John Burke (1787-1848)

John Burke (1787–1848) was an Irish genealogist, and the original publisher of Burke's Peerage. He was the father of Sir John Bernard Burke, a British officer of arms and genealogist.

In 1826 he published Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the United Kingdom, better known by its modern name of Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage. That was followed by the first edition of his Burke's Extinct and Dormant Peerage.

Between 1833 and 1835 he produced four volumes entitled A Genealogical and Heraldic History of The Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland. About this time he commenced work, with John Bernard Burke, on the two volumes entitled The Royal Families of England, Scotland, and Wales, with their Descendants &c., but which were not published until after his death (volume 1 in 1848, volume 2 in 1851).