NameCensus.

UK surname

Findlay

A Scottish locational surname derived from the lands of Findlach in Banffshire or a place near Moray Firth.

In the 1881 census there were 6,210 people recorded with the Findlay surname, ranking it #700 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 9,793, ranked #656, up from #700 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cullen, Portknockie, Findochty, Drybridge and Berryhillock, Aberchirder and Whitehills and Dalmarnock.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Findlay is 9,793 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 57.7%.

1881 census count

6,210

Ranked #700

Modern count

9,793

2016, ranked #656

Peak year

2016

9,793 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Findlay had 6,210 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #700 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 9,793 in 2016, ranked #656.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 7,992 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Findlay surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Findlay surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Findlay 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 3,750 #760
1861 historical 4,348 #653
1881 historical 6,210 #700
1891 historical 6,774 #675
1901 historical 7,992 #667
1911 historical 1,357 #3,540
1997 modern 8,986 #704
1998 modern 9,258 #713
1999 modern 9,365 #708
2000 modern 9,338 #702
2001 modern 9,088 #707
2002 modern 9,281 #712
2003 modern 9,158 #701
2004 modern 9,227 #693
2005 modern 9,251 #679
2006 modern 9,282 #672
2007 modern 9,327 #675
2008 modern 9,437 #672
2009 modern 9,610 #673
2010 modern 9,756 #681
2011 modern 9,529 #692
2012 modern 9,401 #682
2013 modern 9,608 #681
2014 modern 9,736 #672
2015 modern 9,724 #665
2016 modern 9,793 #656

Geography

Back to top

Where Findlays are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Cullen and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cullen, Portknockie, Findochty, Drybridge and Berryhillock, Aberchirder and Whitehills, Dalmarnock, Longside and Rattray and Forfar East. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Cullen Banff
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cullen, Portknockie, Findochty, Drybridge and Berryhillock Moray
2 Aberchirder and Whitehills Aberdeenshire
3 Dalmarnock Glasgow City
4 Longside and Rattray Aberdeenshire
5 Forfar East Angus

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Findlay

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Findlay

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Findlay, 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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Findlay surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Findlay household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Findlay 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

Findlay is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Findlay falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Findlay is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Findlay

The surname Findlay originated from the Celtic region of Scotland, with records suggesting it emerged during the Middle Ages. The name stems from the Gaelic words "fionn" meaning fair or white, and "laith" meaning champion or warrior, indicating it may have been a descriptive surname for a fair-haired or light-complexioned warrior or champion.

Findlay is believed to have derived from the lands of Findlayston, a small estate near Renfrew, a town located west of Glasgow. The earliest recorded mention of the name dates back to the late 12th century, when a Randolph de Fyndlauton was documented as holding these lands.

In the early 13th century, records show a Gillebertus de Fyndlayston, whose name further reinforces the connection between the surname and the Findlayston estate. Over time, the spelling evolved from Fyndlayston to Findlay, reflecting the transition from a place name to a hereditary surname.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname Findlay was Sir John Findlay, who lived in the 14th century and served as the Lord Chamberlain of Scotland under King Robert II. Another notable figure was William Findlay (1492-1556), a Scottish theologian and reformer who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation in Scotland.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Findlay surname spread across Scotland, with various branches emerging in different regions. One prominent family line was that of the Findlays of Ayrshire, who were landowners and played an influential role in local affairs.

In the 18th century, Robert Findlay (1721-1814) was a Scottish merchant and banker who made a fortune in the East India trade and became one of the wealthiest individuals in Britain. Another notable Findlay was Alexander George Findlay (1825-1905), a Scottish-born Australian politician and Premier of Victoria from 1870 to 1871.

As the Findlay surname spread beyond Scotland, it also gained recognition in other parts of the world. One example is Jesse Franklin Findlay (1876-1942), an American politician who served as the 29th Governor of Pennsylvania from 1935 to 1939.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Findlay families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Findlay 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. Lanarkshire leads with 1,234 Findlays recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.30x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 1,234 6.30x
Angus 951 16.96x
Ayrshire 705 15.56x
Aberdeenshire 679 12.11x
Banffshire 454 36.16x
Midlothian 234 2.89x
Renfrewshire 206 4.39x
Kincardineshire 151 20.49x
Morayshire 129 13.72x
Dunbartonshire 126 7.75x
Lancashire 126 0.18x
Stirlingshire 109 4.88x
Fife 106 2.96x
Middlesex 98 0.16x
Perthshire 85 3.13x
Wigtownshire 81 10.08x
Northumberland 57 0.63x
Yorkshire 51 0.09x
Durham 49 0.27x
Inverness-shire 45 2.49x
West Lothian 44 4.83x
Kent 39 0.19x
Kirkcudbrightshire 39 4.45x
Hertfordshire 36 0.86x
Dumfriesshire 28 2.09x
Essex 27 0.23x
Surrey 26 0.09x
Ross-shire 25 1.50x
Argyllshire 21 1.25x
Cheshire 20 0.15x
Hampshire 20 0.16x
Buteshire 17 4.64x
Clackmannanshire 15 3.00x
Buckinghamshire 14 0.38x
Staffordshire 13 0.06x
Cumberland 12 0.23x
Sutherland 12 2.58x
Caithness 10 1.21x
East Lothian 10 1.25x
Orkney 10 1.50x
Royal Navy 10 1.39x
Somerset 9 0.09x
Berwickshire 7 0.96x
Nairnshire 7 3.79x
Denbighshire 6 0.26x
Gloucestershire 5 0.04x
Leicestershire 5 0.07x
Pembrokeshire 5 0.26x
Sussex 5 0.05x
Warwickshire 4 0.03x
Wiltshire 4 0.07x
Devon 3 0.02x
Glamorgan 3 0.03x
Herefordshire 3 0.12x
Isle of Man 3 0.27x
Roxburghshire 3 0.27x
Derbyshire 2 0.02x
Shetland 2 0.32x
Anglesey 1 0.09x
Bedfordshire 1 0.03x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.04x
Channel Islands 1 0.06x
Northamptonshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 378 Findlays recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.81x.

Place Total Index
Govan 378 7.81x
Barony 351 7.08x
Cullen 254 545.77x
Dundee 195 9.31x
Glasgow 172 4.95x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 156 14.87x
Aberdeen Old Machar 152 12.99x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 133 4.08x
Kilmarnock 104 19.29x
Montrose 93 27.37x
Forfar 88 28.98x
Craig 82 151.40x
Loudoun 71 65.17x
Liff Benvie 64 7.52x
Galston 60 48.43x
Brechin 55 24.96x
Boyndie 54 129.87x
Banff 48 44.02x
Monifieth 47 23.73x
Maryhill 46 12.00x
Kirriemuir 45 32.52x
Dalmellington 44 33.03x
Kirkintilloch 44 19.91x
Irvine 41 32.58x
Kilmaurs 40 51.89x
Bothwell 39 7.35x
Riccarton Hurlford 39 49.08x
West Greenock 39 4.63x
Auckinleck 38 27.10x
Renfrew 35 22.60x
Old Cumnock 33 32.72x
St Vigeans 33 10.90x
Duffus 31 37.40x
Abbey 30 4.19x
Avondale 30 26.21x
Fetteresso 30 25.97x
Cathcart 28 11.03x
Rathven 28 11.87x
South Leith 28 3.07x
Ayr 27 12.63x
Inverness 27 5.94x
Old Monkland 26 3.35x
Stirling 26 9.24x
Old Deer 25 23.53x
Denny 24 20.21x
New Deer 23 22.66x
Banchory Devenick 22 31.95x
Glamis 22 65.03x
Peterhead 22 7.42x
Arbroath 21 11.30x
Elgin 21 11.48x
Falkirk 21 4.02x
Hamilton 21 3.85x
Mochrum 21 43.76x
Penninghame 21 25.62x
Boness 20 15.92x
Cumbernauld 20 22.44x
Liverpool 20 0.46x
Toxteth Park 20 0.82x
Airlie 19 105.67x
Carluke 19 10.69x
Dallas 19 99.37x
Keith 19 14.20x
Carmyllie 18 75.35x
Colmonell 18 39.53x
Dumbarton 18 7.95x
Islington London 18 0.31x
Monkton Prestwick 18 40.83x
New Monkland 18 3.11x
Newton On Ayr 18 13.27x
Perth East Church 18 7.03x
Longside 17 25.40x
Kinnettles 16 200.00x
Mains 16 33.58x
Maybole 16 11.60x
Monkwearmouth Shore 16 4.55x
Old Kilpatrick 16 8.32x
Stevenston 16 13.55x
Dalziel 15 7.12x
Paisley Middle Church 15 5.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 42
Elizabeth 23
Sarah 17
Jane 14
Margaret 12
Isabella 10
Agnes 9
Catherine 9
Harriet 9
Janet 9
Emma 8
Jessie 8
Annie 6
Hannah 6
Ellen 5
Florence 5
Ann 4
Dorothy 4
Emily 4
Flora 4
Grace 4
Isabel 4
Susan 4
Ada 3
Alice 3
Barbara 3
Charlotte 3
Edith 3
Louisa 3
Margt. 3
Marion 3
Martha 3
Agusta 2
Anne 2
Bessie 2
Caroline 2
Elizth. 2
Frances 2
Kate 2
Maggie 2
Maria 2
Marian 2
Marrian 2
Maude 2
Minnie 2
Rose 2
Sophia 2
Amelia 1
Edna 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 53
William 47
James 46
Robert 18
Thomas 18
George 14
David 12
Alexander 9
Andrew 8
Charles 8
Joseph 8
Henry 7
Albert 6
Edward 6
Peter 6
Alfred 5
Arthur 4
Hugh 3
Isaac 3
Richard 3
Fred 2
Frederick 2
Harold 2
Harry 2
Thos. 2
Walter 2
Adam 1
Alexr. 1
Aubrey 1
Bruce 1
Donald 1
Duncan 1
F. 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Gill 1
Herbert 1
Jno. 1
Jno.A.E. 1
Jon. 1
Laurance 1
Moore 1
Philip 1
Russel 1
Samuel 1
Septon 1
Stanley 1
Wm.Jas. 1

FAQ

Findlay surname: questions and answers

How common was the Findlay surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6,210 people were recorded with the Findlay surname. That placed it at #700 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Findlay surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 9,793 in 2016. That gives Findlay a modern rank of #656.

What does the Findlay surname mean?

A Scottish locational surname derived from the lands of Findlach in Banffshire or a place near Moray Firth.

What does the Findlay map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Findlay 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.