Burns (surname)
The surname Burns has several origins. In some cases it derived from the Middle English burn, and originated as a topographic name for an individual who lived by a stream. In other cases the surname is a variant form of the surname Burnhouse, which originated as habitational name, derived from a place name made up of the word elements burn and house.[1] In other cases the surname Burns originated as a nickname meaning "burn house".[2] In other cases, the surname Burns is an Anglicised form of the Gaelic Ó Broin,[1] which means "descendant of Bran".[3] In some cases the surname Burns is an Americanized form of the Jewish surname Bernstein,[1] which is derived from the German bernstein ("amber").[4]
An early form of the surname when derived from the place name Burnhouse is "Burnis", recorded in 1526. An early form of the surname when derived from a nickname meaning "burn house" is "Brenhus", recorded in 1286 and 1275.[5]
List of notable persons with the surname Burns
Politics and law
- Samuel E. Burns (1810–1836), American defender at the Alamo
- Arnold Burns (1930–2013), American lawyer
- Conrad Burns (born 1935), American politician, Republican U. S. Senator from Montana
- Edward E. Burns (1858-?), a former member of the Wisconsin State Senate
- E.L.M. Burns (1897–1985), Canadian Army officer and diplomat
- George Burns (Australian politician) (1869–1932), AustralI an House of Representatives
- Harold Burns (1926–2013), American politician
- Henry Burns (born 1947), Louisiana politician
- James H. Burns, Major General in the United States Army, Executive Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of War during World War II - Russian Lend-Lease, Korean War, Division of Defense Aid Reports
- Joel Burns (politician) (born 1969), American politician, Fort Worth city council member
- John Burns (1858–1943), English trade unionist, anti-racist, socialist, and politician
- John A. Burns (1909-1975), Governor of Hawaii
- Lucy Burns (1879–1966), American suffragist and women's rights advocate
- Marilyn Burns (Alberta politician), Canadian politician
- Mary Burns (died 1863), labor activist and partner of Friedrich Engels
- Michael W. Burns (born 1958), former American politician
- Max Burns (born 1948), American politician, Republican U. S. Representative
- R. Nicholas Burns (born 1956), Ambassador U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs
- Simon Burns (born 1952), British politician
- Timothy Burns (1820–1853), Wisconsin politician
- Timothy G. Burns (born 1957), Louisiana politician
- W. Haydon Burns (1912–1987), 35th governor of Florida
- William J. Burns (1861–1932), director of the Bureau of Investigation (precursor to the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation)
- William Joseph Burns (born 1956), current United States Deputy Secretary of State
Drama and television
- Allan Burns, American television writer and producer
- Brooke Burns, American model and actress, Baywatch, Dog Eat Dog, The Chase
- Burnie Burns, independent filmmaker, machinimator
- Carol Burns, Australian actress
- Chris Burns (radio host), radio host in Juneau, Alaska
- David Burns (actor), actor and singer
- Ed Burns, American television writer
- Edward Burns, American actor
- Gene Burns (1940– 2013), American radio host
- George Burns, American actor and comedian, Burns and Allen (Gracie)
- Glenn Burns, WSB-TV Atlanta's Chief Meteorologist
- Gordon Burns, presenter of The Krypton Factor from 1977–1995
- Jack Burns, American comedian
- Jackie Burns, American musical theatre actress
- Jackson Burns, American Actor, Stunt Coordinator
- John Burns (comics), British comic artist known for his work on Modesty Blaise and Judge Dredd
- Ken Burns, documentary filmmaker, Civil War, Baseball, Jazz
- Nicholas Burns (British actor), British actor.
- Patrick Burns (paranormal investigator), American paranormal investigator, star of reality television show Haunting Evidence
- Ric Burns, documentary filmmaker and writer, author of New York: A Documentary Film brother of Ken
- Steve Burns, American children's actor, musician
Literature and journalism
- Charles Burns, cartoonist and illustrator
- Dr. David D. Burns, author
- Eric Burns, American media critic and journalist, NBC Nightly News and the Today Show
- Eric Burns, critic, writer, poet, columnist and role playing game developer
- Gordon Burns, British journalist, The Krypton Factor
- James MacGregor Burns, presidential biographer and leadership theorist
- Jim Burns (poet) (born 1936), English poet, writer and poetry magazine editor
- John F. Burns, British foreign correspondent for The New York Times
- John Burns, children's author, The Adventures of Pengey Penguin, and writer of nine feature-length screenplays
- Laura J. Burns, author
- Richard Burns, contemporary English poet (1943)
- Robert Burns, pioneer of the Romantic movement and Scotland's national poet
- Robert Elliott Burns, Georgia chain gang fugitive and author
Music
- John 'Jake' Burns, Irish singer, guitarist and musician, Stiff Little Fingers
- Pete Burns, singer and songwriter, the new wave band Dead or Alive
- The Burns Sisters, Annie, Marie and Jeannie Burns, American folk music group
- Megan Burns, musician and former award-winning actress; also known as "Betty Curse"
- Christian Burns, British musician
- John Burns, songwriter
- Cha Burns, guitarist for the Scottish rock band The Silencers
- Roy Burns (drummer), American drummer, educator and percussion manufacturer
Sports
- Art Burns, American discus thrower
- Brent Burns, Defenseman, National Hockey League, San Jose Sharks
- Britt Burns, American baseball pitcher
- George Burns (first baseman), American League MLB baseball player
- George Burns (outfielder), National League MLB baseball player
- George Burns (rower), New Zealand rower
- Jerry Burns, US football coach Minnesota Vikings
- Joe Burns, National Football League
- Kenny Burns, Scottish footballer
- Marc Burns, Trinidad and Tobago athlete
- Marge Burns, American professional golfer
- Mickey Burns, English footballer
- Mike Burns, MLS professional and U. S. national team soccer player
- Nathan Burns, Australian footballer currently playing for AEK Athens.
- Pat Burns, Former head coach for the NHL New Jersey Devils
- Richard Burns, English rally driver
- Roy Burns (footballer), English footballer
- Shernyl Burns, Montserratian athlete and cricketer
- Tommy Burns (boxer), Boxer, world heavyweight champion 1906–1908
- Tommy Burns (Australian boxer), welterweight champion of Australia
- Tommy Burns (footballer), soccer player, Celtic F.C., Kilmarnock F.C.
- Kevin Burns (fighter), American Mixed Martial Artist
Other
- Albert Garrette Burns, inventor
- Alan Burns, 4th Baron Inverclyde (1897-1957)
- Allan Burns (surgeon) (1781-1813)
- Anthony Burns, fugitive slave
- Arthur F. Burns (1904–1987), Galician-born American economist and Chairman of the Federal Reserve from 1970 to 1978
- Arthur John Burns, New Zealand settler
- Barnet Burns, New Zealand visitor who had first facial tattoo ...and showman
- Ed "Big Ed" Burns, 19th century American con-man
- George Burns (shipping magnate), Scottish shipping magnate
- George Burns, 2nd Baron Inverclyde (1861-1905), owner of a Scottish shipping company
- James Burns, a Director Emeritus at the Power Corporation of Canada
- Sir James Burns (shipowner), Scottish/Australian Businessman, Shipowner, Philanthropist
- James Burns, 3rd Baron Inverclyde (1864-1919), founder of the Cunard Line
- Rev. Dr. John Burns D.D. (1744-1839), minister in the Church of Scotland
- John Burns (surgeon) (1775-1850)
- John Burns, 1st Baron Inverclyde (1829-1901), ship owner
- John L. Burns, famed civilian who took up arms during the Battle of Gettysburg
- John M. Burns (sailor), American Civil War sailor and Medal of Honor recipient
- Lawton Burns, American business theorist
- Louis F. Burns, American historian of the Osage Nation
- Marvin Ray Burns, mathematician
- Otway Burns, American privateer - War of 1812
- Patrick Burns, Canadian rancher, meat packer, businessman, Senator, and philanthropist
- Peter Carman Burns (born 1966), University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana
- Peter David Burns (born Forfar, Scotland.1936), 28 Years USAF. Flew over 450 combat sorties over Vietnam with SAC B52D. Received 2 DFC'S,22 Air Medals
- Red Burns (1925–2013), Canadian-born American academic
- Ursula Burns, CEO of Xerox Corporation
- William Wallace Burns, American Civil War major general
- Sir Joseph Burns, 1871–1950, Chairman of the Prudential Insurance Company and President of the Institute of Actuaries 1926–1928
- Joseph A. Burns United States of American astronomer
- Dr. Kevin M. Burns, American physician, scientist, Ironman
Fictional characters
- Charles Montgomery Burns, a character in the television series The Simpsons voiced by Harry Shearer
- Larry Burns, his son, featured in the episode Burns, Baby Burns and voiced by Rodney Dangerfield
- Eunice Burns, a character in the film What's Up, Doc? portrayed by Madeleine Kahn
- Frank Burns, a character in M*A*S*H portrayed in the motion picture by Robert Duvall and in the television series by Larry Linville
- Harry Burns, a character in the film When Harry Met Sally... portrayed by Billy Crystal
- Sir Isambard Burns, a character in Raymond Postgate's novel Verdict of Twelve
- Nick Burns, a character in a recurring Saturday Night Live skit portrayed by Jimmy Fallon
- Peter Burns, a character in the television series Melrose Place portrayed by Jack Wagner
People with the first or middle name Burns
- Isaac Burns Murphy, African-American thoroughbred jockey
- Emily Burns Robison, musician, member of American country band the Dixie Chicks
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Oxford Dictionary of Family Names: Burns, Answers.com, retrieved 28 January 2013. This webpage is a partial transcription of Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, 2006.
- ↑ Reaney, Percy Hilde (1995), Wilson, Richard Middlewood, ed., A Dictionary of English Surnames (3rd ed.), Oxford University Press, pp. 63, 75, ISBN 0-19-863146-4.
- ↑ Oxford Dictionary of Family Names: Byrne, Answers.com, retrieved 28 January 2013. This webpage is a partial transcription of Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, 2006.
- ↑ Oxford Dictionary of Family Names: Bernstein, Answers.com, retrieved 28 January 2013. This webpage is a partial transcription of Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, 2006.
- ↑ Reaney, Percy Hilde (1995), Wilson, Richard Middlewood, ed., A Dictionary of English Surnames (3rd ed.), Oxford University Press, p. 75, ISBN 0-19-863146-4.