname Burchart has several different variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. These include Berchhard, Barchard, Burckhardt, Berchardt, Berghardt, Bürkhardt, Bürkhart and Bürchhölzer.
Berchhard is the oldest variant still in use today and can be traced back to the beginning of the Middle Ages. It originated in German-speaking regions and is derived from the first name "Berchhard," which means "bright courage." The Barchard variant is also derived from Berchhard. It developed from the locatives of the same name, such as Berchardt in Duchy of Swabia and Berghardt in Bavaria. The Burckhardt variant is also derived from Berchhard, but is also a derived form of the Middle High German nickname Burk, which means “courageous” or “brave”.
The German surnames Bürkhardt (Bürckhardt) and Bürkhart (Bürchhölzer) evolved in the fourteenth century when -hard and -hart were added as suffixes to popular surnames. Bürkhart, in particular, is derived from the farmstead of the same name found in Thuringia. Bürkhart eventually became Bürchhölzer, which translates to “wood of the castle” in German.
In summary, the same surname Burchart has several variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin including Berchhard, Barchard, Burckhardt, Berchardt, Berghardt, Bürkhardt, Bürkhart and Bürchhölzer. All of these variants date back to the Middle Ages and have different origins.
Famous people with the name Burchart
- Anne Burchart: a German professional snowboard athlete.
- Diane Burchart: a Currently the Deputy Director for Research and Strategy at the Center for American Progress.
- Judy Burchart: an American expat living in the south of France.
- Emmet Burchart: an Olympic swimmer who won two gold medals.
- John Burchart: a California firefighter who is a recipient of the Medal of Honor.
- Austin Burchart: an NBA player with the Boston Celtics.
- Simon Burchart: a renowned Swiss scientist credited for creating the advanced artificial intelligence software system known as 'Synthos'.
- Maria Burchart: an Australian professional dancer and choreographer.
- Clay Burchart: an American country music singer and songwriter.
- Shawn Burchart: an American internet entrepreneur who is the founder and CEO of the successful online e-commerce website, Axoxa.
- Kelly Burchart: a French-Canadian voice actress and singer.
- Ace Burchart: an American former professional baseball player who played for the New York Mets.
- Devon Burchart: an English entrepreneur and business executive.
- Samantha Burchart: a Canadian actress and author best known for her roles in several cult films.