Burkey
Burkey is most likely a spelling variant of Burger or another Germanic name beginning with Burk-, often tied to a place name or the element meaning “castle.”
The #7,624 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 70,911 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The available evidence points to Burkey as a variant spelling in the German surname family Burk-/Burg-, rather than a name with a separate, well-established origin of its own. In German surname formation, Burger can refer to someone from a town or burg, and Burk- names often go back to Burg, meaning “castle,” or to related forms built on that element. The ending -ey likely reflects later spelling variation in English-speaking countries rather than a distinct original meaning.
History
This surname appears in immigrant and American records as a phonetic or Anglicized spelling alongside related forms such as Burger, Burki, and Burkhart. Because the historical excerpt only mentions Burkey in passing, the exact line of descent cannot be pinned down from the source alone. In the United States, Burkey has remained relatively uncommon and is often treated as part of the broader Burk-/Burg surname cluster.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The surname cluster behind Burkey is linked to one of the most common Germanic naming roots: burg, meaning “castle” or “fortified place.”
From the historical record
“Burger, p. 311 Burkey = Burki, Burkhalder, pp. 304, 314 Burkhart, p. 304”
— Studies in Pennsylvania German Family Names