McBurney

McBurney is a surname of likely Scottish origin that has appeared in English-language records in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and other English-speaking regions. It is used by people in a variety of occupations and has been borne by figures in medicine, academia, politics and the arts, among other fields. The surname is most commonly encountered in North America today, though its precise regional distribution varies over time.

In medicine, the term McBurney's point refers to a surface landmark on the abdomen associated with the evaluation of suspected appendicitis. The point lies on a line between the umbilicus and the anterior superior iliac spine, approximately one-third of the distance from the iliac spine toward the umbilicus. Tenderness at or near this location has historically supported the diagnosis of appendiceal inflammation, a link that led to the eponym McBurney’s point. The concept is named for Charles McBurney, an American surgeon who described the landmark. While it remains part of medical history and education, modern diagnostic practice relies on a combination of clinical assessment and imaging, rather than a single fixed point.

Overall, McBurney reflects a family name with roots in earlier European surnames, and it persists in contemporary usage both as a personal name and as a historical term in medicine.