Of pre medieval French origins, this famous surname is widely recorded in the United Kingdom in many different forms some far removed from the origin. These include Burgoin, Burgoyne, Burgan, Burgen, Burgin, Burgham, Burgum, Burgyn and possibly others. It is both locational and nationalistic. First introduced by followers of Duke William of Normandy, later to be known to history as "The Conqueror", at his invasion of England in 1066, it derives from the ancient word "Bourgogne", often anglicized as Burgundy. As such it describes a person from that region of Eastern France. The derivation is from a German Gaulish tribe called the Burgundii, who invaded the area in circa 480 a.d. The surname is distinguished by being first recorded in the famous Domesday Book of England in 1086, when Walter Burgoin was granted lands in the county of Devonshire. In Scotland the earliest recorded namebearer was Robert Burgonensis, who according to the ancient rolls of Scotland known as "Cartarum prioratus Sancti Andrew", was in 1128, accused of rapacity by the monks of St. Serf's island, Loch Leven! Less contentiously Adam de Burgoine appears in the Subsidy Tax register of the city of London in 1319, Elizabeth de Burgon, is recorded in the Poll Tax Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379, Thomas Burgane held lands in Innerkethin, Scotland, in the year 1500, and John Burgum married Anna Bull at St Katherines by the Tower (of London) on February 5th 1679. General John Burgoyne who was both an author and soldier, capitulated to George Washington at the battle of Saratoga in 1777. This action was to lead to the final American victory and independance. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop", often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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