2000
#138,741
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Finewood
A surname denoting someone living near or associated with a fine or elegant forest.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 118 Americans carry the last name Finewood. That puts it at #154,182 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,904,698 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Finewood 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
118
1 in 2,904,698
Census rank
#154,182
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
103
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 103 bearers of the surname Finewood in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154182nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Finewood, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Finewood
The surname FINEWOOD is of English origin, emerging in the late medieval period around the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words "fīnen" meaning pine tree and "wudu" meaning wood, suggesting that the name originally referred to someone who lived near or worked in a pine forest.
The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279, where it appears as "Fynewode". This spelling variation highlights the name's connection to a specific location, possibly a pine wood or forest.
During the 14th century, the name appeared in various legal documents and records, such as the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where it was documented as "Fynewode" in 1317. This suggests that the name was relatively widespread across different regions of England.
One notable historical figure bearing the FINEWOOD surname was Sir John Finewood (c.1450-1519), a prominent merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London. He served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1494 and was known for his philanthropic efforts, including the establishment of a free school in the city.
Another individual of historical significance was Elizabeth Finewood (c.1520-1580), a renowned herbalist and apothecary from Stratford-upon-Avon. Her expertise in medicinal plants and remedies made her a respected figure in her local community.
In the 17th century, the name was recorded in the parish registers of St. Mary's Church in Chelmsford, Essex, where a William Finewood was baptized in 1632. This indicates the continued presence of the FINEWOOD surname in various parts of England.
A notable figure from the 18th century was Thomas Finewood (1712-1788), a prominent architect and surveyor who was responsible for designing several churches and public buildings in London and the surrounding areas.
Another individual of significance was Mary Finewood (1745-1825), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's education. She established one of the first schools for girls in the city of Bristol, which provided education opportunities for underprivileged young women.
Throughout its history, the FINEWOOD surname has been associated with various occupations, from merchants and tradesmen to professionals and academics. While its origins are rooted in the English countryside, the name has since spread across the globe, carried by families and individuals who have made their mark in diverse fields.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Finewood
Among Census respondents with the surname Finewood, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Finewood 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 Finewood surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.3% · 94
- Two or more races5.8% · 6
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 2
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Finewood
Finewood appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#144,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
+4 bearers (+3.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 5,400 places
2020
#154,182
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-12 bearers (-10.4%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 10,041 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #138,741 | 111 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.6%) | Down 5,400 places |
| 2020 | #154,182 | 103 | 0.03 | -12 bearers (-10.4%) | Down 10,041 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 Finewood 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 | #144,141 | #154,182 | -7.0% |
| Count | 115 | 103 | -10.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Finewood bearers went from 115 to 103 (-10.4% change). The surname moved down 10,041 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #154,182.
FAQ
Finewood surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Finewood?
Name Census estimates that about 118 living Americans carry the surname Finewood. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,904,698 residents.
How common is Finewood?
Finewood ranks #154,182 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 103 people with the surname Finewood. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (118), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Finewood.
Has Finewood become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Finewood went from 115 recorded bearers to 103. That is a decrease of 12 (-10.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #144,141 to #154,182.
What does the Census say about the background of Finewood?
Among Census respondents with the surname Finewood, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%). 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 Finewood in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.3% (94 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Finewood appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.3%), Two or More Races (5.8%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%). 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 Finewood (2000, 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 Finewood mean?
A surname denoting someone living near or associated with a fine or elegant forest. 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 Finewood (0.03 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 last name Finewood?
Find out how many people are called Finewood on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.