# Bourke

> English word · Proper noun · IPA /bɜːk/ · frequency rank #30,707

## Definitions
1. A topographical surname from Anglo-Norman for someone who lived in a fortified place.
2. A town and local government area (Bourke Shire) in north-west New South Wales, Australia, named after Sir Richard Bourke.

## Etymology
From an Anglo-Norman pronunciation of burgh.

## Easily confused with
- **burke** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bourke-vs-burke)
- **burka** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bourke-vs-burka)
- **bourne** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bourke-vs-bourne)
- **bore** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bore-vs-bourke)
- **borne** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/borne-vs-bourke)
- **bounce** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bounce-vs-bourke)

## Common misspellings (8)
`bbourke`, `boruke`, `boukre`, `bourek`, `bourkke`, `bourrke`, `buorke`, `oburke`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/bourke