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Home › Baby Names Directory › Burris

Burris

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Burris

Pronounced BUR-is /ˈbʌr.ɪs/Low

Meaning: Burris is an English surname pressed into use as a given name, a variant of Burroughs and Burrows. These come from the Old English burh, 'fortified place' or 'town,' marking someone who lived by or came from such a stronghold. As a first name it follows the Southern American habit of turning family surnames into forenames.Low

In 30 seconds: Burris is a rare boy's name from the English surname Burroughs, tied to a 'fortified hill or town.' It peaked around the early 1920s (said BUR-is).
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Origin LowEnglish
MeaningBurris is an English surname pressed into use as a given name, a variant of Burroughs and Burrows. These come from the Old English burh, 'fortified place' or 'town,' marking someone who lived by or came from such a stronghold. As a first name it follows the Southern American habit of turning family surnames into forenames.
U.S. rank (1946)#2947 ↗ Rising
1946 U.S. births7 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1922
Total births (all-time)≈ 162

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 192219111946

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Burris began as a surname, a worn-down form of Burroughs, and became a first name largely in the American South, where honoring a family surname as a forename was common. Its Old English root, burh, means a fortified town, so the name carries a sturdy, settled sense of place.

Burris appeared mainly in the early twentieth century and faded well before mid-century. A boy named Burris at its 1920s peak would belong to the great-grandparent generation now, marking it as a true vintage surname-name.

Did you know? The burh at the root of Burris is the same Old English word for a stronghold that survives in the -bury and -borough endings of many English town names.
Overall data confidence 35%
References - Burris — Surname Burris < Burroughs/Burrows (Old English burh 'fortified town'); given-name use Southern US; peak early 1920s.

Variations

BurrusBurroughsBurisBurrell

Nicknames

BurrBur

Famous Bearers

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If you like Burris…

Burrell— a like surname-name
Burton— a comparable burh-rooted name
Harris— a familiar -is surname-name
Morris— another -is surname used as a first name

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Burris mean?

It is a surname used as a first name, a form of Burroughs meaning a dweller by a fortified hill or town.

How do you pronounce Burris?

It is said BUR-is /ˈbʌr.ɪs/ - two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Burris a boy or girl name?

Burris is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Burris?

It was always very rare in the United States, given to only about fourteen boys a year even at its peak, in the nineteen-twenties.

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