Welcome to the Burkholder Surname Research Project

Burkholder is a surname with many variants such as Borcholder, Borcholter, Borckholder, Borgholder, Borkholder, Burckhalter, Burckholdr, Burgholder, Burgholdter, Burkhalter and Burkholder. Swiss form: Burkhalter. The Swiss form of Burkholder came from Langnau and Ruderswyl, Emmental Valley, Canton Bern, Switzerland.  Notable Burkholders can be found listed on Wikipedia.

Burkholder's have deep Anabaptist roots. The lineage's background, trials and immigration into the US during the colonial period are described by Gameo. This family was among the early protestants and also non-conformists of the Reformed Church.

Hence they were at variance with both the government and the established church in Switzerland. They suffered all kinds of persecutions but held to their convictions. Some were sold to the Italian galleys, some were imprisoned, some were executed, many were exiled to other countries and when the migrations to America began in 1709 they came direct from Switzerland to the the US. 

From an etymological view the name has its roots in the Middle High German elements burc  ‘castle’ (originally also ‘protection’) + halter from halde ‘slope’, hence a name for someone living by a castle or fortified town.