2010
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Findlen
An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Fionnghaláin meaning "descendant of Fionnghalán" (a personal name).
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 139 Americans carry the last name Findlen. That puts it at #141,309 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,465,859 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Findlen surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
139
1 in 2,465,859
Census rank
#141,309
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
121
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 121 bearers of the surname Findlen in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 141309th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Findlen, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and Black (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Findlen
The surname Findlen has its origins in the Gaelic language and can be traced back to Ireland in the early Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Irish words "fionn" meaning fair or white, and "linn" meaning pool or lake, suggesting that the name may have been used to describe someone who lived near a fair or white pool or lake.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Findlen can be found in ancient Irish manuscripts and genealogical records from the 10th and 11th centuries. One notable example is the mention of a Findlen clan in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history written by monks in the late 15th century.
In the 12th century, the name appears in the Book of Leinster, a renowned medieval Irish manuscript that contains a collection of historical and literary texts. This suggests that the Findlen name was well-established in Ireland during this period.
During the Norman invasion of Ireland in the late 12th century, many Irish families, including those bearing the name Findlen, were forced to relocate to other parts of the country. This led to the dispersal of the name across various regions of Ireland.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Findlen was Fergus Findlen, a renowned Irish bard and poet who lived in the 14th century. His poetic works, which celebrated Irish culture and heritage, have been preserved in various manuscripts from that era.
Another notable figure was Eamon Findlen, a prominent Irish chieftain who lived in the 16th century during the Tudor conquest of Ireland. He was known for his resistance against the English forces and his efforts to preserve Irish traditions and customs.
In the 17th century, the name Findlen appears in records of Irish immigrants who fled to the Americas during the period of English colonization and the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland. One such individual was Seamus Findlen, who settled in the British colonies in North America in the late 1600s.
Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, the Findlen surname continued to be found in various regions of Ireland, particularly in counties such as Sligo, Mayo, and Galway. During this period, several individuals bearing the name gained recognition in various fields, including literature, politics, and academia.
One notable figure was Patrick Findlen, an Irish playwright and novelist who lived in the late 19th century. His works, which explored themes of Irish identity and the struggle for independence, were widely acclaimed and contributed to the cultural renaissance of that era.
Overall, the surname Findlen has a rich and diverse history that spans centuries and is deeply rooted in Irish heritage and culture. Its origins can be traced back to the early Middle Ages, and it has been carried by individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Findlen
Among Census respondents with the surname Findlen, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and Black (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Findlen bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Findlen surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.7% · 117
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 2
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
- Two or more races0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Findlen
Findlen appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#141,309
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
+17 bearers (+16.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 14,735 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #141,309 | 121 | 0.04 | +17 bearers (+16.3%) | Up 14,735 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Findlen surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #156,044 | #141,309 | 9.4% |
| Count | 104 | 121 | 16.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 1.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Findlen bearers went from 104 to 121 (+16.3% change). The surname moved up 14,735 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #141,309.
FAQ
Findlen surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Findlen?
Name Census estimates that about 139 living Americans carry the surname Findlen. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,465,859 residents.
How common is Findlen?
Findlen ranks #141,309 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 121 people with the surname Findlen. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (139), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Findlen.
Has Findlen become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Findlen went from 104 recorded bearers to 121. That is an increase of 17 (+16.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #141,309.
What does the Census say about the background of Findlen?
Among Census respondents with the surname Findlen, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and Black (0.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Findlen in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.7% (117 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Findlen appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.7%), Hispanic (1.7%), Black (0.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Findlen (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Findlen mean?
An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Fionnghaláin meaning "descendant of Fionnghalán" (a personal name). The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Findlen (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Findlen?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.