English and Irish (of Anglo-Norman origin): habitational name from Burgh (Castle) in Suffolk, England. Burk represents an Anglo-Norman pronunciation of Old English burg, Middle English burgh ‘fortification’ (see Burgh .
German: variant of Burk.
Americanized form of Norwegian Børke (see Borke ).
Americanized form of French Bourg or of its altered form Bourque.
History: Burke owes its importance as an Irish surname to William de Burgo, a Norman knight whose family held lands at Burgh Castle in Suffolk, and who married the daughter of the Irish king of Thomond. Thanks to this marriage and to grants of lands and titles in Ireland by Henry II and King John, William was the founder of the most powerful of all the Anglo-Irish families.
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