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

Finkley, 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 Finkley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Finkley in America

Finkley is the 37229th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Finkley surname appeared 599 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Finkley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Finkley 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 Finkley

The surname Finkley has its origins in England, with the earliest records dating back to the 13th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English words "finc," meaning a type of small bird, and "leah," which refers to a meadow or clearing. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a meadow frequented by finches or other small birds.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Finkley can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275, where a Roger de Fynkeleye is mentioned. This variation of the spelling indicates that the name was likely associated with a particular place, possibly a settlement or manor called Finkley or something similar.

In the 14th century, the Finkley surname appeared in various tax and court records across the Midlands and southern England. For example, a John Fynkeley is listed in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1332, while a Thomas Fynkley is mentioned in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1380.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name continued to be found primarily in the counties of Worcestershire, Warwickshire, and Gloucestershire, suggesting a strong regional concentration. Notable individuals from this period include William Finkley, a landowner in Warwickshire who was born in 1578 and died in 1642.

As the centuries progressed, the Finkley name spread to other parts of England, and variations in spelling became more common. In the 18th century, a prominent member of the family was John Finkley (1702-1789), a successful merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol.

One of the most notable figures in Finkley history was Sir Thomas Finkley (1822-1901), a renowned architect and civil engineer who was responsible for the design of several iconic buildings and bridges in London and other parts of England.

Other individuals of note include Charles Finkley (1856-1932), a respected author and journalist who wrote extensively on historical and cultural topics, and Mary Finkley (1874-1948), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights in education.

While the Finkley surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through emigration to the United States, Canada, and Australia in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Finkley

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

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

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

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