Only son of the late Sir William Chaloner Burnaby, Bart, by Elizabeth, second daughter of Crisp Molineaux, of Garboldisham, co. Norfolk, Esq., and grandson of the late Admiral Sir William Burnaby, successively commander-in-chief at the Leeward Islands and Jamaica, who died in 1770.

This officer was made a lieutenant, into the Jason frigate, Nov. 3d, 1809; appointed to the Junon 38, Captain James Sanders, on the Halifax station, Feb. 2d, 1813; and promoted to the command of the Ardent prison ship, at Bermuda, May 26th, 1814. He married, May 2d, 1816, the widow of Joseph Wood, Esq. of Bermuda.