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

Finnie, 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 Finnie surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Finnie in America

Finnie is the 16343rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Finnie surname appeared 1,763 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Finnie.

We can also compare 2010 data for Finnie 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 Finnie

The surname Finnie originated in Scotland, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Gaelic word "fionn," meaning "fair-haired" or "white." This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a descriptive nickname for someone with fair or blonde hair.

The earliest known bearer of the name was Gillebride Fynyn, who was recorded in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1265. The name was also found in various Scottish records, such as the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England.

In the 16th century, the name appeared in the form "Finny" in the Scottish Highlands. This spelling variation was likely influenced by the Gaelic pronunciation of the name. One notable bearer was Donald Finny, a Scottish soldier who fought in the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh in 1547 against the English.

The surname Finnie also has connections to various place names in Scotland. For instance, the village of Finnie in Moray, Scotland, may have derived its name from the same Gaelic root as the surname. This suggests that the surname could have originated from a geographic location rather than a personal characteristic.

Among the notable individuals with the surname Finnie throughout history:

1. Alexander Finnie (1819-1894), a Scottish-born American businessman and banker who co-founded the First National Bank of Cincinnati.
2. John Finnie (1829-1915), a Scottish-born architect who designed several notable buildings in Melbourne, Australia, including the Scots' Church and the Windsor Hotel.
3. Nora Finnie (1880-1957), a Scottish artist and painter known for her landscape and still-life paintings.
4. Donald Finnie (1896-1977), a Scottish footballer who played as a forward for several clubs, including Motherwell and Hibernian.
5. David Finnie (1935-2022), a Scottish mathematician and physicist who made significant contributions to the field of computational fluid dynamics.

The surname Finnie has a rich history deeply rooted in Scotland, with various theories surrounding its origins and meanings. While the exact derivation remains uncertain, the name's enduring presence across centuries highlights its significance in Scottish heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Finnie

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

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

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

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