NameCensus.

UK surname

Fincher

An occupational surname for someone who hunts small animals, particularly birds, using a finch or other small bird.

In the 1881 census there were 393 people recorded with the Fincher surname, ranking it #8,068 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 380, ranked #12,346, down from #8,068 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick, London parishes and Himbleton, Shell. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Worcester, Dudley and Southend-on-Sea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fincher is 504 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.3%.

1881 census count

393

Ranked #8,068

Modern count

380

2016, ranked #12,346

Peak year

1911

504 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fincher had 393 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,068 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 380 in 2016, ranked #12,346.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 504 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Fincher surname distribution map

The map shows where the Fincher surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Fincher surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fincher over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 272 #8,240
1861 historical 303 #8,365
1881 historical 393 #8,068
1891 historical 436 #8,262
1901 historical 479 #8,313
1911 historical 504 #7,787
1997 modern 418 #10,648
1998 modern 436 #10,663
1999 modern 440 #10,648
2000 modern 424 #10,919
2001 modern 416 #10,898
2002 modern 433 #10,780
2003 modern 421 #10,844
2004 modern 406 #11,155
2005 modern 388 #11,437
2006 modern 383 #11,600
2007 modern 373 #12,005
2008 modern 375 #12,059
2009 modern 385 #12,070
2010 modern 376 #12,548
2011 modern 358 #12,883
2012 modern 373 #12,344
2013 modern 381 #12,360
2014 modern 389 #12,258
2015 modern 387 #12,218
2016 modern 380 #12,346

Geography

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Where Finchers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick, London parishes, Himbleton, Shell, Tring and Kidderminster. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Worcester, Dudley, Southend-on-Sea and Maldon. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick Worcestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Himbleton, Shell Worcestershire
4 Tring Hertfordshire
5 Kidderminster Worcestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Worcester 009 Worcester
2 Worcester 013 Worcester
3 Dudley 013 Dudley
4 Southend-on-Sea 006 Southend-on-Sea
5 Maldon 006 Maldon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fincher

These lists show first names that appear often with the Fincher surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fincher

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Fincher, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Fincher surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Fincher household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Fincher is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Fincher is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Fincher falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Fincher is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Fincher, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Fincher

The surname Fincher has its origins in England, where it first emerged as an occupational name during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "finc," meaning finch, which was likely used as a nickname for someone with a lively or talkative nature, akin to the chattering of a finch bird.

The earliest known recording of the name Fincher can be traced back to the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "Walter le Fyncher." This document was a census of landowners in England, providing evidence of the surname's existence during this time.

In the 14th century, the name was also documented in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, where it was recorded as "Johannes Fyncher." This record suggests that the surname had spread across different regions of England by that time.

The Fincher surname has a strong association with various place names across England. For instance, in Derbyshire, there is a village called Findern, which may have been derived from the Old English words "finc" and "denu," meaning "finch valley." Similarly, in Nottinghamshire, there is a place called Fincham, which could be related to the surname.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Fincher surname. One of the earliest recorded was John Fincher, a merchant who lived in London during the 16th century. Another was Edward Fincher, a Puritan minister who emigrated to Massachusetts in the 17th century and played a significant role in the establishment of the colony.

In the 18th century, William Fincher (1720-1798) was a prominent English clockmaker known for his intricate and highly accurate timepieces. His work is still celebrated by horologists and collectors today.

The 19th century saw the birth of George Fincher (1822-1892), a British engineer and inventor who patented several important innovations in the field of textile manufacturing machinery.

More recently, David Fincher (born 1962) is a renowned American filmmaker and director, best known for his critically acclaimed movies such as "Fight Club," "The Social Network," and "Gone Girl."

While these are just a few examples, the Fincher surname has a rich history spanning centuries and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, from merchants and ministers to engineers and artists.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fincher families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fincher surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Worcestershire leads with 52 Finchers recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.39x.

County Total Index
Worcestershire 52 10.39x
Hertfordshire 51 19.30x
Buckinghamshire 50 21.57x
Staffordshire 46 3.55x
Middlesex 39 1.02x
Warwickshire 36 3.72x
Surrey 25 1.34x
Herefordshire 15 9.54x
Leicestershire 15 3.53x
Kent 14 1.07x
Oxfordshire 9 3.80x
Yorkshire 8 0.21x
Gloucestershire 6 0.80x
Sussex 6 0.93x
Berkshire 5 1.74x
Shropshire 5 1.51x
Devon 3 0.38x
Lanarkshire 2 0.16x
Monmouthshire 2 0.72x
Bedfordshire 1 0.50x
Cheshire 1 0.12x
Lancashire 1 0.02x
Somerset 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tring in Hertfordshire leads with 51 Finchers recorded in 1881 and an index of 723.40x.

Place Total Index
Tring 51 723.40x
Islington London 15 4.04x
Leicester St Margaret 15 14.47x
Birmingham 13 4.03x
Camberwell 12 4.90x
Aylesbury 11 107.11x
Kidderminster Borough 11 37.54x
Walsall Foreign 11 16.46x
Kingswinford 10 21.29x
Aston 9 3.38x
Battersea 9 6.38x
Bradwell 9 276.07x
Crowle 9 1304.35x
Himbleton 9 1500.00x
Plumstead 8 18.35x
Selby 7 88.16x
Brighton 6 4.60x
Deddington 6 233.46x
Handsworth 6 18.81x
Oving 6 1176.47x
Tipton 6 15.14x
Ashperton 5 925.93x
Claines 5 36.39x
Harborne 5 12.06x
St Pancras London 5 1.62x
Stratford On Avon 5 93.28x
Weedon 5 877.19x
Worfield 5 217.39x
Bray 4 47.34x
Cowley 4 615.38x
Cradley 4 173.91x
Hornsey 4 8.25x
Kempsford 4 366.97x
Maidstone 4 10.27x
Steeple Claydon 4 357.14x
Wolverhampton 4 4.02x
Edgbaston 3 10.01x
Marsworth 3 500.00x
Rochford 3 714.29x
Wellesbourne Hastings 3 329.67x
Whitchurch 3 315.79x
Worcester St John 3 50.17x
Banbury 2 42.19x
Barony 2 0.64x
Bredon 2 116.96x
Buckingham 2 42.46x
Churston Ferrers 2 238.10x
Darlaston 2 11.19x
Greenwich 2 3.28x
Hawridge 2 625.00x
Isleworth 2 11.74x
Llanvihangel Llantarnam 2 37.88x
Penge 2 8.17x
Stone 2 111.11x
Ullingswick 2 526.32x
Worcester Blockhouse 2 72.73x
Worcester St Andrew 2 118.34x
Barnsley 1 2.55x
Bethnal Green London 1 0.60x
Cheltenham 1 1.72x
Clapham 1 2.09x
Ealing 1 2.92x
Ermington 1 34.48x
Feckenham 1 17.45x
Hardwick 1 357.14x
Hillingdon 1 8.18x
Hulcott 1 625.00x
Luddington 1 714.29x
Macclesfield 1 2.66x
Oddingley 1 384.62x
Oxford St Giles 1 8.86x
Paddington London 1 0.71x
Reading St Giles 1 3.54x
St George Hanover Square 1 1.48x
Stapleton 1 7.01x
Stoke Prior 1 32.36x
Towerof London London 1 81.97x
Westminster St James 1 2.54x
Westminster St Margaret 1 5.41x
Weston 1 21.10x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Fincher surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 18
Elizabeth 17
Sarah 16
Ann 12
Jane 11
Ellen 10
Fanny 8
Edith 7
Eliza 6
Harriet 6
Emily 5
Emma 5
Hannah 5
Minnie 4
Ada 3
Alice 3
Amelia 3
Annie 3
Clara 3
Louisa 3
Lucy 3
Maria 3
Selina 3
Sophia 3
Caroline 2
Catherine 2
Julia 2
Kate 2
Lydia 2
Marianne 2
Matilda 2
Anna 1
Bertha 1
Bet 1
Betsy 1
Carrie 1
Eiza 1
Flora 1
Florance 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Ida 1
Isabella 1
Keziah 1
Leah 1
Liley 1
Lizzie 1
Lottie 1
Louie 1
Zilpha 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Fincher surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

FAQ

Fincher surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fincher surname in 1881?

In 1881, 393 people were recorded with the Fincher surname. That placed it at #8,068 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fincher surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 380 in 2016. That gives Fincher a modern rank of #12,346.

What does the Fincher surname mean?

An occupational surname for someone who hunts small animals, particularly birds, using a finch or other small bird.

What does the Fincher map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Fincher bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.