Burgess Family Crest, Coat of Arms & Burgess Name Origin

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Origin of the Name Burgess

The origin of the name Burgess was found in the allfamilycrests.com archives. Meaning 'the Burgess', this is an occupational name. Variants include Burges, Burges and Burgis. In mediaeval England burgage involved the payment of a fixed money rent and in Scotland it involved payment in service, guarding the town. This name is of Anglo-Saxon descent spreading to the Celtic countries of Ireland, Scotland and Wales in early times and is found in many mediaeval manuscripts throughout these countries. Examples of such are a Helen Burgeys, County Bedfordshire, and a Philip Burgeis, County Oxfordshire, who were recorded in the 'Hundred Rolls', England, in the year 1273. A Johannes Burges was recorded in the 'Poll Tax' of the West Riding of Yorkshire, in the year 1379. In Scotland William Burges was admitted Burgess of Aberdeen in the year 1475, and a Jennet Burgess and John Burgesse were examined for the Test in Tinwald, in the year 1685. In Ireland the name took the form in Gaelic of O'Brugha, and has been in use since 1190. Brew and Burrows are other Irish variants of this name.