How Sideburns Got Their Name

Skip to main content

User menu

• Shop
• Donate
• Search
• Log In
  • Create Account

Menu

• Education Open submenu
  • All Audiences Open submenu
    • Book Breaks
    • Citizenship Test
    • Inside the Vault
    • Self-Paced Courses
    • Browse All Resources
  • Students Open submenu
    • AP African American Studies Guide
    • AP US History Study Guide
    • History School: Summer Enrichment
    • History U: Courses for High School Students
    • History School Book Club
    • Student Opportunities
  • Teachers Open submenu
    • Lesson Plans
    • Classroom Resources
    • Elementary Curriculum
    • Spotlights on Primary Sources
    • Affiliate School Program
    • Professional Development (Academic Year)
    • Professional Development (Summer)
  • History Now: The Journal Open submenu
    • About
    • Search by Issue
    • Search by Essay
• Programs Open submenu
  • Affiliate Schools Open submenu
    • About
    • Monthly Offer (Free for Members)
    • Student Scholarships
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Master's Degree in American History Open submenu
    • Program Information
    • Courses
    • Scholarships and Financial Aid
    • Applying and Enrolling
    • Current Students
  • Hamilton Education Program Open submenu
    • Official Website
    • About
    • In-Person EduHam (NYC)
    • EduHam Online
    • Hamilton Cast Read Alongs
  • Special Initiatives Open submenu
    • Veterans Legacy Program
    • The Declaration at 250
    • Black Lives in the Founding Era
    • Celebrating American Historical Holidays
    • Spanish Influence on American History
    • Browse All Programs
• Historical Documents Open submenu
  • The Gilder Lehrman Collection Open submenu
    • About
    • Donate Items to the Collection
  • Research Open submenu
    • Search Our Catalog
    • Research Guides
    • Rights and Reproductions
  • Exhibitions Open submenu
    • See Our Documents on Display
    • Pop-Up Panel Exhibitions
    • Interactive Exhibitions Online
• Recognizing Excellence Open submenu
  • Research Fellowships Open submenu
    • College Fellowships in American History
    • Scholarly Fellowship Program
  • Student Awards Open submenu
    • Richard Gilder History Prize
    • David McCullough Essay Prizes
    • Affiliate School Scholarships
  • History Teacher of the Year Open submenu
    • About
    • Nominate a Teacher
    • State Winners
    • National Winners
  • Book Prizes Open submenu
    • About
    • Gilder Lehrman Lincoln Prize
    • George Washington Prize
    • Gilder Lehrman Military History Prize
    • Frederick Douglass Book Prize
• About Open submenu
  • About Open submenu
    • Our Mission and History
    • Annual Reports and Financials
    • Contact Information
    • Staff
  • Boards and Councils Open submenu
    • Student Advisory Council
    • Undergraduate Advisory Council
    • Teacher Advisory Council
    • Board of Trustees
    • Remembering Richard Gilder
    • President's Council
    • Scholarly Advisory Board
  • Work with Us Open submenu
    • Careers
    • Internships
    • Our Partners
  • News Open submenu
    • Press Releases

Back to News Home Share How Sideburns Got Their Name

Posted by Gilder Lehrman Staff on Tuesday, 01/26/2016

Either you love ’em or you hate ’em. Everyone has an opinion on sideburns, and few fashion choices provoke quite so much controversy.

Yet sideburns have a rich history that can be appreciated by supporters and detractors alike. Sideburns got their name from Ambrose Burnside, a Union general who sported the distinctive hairstyle. Although Burnside served briefly as the commander of the Army of the Potomac and as the first president of the National Rifle Association (NRA), he is best remembered today for his outstanding sartorial contribution. Burnside did not invent the look, but his facial hair was so famous that the term “burnsides” was coined to describe its replicas. At some point, “burnsides” became “sideburns,” perhaps because the look involved facial hair on the side of the face.

Sideburns remained popular throughout the rest of 1800s, among both military men and civilians, on both sides of the Atlantic. But the look’s prevalence declined in the early twentieth century, when cleanshavenness became the new normal. The last president to have facial hair was William Howard Taft, who was in office from 1909 to 1913.

Cleanshavenness became increasingly fashionable in the twentieth century, but the trend was initially spurred by practical considerations. During World War I, men in the military were required to shave their faces to ensure that gas masks sealed properly. Roughly around the same time, the National Tuberculosis Association (NTA) was engaged in a highly effective campaign to reduce the spread of TB by raising awareness of unsanitary habits. One such habit, according to the NTA, was growing beards. Beards might contain dried spittle infected with TB, which could be transferred to others. Sideburns largely disappeared for some time, and did not reemerge again in force until the 1960s, when they became a counterculture symbol favored by hippies and rock-&-roll bands.

Stay up to date and subscribe to our emails.

Learn how the Institute impacts history education through our work guiding teachers, energizing students, and supporting research.