The Burns Coat of Arms and Name Meaning
Discover the meaning of Burns, its origins in Scotland & Ireland, and the story behind a Burns family crest.
Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Burns coat of arms for you.
Origin of the Burns name
Burns has more than one origin. In Scotland it is a topographic name for someone who lived by a stream, from Scots burn, and Robert Burns's family was first called Burness. In Ireland it is often a form of Byrne, from Ó Broin. The name is common in Scotland, Ulster and the United States.
Our historical archives hold much more on the Burns name: dates, names and records of early bearers.
This overview covers the Burns name in Scotland & Ireland. We also hold records of the name in other countries, such as the United States, England and Australia; your full pack is researched for your family's country of origin.
Get your full Burns family history
The complete Burns pack goes much further: documented origins, early records and family spread, plus a hand-checked coat of arms.
Burns name FAQ
What does the Burns name mean?
Dweller by a stream; descendant of Bran. Common variants include Burness, Byrne, Burn.
Where does the Burns surname come from?
It originates in Scotland & Ireland, and is also found in the United States, England and Australia.
Is there a Burns coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals, not whole surnames, so there is no single Burns crest. Herald Lab paints a personalized Burns coat of arms based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: George F. Black, The Surnames of Scotland (New York Public Library, 1946); MacLysaght, The Surnames of Ireland; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford); US Census Bureau 2010.