Sir John Bernard Burke, (5 January 1814 – 12 December 1892) was a British

genealogist Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their Lineage (anthropology), lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family ...

and Ulster King of Arms, who helped publish ''

Burke's Peerage Burke's Peerage Limited is a British genealogical publisher, considered an authority on the order of precedence of noble families and information on the lesser nobility of the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1826, when the Anglo-Irish genea ...

''.

Personal life

Burke, of Irish descent, was born at London and was educated in London and France. His father, John Burke (1787–1848), was also a notable genealogist who first produced, in 1826, a ''Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the United Kingdom''. This work, generally known as ''

'', was issued annually starting in 1847. While practising as a

barrister A barrister is a type of lawyer in common law jurisdiction (area), jurisdictions. Barristers mostly specialise in courtroom advocacy and litigation. Their tasks include arguing cases in courts and tribunals, drafting legal pleadings, jurisprud ...

Bernard Burke assisted his father in his genealogical work, including the two volumes entitled ''The Royal Families of England, Scotland, and Wales, with their Descendants'' &c., which were not published until after his father's death (volume 1 in 1848, volume 2 in 1851), following which he took control of his publications. In 1853 Burke was appointed Ulster King of Arms. In 1854, he was knighted. In 1855, he became Keeper of the State Papers in Ireland. After having devoted his life to genealogical studies he died in

Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...

on 12 December 1892. He was succeeded as editor of ''Burke's Peerage and Landed Gentry'' by his fourth son, Ashworth Peter Burke. Continuing his strong family tradition of

genealogy Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kin ...

and

heraldry Heraldry is a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings (known as armory), as well as related disciplines, such as vexillology, together with the study of ceremony, Imperial, royal and noble ranks, rank and genealo ...

, another of Burke's sons, Sir Henry Farnham Burke, would eventually attain the office of

Garter Principal King of Arms Garter Principal King of Arms (also Garter King of Arms or simply Garter) is the senior king of arms and officer of arms of the College of Arms, the heraldic authority with jurisdiction over England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The position has ...

Works

In addition to editing ''Burke's Peerage'' from 1847 until his death, Sir Bernard brought out several editions of a companion volume, ''

Burke's Landed Gentry ''Burke's Landed Gentry'' (originally titled ''Burke's Commoners'') is a reference work listing families in Great Britain and Ireland who have owned rural estates of some size. The work has been in existence from the first half of the 19th cen ...

'', which was first published between 1833 and 1838. In 1866 and 1883 he published editions of his father's ''Dictionary of the Peerages of England, Scotland and Ireland, extinct, dormant and in abeyance'' (earlier editions, 1831,1840, 1846); and in 1855 and 1876 editions of his ''Royal Families of England, Scotland and Wales'' (1st edition, 1847–1851). Integral to the study of

historians A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human species; as well as the ...

was the publication in 1878 (enlarged edition in 1883) of his ''Encyclopaedia of Heraldry, or General Armory of England, Scotland and Ireland'' was published in 1848. Sir Bernard's own works include: *''The Roll of Battle Abbey'' (1848) *''A Visitation of the Seats and Arms of the Noblemen and Gentlemen of Great Britain'' Vol. 1 (1852) *''The Romance of the Aristocracy'' (1855) *''The Romance of the Forum'' (1855-) *''Vicissitudes of Families'' (1883, and several earlier editions) *''The Rise of Great Families'' (1882) *''A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Colonial Gentry. Vols 1 & 2'' (1891)

Arms

References

Citations

Bibliography

External links

Burke's Peerage
website
College of Arms
website
A Visition of the Seats and Arms of the Noblemen and Gentlemen of Great Britain, Vol. 1.
Digitised Book {{DEFAULTSORT:Burke, John Bernard 1814 births 1892 deaths Bernard English genealogists Irish officers of arms Companions of the Order of the Bath Knights Bachelor Writers from Dublin (city) Writers from London