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

Fink, 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 Fink surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fink in America

Fink is the 1232nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fink surname appeared 28,701 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 10 people would have the surname Fink.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fink 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 Fink

The surname Fink has its origins in Germany, where it first emerged in the Middle Ages, around the 12th century. The name is derived from the German word "finke," which means "finch," a type of small songbird. It is believed that the name was originally a nickname given to someone who had a physical resemblance to the bird or perhaps someone who was known for their fondness for finches.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Fink name can be found in the Codex Traditionum Corbeiensium, a medieval cartulary from the Benedictine abbey of Corvey in Germany, dated around 1199. This document mentions a person named "Volcmarus Finc," indicating the presence of the name in that region during the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Finke" and "Fincke," in different parts of Germany, including Saxony, Thuringia, and Silesia. These regional variations in spelling were common during that time period.

Among the notable individuals who bore the surname Fink throughout history are Wilhelm Fink (1571-1638), a German writer and theologian known for his works on Protestant theology; Friedrich Fink (1718-1766), a German composer and organist who served at the court of Frederick the Great in Prussia; and Eugen Fink (1905-1975), a German philosopher who was a student of Edmund Husserl and contributed significantly to the field of phenomenology.

Another prominent figure with the Fink surname was Hans Fink (1910-1992), a German painter and graphic artist who was part of the Expressionist movement. His works are known for their bold colors and abstract forms, reflecting the turbulent times in which he lived.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the Fink name can be traced back to Johann Peter Fink, a German immigrant who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1737. He and his family settled in the area that is now known as Finksburg, Maryland, which was named after them.

Throughout history, the Fink surname has been associated with various professions and disciplines, including art, music, philosophy, and theology. While the name originated as a nickname based on physical characteristics or a fondness for finches, it has evolved to represent a diverse array of individuals and their contributions to society.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fink

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

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 Fink 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 Fink 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 Fink was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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