- He had twelve children by four women: Robert Burns, born 3 September 1786; Jean Burns, born 3 September 1786; unnamed twins who died in infancy, born 9 March 1788; Francis Wallace Burns, born 18 August 1789; William Nicol Burns, born 9 April 1791; Elizabeth Riddell Burns, born 21 November 1792; James Glencairn Burns, born 12 August 1794; and Maxwell Burns, born 25 July 1796, by his wife Jean Armour. Elizabeth Burns, born 22 May 1785, by Elizabeth Paston. Robert Burns, born November 1788, by Janet Clow. Elizabeth Burns, born 31 March 1791, by Ann Park.
- Because of his legendary alcoholism, he is one of several famous and tragic figures from history to be featured on the sleeve artwork of the album "Clutching at Straws" by rock band Marillion (released in 1987).
- Although one of Scotland's greatest cultural figures, he was also defined by historian Michael Fry as a "drunk, misogynistic, racist philanderer".
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