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

Finks, 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 Finks surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Finks in America

Finks is the 28650th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Finks surname appeared 832 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 Finks.

We can also compare 2010 data for Finks 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 Finks

The surname FINKS is of German origin, derived from the Middle High German word "vinke," meaning "finch." This name likely originated in the 14th or 15th century as a nickname for someone with a resemblance to the small bird or perhaps for a person who kept finches as pets.

The earliest recorded instance of the name FINKS can be traced back to the town of Finkenberg in Bavaria, Germany, where a family bearing this surname resided in the late 15th century. Johannes Finks, a farmer from Finkenberg, is mentioned in local tax records from 1487.

In the 16th century, the FINKS name appeared in various parts of Germany, particularly in the regions of Saxony and Württemberg. Notable individuals from this period include Hans Finks, a Lutheran pastor in Erfurt, Saxony, who lived from 1520 to 1585, and Georg Finks, a merchant from Stuttgart, Württemberg, born in 1542.

During the 17th century, the FINKS surname spread to other parts of Europe as Germans migrated to neighboring countries. In the Netherlands, a family of FINKS settled in Amsterdam, where Pieter Finks, a successful trader, was born in 1628.

As German immigrants began arriving in North America in the 18th and 19th centuries, the FINKS name was carried to the New World. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of Johann Finks, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1738.

In the 19th century, Jakob Finks (1813-1892), a German-American farmer and politician from Ohio, gained prominence as a member of the Ohio State Senate. Another notable figure was Heinrich Finks (1835-1912), a German-born engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of early automobiles and motorcycles.

Throughout its history, the FINKS surname has been associated with various occupations and professions, from farmers and merchants to clergy and inventors, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who have borne this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Finks

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

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

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

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