An English and German surname, Burris comes from the Old English term ‘beorg’ which meant high ground such as a mountain, mound or hill. The Old High German term of ‘berg’ also meant a hill. The spelling variations for Burris include Burrus, Burhouse, Burrows, Burroughes and Burriss. In England the Burris surname is scattered in all directions across the country and into Wales. Those areas with the greater percentage of individuals with the Burris name include Durham, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Northumberland, Somerset, Gloucestershire, Monmouthshire and the city of London. In Scotland most with the Burris name live in Fife and Lanarkshire counties. Within the United States the original Burris families settled in New York, Texas, California, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Indiana. Famous: Carl Burris (professional race car driver), Kurt Burris (professional football player), Ray Burris (professional baseball player), Art Burris (professional basketball player), Timothy Allen Burris (professional lute player) and Alva Burton Burris (professional baseball player and coach).