Finlay Surname

21,831st
Most Common
surname in the World

Approximately 24,909 people bear this surname

Most prevalent in:
Australia
Highest density in:
Northern Ireland

Finlay Surname Definition:

The same as Finlay, which see, with intrusive d.

Finlay Surname Distribution Map

By incidenceBy frequencyBy rank
Incidence (high to low)Incidence (low to high)Alphabetic A-ZAlphabetic Z-ARank (high to low)Rank (low to high)
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
Australia4,7651:5,665826
United States4,3251:83,8069,494
England4,1161:13,5371,997
Canada3,4251:10,7581,617
Scotland2,3701:2,259417
Northern Ireland1,9351:954187
Ireland1,6081:2,928540
New Zealand1,0521:4,304675
South Africa6051:89,55010,968
Wales1301:23,8042,501
Jamaica771:37,2722,513
Thailand621:1,139,328167,850
France321:2,075,710171,237
Germany291:2,776,050134,833
Zimbabwe291:532,35342,865
Chile231:765,93416,989
Venezuela231:1,313,22118,235
Panama231:170,0985,250
Isle of Man231:3,731815
Netherlands181:938,17663,634
Singapore171:323,98313,856
Honduras161:551,0283,526
Brazil151:14,271,622267,944
Grenada131:8,349750
China131:105,178,5825,529
Spain121:3,896,00372,236
Colombia121:3,981,17316,511
Qatar121:196,50026,891
Cuba101:1,152,2726,837
Jersey101:9,9202,003
Sweden81:1,230,84590,587
Indonesia71:18,892,742520,071
Philippines61:16,873,037249,062
Trinidad and Tobago61:227,32910,175
Denmark61:940,78647,603
Russia51:28,824,611530,332
Kenya51:9,235,98055,978
Bermuda51:13,0561,849
Belgium41:2,874,161111,046
Japan31:42,614,76459,022
Pakistan31:59,547,962132,569
Norway31:1,714,09579,528
Papua New Guinea31:2,717,906153,458
Hong Kong31:2,445,1619,595
South Korea21:25,620,1284,175
United Arab Emirates21:4,581,13693,443
Israel21:4,278,817136,311
India21:383,532,6911,645,216
Haiti21:5,341,95421,336
Ecuador21:7,952,92334,269
Turkey11:77,821,422191,047
Vanuatu11:263,2762,086
Zambia11:15,849,92253,989
Taiwan11:23,444,74693,622
Switzerland11:8,212,915156,297
Barbados11:287,4482,772
Bahamas11:391,7512,737
Aruba11:103,4772,586
Cameroon11:20,769,068227,406
Andorra11:83,8382,381
Lebanon11:5,637,08332,436
Cape Verde11:529,6426,792
Cayman Islands11:63,8932,384
Czechia11:10,633,469206,023
Dominican Republic11:10,432,93236,508
Bulgaria11:6,978,90586,260
Ghana11:27,020,69223,742
Greece11:11,079,790145,225
Iraq11:35,021,65431,813
Italy11:61,156,688199,583
Sierra Leone11:7,089,6311,533
Malaysia11:29,494,225409,885
Malta11:430,2723,380
Mexico11:124,126,205103,776
Myanmar11:51,937,9852,166
New Caledonia11:276,22310,363
Nicaragua11:6,021,0908,768
Puerto Rico11:3,550,1399,109
Romania11:20,077,87089,414
Saudi Arabia11:30,855,81763,028
Show All Nations
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
Ireland2,3451:1,889365
Incidence (high to low)Incidence (low to high)Alphabetic A-ZAlphabetic Z-ARank (high to low)Rank (low to high)
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
Scotland2,0421:1,833336
England1,0531:23,1483,226
Wales81:196,0527,186
Jersey11:51,8823,898
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States6601:76,0898,089

Finlay (3,059) may also be a first name.

Finlay Surname Meaning

From Where Does The Surname Originate? meaning and history

The same as Finlay, which see, with intrusive d.

— The Surnames of Scotland (1946) by George Fraser Black (1866-1948)

Gaelic Fionnlagh, less correctly Fionnladh and Fionnla. In the Gaelic genealogical MS. of 1467 the name occurs in the genitive as Finlaeic, and in the Duan Albanach, an old poetical chronicle of the kings of Dalriada (c. 1070, though in text of later date) as Fionnlaoich. In the Book of Leinster the name of Macbeth's father is spelled Findlaech (1070), and in Marianus Scotus (c. 1080, but text of later date) Finnloech. In the Norse chronicle known as the Flateyjtirbok his name is spelled Finnleikr, the name being understood by the Norsemen as meaning in their language "Finn's game or sport." The name is generally explained as 'Fair hero,' from fionn 'white,' 'fair,' and laoch, 'hero,' Old Irish laech (which is borrowed from Latin laicus). The name has been also explained as a substitution for or popular rendering of Fionnlugh, earlier Find-lug, meaning 'Fair one of (the god) Lug.' Finlay is a not uncommon name in early Scots records. Fynlayus, clericus, witnessed a charter by Alexander filius Walteri, senescallus, 1246 (RMP., p. 89). Fynlai, 'sutor,' was prepositus (provost) of Stirling, 1327 (ER., I, p. 67). Fyndlaw, thane of Glentilt, leased the lands of Enirvak in 1480 (Cupar-Angus, I, p. 231). Andrew Fyndelai, chaplain of Brechin in 1526, appears again in 1537 as Andrew Finlaius, presbyter of St. Andrews' diocese (REB., II, 180,192). Robert Finlaw in Leith accepts the king's coronation, 1567 (RPC., I, p. 563). John Phinlaw was retoured heir of James Phinlaw, portioner of Balcristie, his brother-german, in 1629, and Arthur Finlau was retoured heir of Andrew Fynlaw, portioner of Balcrystie in same year (Retours, Fife, 419,424). John Findlo, burgess of Montrose, died 1639 (Jervise, II, p. 223). Andrew Finlaw in Langton, 1734 (Kirkcudbright). In the Lewis the fairies are, for some unknown reason, called in Gaelic Muinntir Fhionlaidh, 'Finlay's people' (Rev. Malcolm Ma'cphail, Folklore, XI, p. 442). Findlaw 1599, Findlow 1702, Fyndelay 1526, Fyndlae 1594, Fyndlla 1597.

— The Surnames of Scotland (1946) by George Fraser Black (1866-1948)

(Celtic) Fair Soldier or Fionn’s Soldier [Irish and Gaelic Fionnlaoch —v. Finn (Celtic) and + laoch, a soldier, hero]

— Surnames of the United Kingdom (1912) by Henry Harrison

(Scottish) Descendant of Fionnla (fair hero); one who came from Findlay (clear calf), in Scotland.

— Dictionary of American Family Names (1956) by Elsdon Coles Smith

An ancient Scottish personal name, said to be the same as Kinlay.

— Patronymica Britannica (1860) by Mark Antony Lower

From Finningley; a location name in Nottinghamshire.

— British Family Names: Their Origin and Meaning (1903) by Henry Barber
DNA test information
Display Statistics on:

Finlay Demographics

Finlay Religious Adherence
in Ireland

Sample size: 2,341 (1901)

Religious Adherence
in Ireland

View the most religious surnames in Ireland

Finlay Last Name Facts

Where Does The Last Name Finlay Come From? nationality or country of origin

The last name Finlay is more frequently found in Australia than any other country/territory. It can be rendered as a variant:. For other potential spellings of Finlay click here.

How Common Is The Last Name Finlay? popularity and diffusion

The surname Finlay is the 21,831st most common family name on earth, borne by approximately 1 in 292,567 people. The last name occurs mostly in Europe, where 41 percent of Finlay are found; 41 percent are found in Northern Europe and 41 percent are found in British Isles. Finlay is also the 130,503rd most commonly occurring first name world-wide, borne by 3,059 people.

This last name is most numerous in Australia, where it is carried by 4,765 people, or 1 in 5,665. In Australia Finlay is most common in: New South Wales, where 30 percent are found, Victoria, where 28 percent are found and Queensland, where 20 percent are found. Besides Australia this surname exists in 79 countries. It also occurs in The United States, where 17 percent are found and England, where 17 percent are found.

Finlay Family Population Trend historical fluctuation

The incidence of Finlay has changed over time. In The United States the number of people bearing the Finlay surname grew 655 percent between 1880 and 2014; in England it grew 391 percent between 1881 and 2014; in Scotland it grew 116 percent between 1881 and 2014; in Ireland it declined 31 percent between 1901 and 2014 and in Wales it grew 1,625 percent between 1881 and 2014.

Finlay Last Name Statistics demography

The religious adherence of those holding the Finlay surname is principally Presbyterian (44%) in Ireland.

In The United States Finlay are 9.47% more likely to be registered Republicans than the national average, with 56.24% registered to vote for the party.

The amount Finlay earn in different countries varies greatly. In South Africa they earn 54.47% more than the national average, earning R 367,080 per year; in Colombia they earn 22.94% less than the national average, earning $17,494,000 COP per year; in United States they earn 15.78% more than the national average, earning $49,957 USD per year and in Canada they earn 12.92% more than the national average, earning $56,103 CAD per year.

Phonetically Similar Names

Incidence (high to low)Incidence (low to high)Alphabetic A-ZAlphabetic Z-ASimilarity (high to low)Similarity (low to high)Prevalent jurisdiction A-ZPrevalent jurisdiction Z-A
SurnameSimilarityWorldwide IncidencePrevalency
Finlays928/
Finnlay923/
Finlayd921/
Finly9175/
Finla917/
Finley8354,888/
Finlea838/
Fenlay836/
Finnly834/
Finlya831/
Finlla831/
Finlat831/
Fionly831/
Finluy831/
Finlaz831/
Fimlay831/
Vinlay831/
Finlly830/
Finlah830/
Finloy830/
Fnla801/
Finnley7745/
Fienley776/
Finlass774/
Finleya772/
Finlley772/
Finnlla771/
Finloey771/
Finloyd770/
Finleiy770/
Fenly73711/
Finle7328/
Finli7317/
Fynly731/
Fnley731/
Fønly731/
Vinla730/
Finnelly71138/
Finnlley711/
Vienllay711/
Finnilly710/
Fenley672,259/
Phinla67160/
Fenlai6764/
Finlez6757/
Finlis6726/
Finlip6714/
Vinley6711/
Finlio679/
Fimley678/
Finler677/
Finnelley675/
Finlee674/
Finleu673/
Fenliy673/
Fenlah673/
Finnle672/
Finlli671/
Feenly671/
Finlej671/
Fenlys671/
Fenlly671/
Fynley671/
Fenloy671/
Finlet670/
Finlie670/
Phinly670/
Fennly670/
Femlay670/
Show All Similar Surnames

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Finlay Reference & Research

Findley DNA Website - A web page dedicated to the genetic research of those who bear the surname and its variants.

Findley FamilyTree DNA Project - A description of a group researching the paternal lines of men who bear the surname with the help of DNA analysis.

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Footnotes

  • Surnames are taken as the first part of an person's inherited family name, caste, clan name or in some cases patronymic
  • Descriptions may contain details on the name's etymology, origin, ethnicity and history. They are largely reproduced from 3rd party sources; diligence is advised on accepting their validity - more information
  • Name distribution statistics are generated from a global database of over 4 billion people - more information
  • Heatmap: Dark red means there is a higher occurrence of the name, transitioning to light yellow signifies a progressively lower occurrence. Clicking on selected countries will show mapping at a regional level
  • Rank: Name are ranked by incidence using the ordinal ranking method; the name that occurs the most is assigned a rank of 1; name that occur less frequently receive an incremented rank; if two or more name occur the same number of times they are assigned the same rank and successive rank is incremented by the total preceeding names
  • Ethnic group cannot necessarily be determined by geographic occurrence
  • Similar: Names listed in the "Similar" section are phonetically similar and may not have any relation to Finlay
  • To find out more about this surname's family history, lookup records on Family​Search, My​Heritage, FindMyPast and Ancestry. Further information may be obtained by DNA analysis