Find out how popular the last name Findlay is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Findlay.

Findlay, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Findlay surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Findlay in America

Findlay is the 7387th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Findlay surname appeared 4,509 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Findlay.

We can also compare 2010 data for Findlay to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Findlay

The surname Findlay originated from the Celtic region of Scotland, with records suggesting it emerged during the Middle Ages. The name stems from the Gaelic words "fionn" meaning fair or white, and "laith" meaning champion or warrior, indicating it may have been a descriptive surname for a fair-haired or light-complexioned warrior or champion.

Findlay is believed to have derived from the lands of Findlayston, a small estate near Renfrew, a town located west of Glasgow. The earliest recorded mention of the name dates back to the late 12th century, when a Randolph de Fyndlauton was documented as holding these lands.

In the early 13th century, records show a Gillebertus de Fyndlayston, whose name further reinforces the connection between the surname and the Findlayston estate. Over time, the spelling evolved from Fyndlayston to Findlay, reflecting the transition from a place name to a hereditary surname.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname Findlay was Sir John Findlay, who lived in the 14th century and served as the Lord Chamberlain of Scotland under King Robert II. Another notable figure was William Findlay (1492-1556), a Scottish theologian and reformer who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation in Scotland.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Findlay surname spread across Scotland, with various branches emerging in different regions. One prominent family line was that of the Findlays of Ayrshire, who were landowners and played an influential role in local affairs.

In the 18th century, Robert Findlay (1721-1814) was a Scottish merchant and banker who made a fortune in the East India trade and became one of the wealthiest individuals in Britain. Another notable Findlay was Alexander George Findlay (1825-1905), a Scottish-born Australian politician and Premier of Victoria from 1870 to 1871.

As the Findlay surname spread beyond Scotland, it also gained recognition in other parts of the world. One example is Jesse Franklin Findlay (1876-1942), an American politician who served as the 29th Governor of Pennsylvania from 1935 to 1939.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Findlay

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Findlay.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Findlay was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Findlay has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Findlay was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Findlay, please contact us.

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