Burton Family Crest, Coat of Arms and Name History

Burton Origin:

England

Origins of Name:

The Burton surname derives from a geographical location of the same name. Burton is found mainly in northern and midland counties of England. Today this location is known as Burton on Trent in Staffordshire. The old English word burh which means fort, and tun which means an enclosure or settlement is the origin of the surname. The first appearance of the surname Burton appears as early as 1150 in Yorkshire for the man Ioluard in Burhtun.

Variations:

More common variations are:

Bourton, Burtton, Burtoni, Burtoin, Burrton, Bhurton, Bureton, Beurton, Burtone, Burtony,

History:

England:

Burton appeared at a very early time in the English Midlands.

In 1178, Gerard de Burton was recorded in the Warwickshire Pipe Rolls.

Robert de Burton in the year 1200 was recorded in a village named Ibstock in Leicestershire. He was an early ancestor of Sir William Burton who was a standard bearer for Henry VI, who was killed in the Battle of Towton in 1461.

Other notable early Burtons were the Burtons of Lindley Hall. Ralph Burton was a country gentleman in this family and his son, Robert Burton was a scholar at Oxford University who penned the famous classic “The Anatomy of Melancholy”. His brother was William Burton, a notable antiquarian.

Other early notable Burtons include the Burton MP’s in Nottinghamshire who were there prior to 1400 and after as well. Thomas Burton was a wool merchant of Loughborough in Leicestershire. A line of Burtons lived in Longner Hall near Shrewsbury in Shropshire. This line has been living in Longner Hall as far back as 1346, and remain there to this day.

One Edward Burton survived the Battle of Towton in 1461 and was later knighted by Edward IV. A descendant of his, Richard Burton was a 19th century explorer and oreientalist.

In 1628, the sheriff of Derbyshire was Richard Burton. Richard Burton was also the descendant of Sir William Burton’s brother.

In the 15th century, the surname would expand into Yorkshire. Henry Burton distributed anti-establishment propaganda in the early 17th century, and would have his ears cut off for doing so. Richard Burton emigrated to Virginia in 1630, and he originally was from Yorkshire.

In the middle of the 19th century, John Burton trained as a printer and opened a photography studio in Leicester. His customers included royalty and his business was very successful. His two sons would continue the family business and open another studio in Dunedin.

Canada:

In 1818, a plumber from Essex would immigrate to Canada with his family. They would eventually settle in Scarborough which is now a suburb of Toronto.

Also in the early part of the 19th century, Samuel and Hannah Burton would immigrate to Amherstburg, Ontario. They had ten children. One of which, Ontario Taylor would become an ordained elder in the Mormon church. He would eventually move to settle in Salt Lake valley and would go on to have twenty-seven children with many wives.

Other notable Burtons who arrived early in Canada are John Burton who arrived in St. John’s in 1706. Daniel Burton arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749, Richard Burton arrived in Novia Scotia in 1749, Benjamin Burton arrived in Novia Scotia in 1749, and Robert Burton also arrived in Novia Scotia in 1749.

United States:

Richard Burton in 1634 would land in Virginia from London and is speculated to be one of the first Burtons to come to America. His two sons owned plantations in Virginia in Cobbs and Longfield in Henrico county. One of his descendants – Robert Burton – would fight in the Revolutionary War and go on to serve in the Continental Congress for Virginia. His nephew, Hutchins Burton, would become the Governor of North Carolina. Many Burtons from this line fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War.

John Burton from Raburn county, Georgia is the namesake for Burton township. It was later flooded and renamed to Lake Burton.

Burton Today:

United States 121,262

England 34,158

Australia 11,882

Canada 11,165

Tanzania 5,241

South Africa 4,822

Jamaica 2,374

New Zealand 2,132

Scotland 1,779

Wales 1,366

Notable People:

Mr. Edward John Burton (d. 1912), English Fireman/Stoker

Harry Burton (1879-1940), English Egyptologist and archaeological photographer

Elaine Burton (b. 1904), English politician, Baroness Burton of Coventry

Decimus Burton (1800-1881), English architect

Anthony Burton (1937-2016), American actor, boxer, comedian, and football player

Gabrielle Burton (1939-2015), American feminist novelist and screenwriter

Raymond S. “Ray” Burton (1939-2013), American politician

Brigadier Francis Robert Burton (b. 1906), Australian Deputy Adjutant-General

Levardis Robert Martyn “LeVar” Burton Jr. (b. 1957), American actor

Blazons & Genealogy Notes

1) (Falde Hall, co. Stafford, Lindley and Budworth, co. Leicester, and Dronfield, co. Derby). Motto—Lux vitae. Ancient: Az. semee of estoiles a crescent ar. Crest: A serpent winged with legs az. scaled ar. standing on a crown or.
2) (Falde Hall, co. Stafford, Lindley and Budworth, co. Leicester, and Dronfield, co. Derby). Motto—Lux vitae. Modern: Az. a fesse betw. three talbots’ heads erased or. Crests—1st: A beacon ar. burning ppr. standing upon a mount vert; 2nd: A cypress tree ppr. on a ducal coronet or; 3rd: A serpent winged, with legs az. scaled ar. standing on a ducal crown.
3) (Lancelot Archer-Burton, Esq., of Woodlands, near Emsworth, co. Hants). Motto—Amicus vitae solatium. Quarterly, 1st and 4th, per fesse sa. and ar. a pale counterchanged, three owls, two and one, of the second, ducally crowned or, and as many ermine spots, one and two, of the first, for Burton; 2nd and 3rd, per pale az. and gu. two chevronels ar. betw. three arrows, the pheons downwards or, for Archer. Crests—1st: On a mount vert, an owl, ducally crowned as in the arms, holding in the dexter claw a rose gu. slipped of the first, for Boston; 2nd: A dragon’s head erased gu. gorged with a crown vair, and in the mouth an arrow, pheon downwards or.
4) (Sir Richard Burton, of Sackets Hill House, St. Peter’s, Isle of Thanet). Motto—Vigilans. Sa. on a chev. betw. three owls ar. ducally crowned or, a mural crown gu. betw. two. wreaths of laurel vert. Crest—A beacon or, fired ppr. surmounted by two branches of laurel in saltire vert.
5) (London, 1507). Erm. a fesse sa. a chief chequy or and of the second.
6) (Roydsmill, Sheffield, of Bramley Hall, and Wadsley). Az. a crescent ar. within an orle of estoiles and a bordure or.
7) (Chester). Or, on a cross pierced az. four fleurs-de-lis- of the field.
8) (Tolethorp, co. Rutland, Stockerston, co. Leicester, extinct bart.). Sa. a chev. betw. three owls ar. crowned or. Crest—An owl as in the arms.
9) (Coventry). Az. a fesse betw. three talbots’ heads erased ar. Crest—Out of a ducal coronet or, a tree vert.
10) (Hotham Hall, co. York). Az. a fesse erm. betw. three talbots’ heads erased ar. Crest—A beacon ar. fired ppr. ladder or.
11) (lnglethorp, co. Derby, 24 Elizabeth). Sa. a fesse nebullee betw. three cinquefoils ar. Crest—On a mount vert a tower ar. triple towered or.
12) (Derbyshire). Ar. a chev. betw. three boars’ heads couped sa. armed or. Crest—A tower triple towered ar.
13) (Stapleforth, co. Notts, Visit. London, 1568). Ar. on a chev. engr. betw. three boars’ heads couped sa. bezant. Crest—A boar’s head couped or, holding in the mouth a branch vert.
14) (Derbyshire, 1646). Az. a crescent within an orle of estoiles ar. all within a bordure or. Crest—On a ducal coronet or, a wivern with wings endorsed az. collared gold.
15) (Devonshire). Or, on a cross quarter pierced az. four fleurs-de-lis of the first.
16) (Devonshire). Per pale gu. and az. a fesse betw. two chevronels ar.
17) (Essex, 1570). (Eastbourne, co. Sussex). Quarterly, gu. and ar. four escallops counterchanged. Crest—On the top of a ruined castle ar. a falcon volant or.
18) (Ireland). Also Bourton. Ar. on a chief indented sa. three escallops of the field.
19) (Kynsley, 1530). Ar. a bend wavy sa.
20) (Lindley, co. Leicester). Sa. three hars and a canton ar.
21) (Somersby, co. Lincoln). Motto—Cari Deo nihil carent. Sa. three owls crowned or, holding in one claw raised, a golden star. Crest—A crowned owl or, holding a star.
22) (London). Az. a crescent ar. within an orle of mullets pierced or (another, adds a bordure of the last).
23) (Acton, co. Middlesex). Az. semee d’estoiles ar. a crescent within a bordure of the last.
24) (Oxfordshire). Or, a bend az.
25) (Shropshire). Purp. a cross engr. or, betw. four roses ar. barbed vert, a crescent for diff. Crest—A gauntlet ppr.
26) (Longner, co. Salop). Motto—Dominus providebit. (Buncraggy, co. Clare, Ireland). Party per pale az. and purpure a cross engr. or, betw. four roses ar. Crest—A dexter gauntlet ppr. couped at the wrist.
27) (Shropshire). Quarterly, az. and gu. a cross engr. or, betw. four roses ar.
28) (Kensley, co. York). Sa. three owls ar.
29) (Yorkshire). Arms, as Burton, of Longner. Crest—A dexter gauntlet ppr. shewing the inside of the hand.
30) (Pollacton, co. Carlow, bart.). Motto—Deus providebit. (Burton Hall, co. Carlow). (Carrigaholt Castle, co. Clare). Per pale az. and purp. a cross engr. or, betw. four roses ar. Crest—On a ducal coronet a dexter gauntlet, the palm inwards all ppr.
31) (confirmed to Alfred Boston, Esq., M.R.C.S.E., at onetime Physician to His Excellency, the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland). Motto—Lux vitae. Per pale gu. and az. on a fesse betw. three talbots’ heads erased or, as many crescents of the first. Crest—An embattled wall ppr. charged with a crescent gu. thereon a beacon ar. fired ppr.
32) (Lyndsey, co. Lincoln). Az. a fesse betw. three lions’ heads erased or.
33) (Yorkshire). Or, a bend wavy sa. Crest—An arm erect, couped at the elbow, habited per pale ar. and gu. cuff of the first, in the hand ppr. a walking staff of the second, headed, rimmed, and ferruled or.
34) Az. a fesse engr. erm. betw. three talbots’ heads erased or. Crest—On a mount vert, a fire-beacon ppr.
35) (Bramston, co. Rutland, Visit. 1618). Sa. a chev. or, betw. three owls ar. crowned of the second. Crest—An owl ar. crowned or.
36) Same Arms, with a mullet for diff.
37) Sa. a goat ramp. ar.
38) Ar. on a fesse indented sa. three escallops of the first.
39) Barry of six ar. and erm. on a bend gu. three escallops or.
40) Az. semee d’estoiles a crescent ar.
41) Or, a cross betw. four fleurs-de-lis az.
42) Sa. a chev. betw. three owls ar.
43) Ar. a chev. engr. betw. three boars’ heads couped sa.
44) Barry of ten ar. and gu. over all a bend sa.
45) Sa. three greyhounds courant or. (another, pass. ar.).
46) Ar. a chev. betw. three crosses botonnee gu.
47) (Cherry Burton, co. York. David Robinson, Esq., of that place, assumed in 1828 the name of Burton in compliance with the will of his maternal great uncle David Burton Fowler, Esq., of Cherry Burton). Quarterly, 1st and 4th, per fesse erminois and az. two barrulets engr. betw. three talbots’ heads; 2nd and 3rd, vert a chev. erm. betw. two cinquefoils pierced in chief and a stag trippant in base or, a bordure engr. of the last. Crests—A mount vert, thereon upon a perch or, a parrot also vert, the dexter claw resting on an escallop ar., holding in the beak a cherry stalked:—and, A mount vert, thereon a stag reguard. or, the dexter forepaw resting on a cinquefoil pierced, as in the arms.
48) Gu. a chev. betw. three boars’ heads couped or.
49) Sa. a fesse nebulee betw. three cinquefoils ar.
50) Az. a cross engr. or, betw. four roses ar. barbed vert.
51) Paly of six or and gu. on a bend sa. three trefoils ar.
52) Gu. on a cross ar. five fleurs-de-lis or.
53) Sa. a saltire engr. ar. a chief of the last.
54) (or Barton) Ar. three boars’ heads couped sa. tusked or.
55) Paly of six or and gu. on a bend sa. three boars pass. ar.
56) Quarterly, gu. and az. a cross flory or.
57) Or, on a cross pattee az. five fleurs-de-lis of the first.
58) Per cross gu. and ar. four escallops countercharged.
59) Or, on a cross anchored sa. five fleurs-de-lis of the first.
60) (William Schoolcroft Burton, Esq., of Foggathorpe, in the parish of Bubwith, in the East Riding of the co. York, of Childrey, co. Berks, and of Walton Hall, in the parish of Walton, co. Bucks, J.P for the cos. Bedford and Bucks, High Sheriff, 1877). Motto—Sans changer. Per pale indented az. and sa. six fleurs-de-lis, three, two, and one, each within an annulet ar. Crest—In front of two arms embowed in armour, the hands ppr. holding a fleur-de-lis ar. six annulets interlaced fesse­wise also ar.