Explore the Family Name Finley
The meaning of Finley
1. Scottish and Irish: from the Gaelic personal name Fionnlagh (Old Irish Findlaech), from fionn ‘white, fair’ (see Finn) + laoch ‘hero’, reinforced by an Old Norse name based on finn ‘Finn’ + leikr ‘fight’ or ‘hero’. The name is common in Ireland as well as Scotland. 2. English: habitational name from one or more lost, unidentified or altered placenames so named, such as Philleyholme, Dorset (recorded as Finelegh in 1280) derived from Old English fīna ‘wood-pecker’ + lēah ‘woodland clearing’. Also a variant of Findlow, from Finlow Hill in Over Alderley, Cheshire (from Old English fīn ‘heap’ + hlāw ‘mound, hill’ meaning ‘heaped mound’).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Finley in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Finley had a slight decline between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 854th in terms of popularity, but by 2010, it had dropped to 922nd, representing a decrease of around 7.96%. However, despite this drop in rank, the actual count of individuals with the Finley surname increased from 36,874 to 37,672 during this period, which translates to a 2.16% rise. The proportion per 100k people also saw a decrease from 13.67 to 12.77.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #854 | #922 | -7.96% |
| Count | 36,874 | 37,672 | 2.16% |
| Proportion per 100k | 13.67 | 12.77 | -6.58% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Finley
When looking at the ethnic identity associated with the Finley surname according to the Decennial U.S. Census, there were some noticeable changes between 2000 and 2010. Individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander increased from 0.42% to 0.52%, while those identifying with two or more races rose from 1.58% to 2.24%. The percentage of White individuals with the Finley surname decreased slightly from 74.74% to 72.30%. In contrast, the Hispanic population experienced a significant increase from 1.41% to 2.36%. Black individuals with the surname Finley also saw an increase from 20.65% to 21.35%, and those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native went up from 1.20% to 1.24%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 74.74% | 72.3% | -3.26% |
| Black | 20.65% | 21.35% | 3.39% |
| Hispanic | 1.41% | 2.36% | 67.38% |
| Two or More Races | 1.58% | 2.24% | 41.77% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.2% | 1.24% | 3.33% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.42% | 0.52% | 23.81% |
Finley ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Finley is British & Irish, which comprises 54.8% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (20.2%) and Eastern European (3.9%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Nigerian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Indigenous American.
Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe
| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 54.8% |
| French & German | 20.2% |
| Eastern European | 3.9% |
| Other | 21.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Finley
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Finley have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 83.80% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 83.70% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 83.60% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 83.10% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 82.90% |
What Finley haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Finley is R-L719, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L719 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-DF5 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Smith, Walker, Brown, West, Taylor, Green, Thompson, Thomas, White, Edwards.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Finley surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Finley have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Finley" Surname 43.0%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Finley" Surname 33.2%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Finley" Surname 25.8%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Finley" Surname 16.7%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Finley?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Finley are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition