Surname Burvill - Meaning and Origin

Burvill: What does the surname Burvill mean?

The last name Burvill is of English origins and is thought to come from the Old English word “burh” meaning fortress and “hylle” meaning hill or mound. This gave rise to the Old English byname of “burhhyll” which is thought to have evolved into the surname Burvill in England. As such, the name is thought to refer to someone who lived near or by a fortress mound.

The Burvill name first appeared in records in the 12th and 13th centuries, with several people being recorded with the name in Yorkshire in 1194. It is believed that this surname could have initially emerged in a geographical sense, describing people who lived near a fortress hill rather than being an inherited surname at this time.

The Burvill surname has spread to all corners of the world since its first appearance in England. Today, there are Burvills in the United States, France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, and many other countries throughout the world.

The spread of the Burvill surname reflects an enduring sense of home, heritage and legacy. It carries a remembrance of those who lived near or by fortress mounds many centuries ago in England. As such, the Burvills of today, no matter where they are in the world, continue to share a unique bond that ties them to the past.

Burvill: Where does the name Burvill come from?

The last name Burvill is primarily associated with Britain, with the earliest recorded usage appearing in the Domesday Book of 1086. The name is most common in the West Midlands region of England, particularly in Warwickshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire. It is also quite prevalent in the northern counties of Cheshire, Lancashire, and Yorkshire.

It is plausible that the name originated in the area of what is now the city of Birmingham. One of the earliest records of the name comes from a 12th-century Haltystone manor in nearby Worcestershire. During the industrial revolution in the 18th and 19th centuries, many individuals bearing the Burvill name emigrated to the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Some variation of the Burvill name can still be found in the U.S. today, particularly in California, Texas, New York, and Illinois. While the name is no longer as common as it had been centuries ago, it remains an historically significant name in Britain and many other countries across the world, with records of its usage extending back hundreds of years.

Variations of the surname Burvill

The surname Burvill is derived from the Anglo-Saxon origin, and is an example of a topographical name. The variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for Burvill include:

- Burvil

- Burvild

- Burvilld

- Burvel

- Burvell

- Burvelll

- Bervelle

- Berevell

- Barwell

- Barewell

- Barwel

- Barvel

Burvill and its variants can be found throughout English speaking countries. The small number of variation suggests that the name has not been spread about in a frequent way. In some cases, thebury surname may have been anglicised from an original French name with the same spelling.

The most common variation today is probably Burvill, with the other spellings listed above becoming less popular over time. However, all of these variants remain historically or geographically linked to the original spelling.

In the United States, the surname is most commonly seen in the states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Virginia. These states are likely to have been among the earliest to have been settled by immigrants with the Burvill surname.

Throughout the United Kingdom, the variants Barewell, Barwel, and Barvel are more commonly seen than elsewhere. This suggests that the original spellings used in the UK have merged together to form a single name. The Burvill name can be found in many locations in the UK, especially Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, and Shropshire, although it is not considered a common name.

Famous people with the name Burvill

• Ben Burvill: an English actor who appeared in many TV shows such as Fantasy Football League and Grime Scene Investigation in the 00s.
• Billy Burvill: a British actor who has had roles in TV series such as Skins and My Parents Are Aliens.
• Chris Burvill: an English comedian from Derby who has performed stand-up shows throughout the UK.
• Collin Burvill: a Canadian professional snowboarder who represented Canada at the Olympic Winter Games twice.
• George Burvill: an infamous English pirate who was active in the Caribbean and is believed to have hidden much of his ill-gotten gains in a secret lair somewhere in the Bahamas.
• Laura Burvill: an American model and actress who has appeared in the Playboy Mansion Party and the comedy film A Night at the Roxbury.
• Richard Burvill: an English politician from Lancashire who served as Member of Parliament from 1983 to 1997.
• Ross Burvill: an Australian actor known for his role as a youth pastor in the soap opera Neighbours and a recurring character in the science-fiction show Farscape.
• Thomas Burvill: an English sailor who went missing at sea during the Second World War while serving as a member of the Royal Navy.
• William Burvill: a Canadian actor who starred in the Canadian crime drama The Eleventh Victim and the TV movie The Painted House of Maud Lewis.

Other surnames

BurvilBurville