Burnstein

Burnstein (often misspelled Bernstein) is a surname of Ashkenazi Jewish origin. It is a variant of Bernstein, a German surname meaning "amber stone." The name likely originated as a descriptive name for someone who traded in or worked with amber, or possibly as a topographic name for someone who lived near a place where amber was found.

The name Burnstein, like Bernstein, is found among Jewish communities throughout Europe and later in countries where Jewish emigrants settled, particularly in North America and Israel.

The difference in spelling between Burnstein and Bernstein is generally attributed to variations in transliteration from Yiddish or Hebrew to English, or to errors in record-keeping over time. While "Bernstein" is the more common spelling, "Burnstein" represents a legitimate and recognized variant.