Burger is a West Germanic surname. It is the Dutch and Afrikaans word for 'freeman' or 'citizen' (German Bürger, Low German Börger) and the surname is equivalent to the English surname Burgess. In Dutch and German speaking countries it may be a toponymic surname, indicating origin from any of a number of towns ending in -burg. Notable people with the surname include:
Academics
Artur Burger (1943–2000), Austrian pharmacist and pharmacognosist
Barbara Burger, American chemist
Boštjan Burger (born 1966), Slovenian informatician, geographer, and panoramic photographer Dionys Burger (1892–1987), Dutch physicist and science fiction author Edward Burger (born 1964), American mathematician and university president (1877–1916), German art historian Harald Burger (born 1940), German linguist Heinrich Bürger (Burger) (1806–1858), German/Dutch chemist and botanist Herman Carel Burger (1893–1965), Dutch biophysicist Joachim Burger (born 1969), German anthropologist and molecular biologist (1773–1842), Austrian agronomist Richard L. Burger (born 1950), American archaeologist and anthropologist Ronna Burger (born 1947), American philosopher Rudolf Burger (1938–2021), Austrian philosopher William Carl Burger (born 1932), American botanist
Arts and writers
Alex Burger (born 1972), American playwright and screenwriter
Anthony Burger (1961–2006), American gospel pianist and singer
Anton Burger (1824-1905), German painter
Carl Burger (1888–1967), American writer and illustrator
Claire Burger, French film director, film editor and screenwriter
Cody Burger (born 1983), American former child actor
Dai Burger, American rapper
Eugene Burger (1939–2017), American magician
(1882–1969), German painter and graphic designer
Gary Burger (1942–2014), American rock musician
Germain Burger (1900–1985), British cinematographer and film director
Hanuš Burger (1909–1990), Czech film director
Hermann Burger (1942–1989), Swiss poet, novelist and essayist
Janez Burger (born 1965), Slovene film director, screenwriter and producer. Johann Burger (1829–1912), Swiss engraver Jörg Burger (born 1962), German music producer Ludwig Burger (1825–1884), German historical painter and illustrator Markus Burger (born 1966), German pianist, composer and music educator Neil Burger, American film director Rob Burger, American accordionist, keyboardist and music director Werner Carl Burger (1925 - 2023), German painter Wilhelm J. Burger (1844–1920), Austrian photographer and painter Willi Burger (born 1934), Italian harmonica player
Politics and law
Anna Burger (born 1950), American union leader
(1804-1873), Austrian jurist and politician
Jaap Burger (1904–1986), Dutch politician and government minister
John Burger (1916–2005), American politician, businessman, and lawyer
Karen Arnold-Burger (born 1957), American Chief Judge of the Kansas Court of Appeals Sarah Burger Stearns (1836–1904), American social reformer and suffragist Schalk Willem Burger (1852–1918), South African military leader and acting President Warren E. Burger (1907–1995), 15th Chief Justice of the United States