Burslem is on the Trent and Mersey Canal and has three Railway Stations Burslem, Longport, and Cobridge, on the North Staffordshire lines. It is in the North-West Division of the County, North Pirehill Hundred and Petty Sessional Division, Wolstanton and Burslem Union, County Court District of Burslem, Rural Deanery of Hanley, Archdeaconry of Stoke-upon-Trent, and Diocese of Lichfield.

It is an ancient Chapelry, and occurs in Domesday as Barcardeslim and in various records and charters as Borewardeslyme, Burewardesley-lime, Burwardeslime, Burwareslem, and Burdeslem. Mr. W. H. Duignan, in his notes on "Staffordshire Place-names," gives the derivation as (Anglo-Saxon) Burhweardes-hlimme Burhweard's stream. At the Domesday Survey, Ulviet held it under Robert de Stafford as one-third of a hide; one villein with four bordars had a single plough team, and there were two acres of alder, or willow trees ; Alward had owned it T.R.E.; los. was the yearly value. It was originally an independent manor, but became united with Tunstall by the Lords Audley.