NameCensus.

UK surname

Finegan

Of Irish origin, meaning "fair-haired one" or "fair-skinned one."

In the 1881 census there were 255 people recorded with the Finegan surname, ranking it #10,924 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 483, ranked #10,240, up from #10,924 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sefton, Tameside and Liverpool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Finegan is 515 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 89.4%.

1881 census count

255

Ranked #10,924

Modern count

483

2016, ranked #10,240

Peak year

2010

515 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Finegan had 255 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,924 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 483 in 2016, ranked #10,240.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 255 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Finegan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Finegan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Finegan 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 105 #16,618
1861 historical 159 #14,553
1881 historical 255 #10,924
1891 historical 252 #12,685
1901 historical 228 #13,929
1911 historical 244 #13,127
1997 modern 471 #9,732
1998 modern 473 #10,018
1999 modern 488 #9,846
2000 modern 475 #10,016
2001 modern 467 #9,965
2002 modern 473 #10,043
2003 modern 465 #9,985
2004 modern 461 #10,107
2005 modern 464 #9,976
2006 modern 455 #10,160
2007 modern 455 #10,239
2008 modern 473 #10,056
2009 modern 495 #9,942
2010 modern 515 #9,821
2011 modern 507 #9,854
2012 modern 497 #9,902
2013 modern 488 #10,211
2014 modern 491 #10,222
2015 modern 490 #10,149
2016 modern 483 #10,240

Geography

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Where Finegans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, London parishes and Middlesborough. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sefton, Tameside and Liverpool. 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 Manchester Lancashire
2 Liverpool Lancashire
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 London parishes London 2
5 Middlesborough Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sefton 005 Sefton
2 Tameside 025 Tameside
3 Liverpool 040 Liverpool
4 Sefton 038 Sefton
5 Tameside 001 Tameside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Finegan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Finegan

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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, Finegan 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

Finegan is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Finegan 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 Finegan is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Finegan

The surname Finegan originated in Ireland, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. It is an anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name Ó Fínnéagáin, which translates to "descendant of Finneagan." Finneagan, in turn, is a diminutive of the Gaelic personal name Finn, meaning "fair" or "white."

The Finegan surname is most commonly associated with County Longford and the surrounding regions of Leinster, where it is believed to have first emerged. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century, which mentions a Finegan family from County Longford.

In the 16th century, during the Tudor conquest of Ireland, many Irish families adopted anglicized versions of their Gaelic surnames to better integrate into English society. This is likely when the Ó Fínnéagáin name transitioned to the anglicized spelling of Finegan.

Notable individuals with the Finegan surname throughout history include John Finegan (1829-1908), an Irish-American politician who served as a member of the New York State Assembly and the New York State Senate in the late 19th century. Another prominent figure was Thomas Finegan (1826-1898), a Catholic priest and educator who founded several schools in Ireland and the United States.

In the literary world, James Finegan (1910-1987) was a celebrated Irish poet and playwright, renowned for his works exploring the complexities of Irish identity and culture. His contemporary, Patrick Finegan (1920-1999), was a renowned artist and illustrator whose works adorned the covers of numerous books and magazines.

Moving further back in time, the Finegan name appears in historical records from the 17th and 18th centuries, such as land deeds and parish registers, particularly in the counties of Longford, Westmeath, and Cavan. These records often include variations in spelling, such as Finnegan, Finigan, and Fynegan, reflecting the fluid nature of surnames in that era.

While the Finegan surname has its origins in Ireland, it has since spread to various parts of the world through immigration and migration patterns, with notable populations in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Finegan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Finegan 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. Lancashire leads with 62 Finegans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.10x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 62 2.10x
Durham 51 6.89x
Lanarkshire 26 3.23x
Cheshire 19 3.46x
Kent 13 1.53x
Essex 10 2.04x
Staffordshire 10 1.19x
Gloucestershire 8 1.64x
Lincolnshire 8 2.01x
Hampshire 6 1.18x
Middlesex 6 0.24x
Nottinghamshire 6 1.79x
Yorkshire 6 0.24x
Midlothian 5 1.50x
Renfrewshire 4 2.08x
Warwickshire 4 0.64x
Shropshire 3 1.40x
Surrey 3 0.25x
Ayrshire 1 0.54x
Glamorgan 1 0.23x
Leicestershire 1 0.36x
Northamptonshire 1 0.43x
Somerset 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bootle Cum Linacre in Lancashire leads with 15 Finegans recorded in 1881 and an index of 63.99x.

Place Total Index
Bootle Cum Linacre 15 63.99x
Birkenhead 13 29.70x
Everton 11 11.69x
Old Monkland 10 31.33x
West Ham 10 9.23x
Barony 9 4.42x
Gateshead 9 16.25x
Leek Lowe 9 80.57x
Tewkesbury 8 183.91x
Conside Knitsley 7 121.74x
North Bedburn 7 338.16x
Westoe 7 16.69x
Aldershot 6 35.13x
Ashton Under Lyne 6 9.30x
Deptford St Paul 6 9.17x
Liverpool 6 3.35x
Manchester 6 4.52x
Nottingham St Mary 6 6.92x
Sunderland 6 45.91x
Folkestone 5 30.38x
Govan 5 2.51x
Oldham 5 5.25x
Owston 5 442.48x
Washington 5 161.29x
Abbey 4 13.60x
Edinburgh Canongate 4 47.17x
Holy Trinity 4 6.75x
Birmingham 3 1.44x
Heworth 3 20.58x
Kirkdale 3 6.04x
New Windsor 3 555.56x
Oswestry Town 3 43.60x
Tranmere 3 14.87x
Islington London 2 0.83x
Knutsford Nether 2 60.24x
St Giles Cripplegate 2 60.61x
Stainfield 2 1176.47x
Toxteth Park 2 2.00x
Walton On Hill 2 12.51x
Wolsingham 2 29.67x
Bishopwearmouth 1 1.57x
Bothwell 1 4.59x
Burslem 1 4.16x
Cheriton 1 28.90x
Chester St Mary On Hill 1 21.23x
Clutton 1 114.94x
Cornsay 1 50.25x
Edinburgh Old 1 49.51x
Gainsborough 1 10.66x
Glasgow 1 0.70x
Hammersmith London 1 1.63x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 1 3.12x
Irvine 1 19.34x
Leeds 1 0.72x
Leicester St Margaret 1 1.49x
Mexborough 1 20.45x
Newton In Makerfield 1 11.06x
Northampton St Sepulchre 1 8.40x
Orell Ford 1 185.19x
Sefton 1 303.03x
South Shields 1 15.17x
Speldhurst 1 23.15x
St Marylebone London 1 0.75x
Sutton Coldfield 1 15.17x
Swansea 1 204.08x
West Derby 1 1.16x
Whittingham 1 76.92x
Widnes 1 4.70x
Wingate 1 19.72x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 19
Catherine 11
Bridget 9
Elizabeth 9
Ann 7
Margaret 4
Ellen 3
Jane 3
Agnes 2
Annie 2
Clara 2
Hannah 2
Martha 2
Sarah 2
Alice 1
Anne 1
Cathrine 1
Celia 1
Deborah 1
Dina 1
Elen 1
Eliza 1
Ester 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Gertrude 1
Henrietta 1
Kate 1
Lillie 1
Margarette 1
Margret 1
Matilda 1
Rosaline 1
Rose 1
Roseann 1
Rosina 1
Susannah 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 21
Thomas 12
Michael 8
Patrick 8
James 7
William 7
Edward 6
Samuel 5
Andrew 4
Francis 4
Peter 4
Daniel 3
George 3
Martin 3
David 2
Denis 2
Joseph 2
Willm. 2
Arthur 1
Bernard 1
Domnich 1
Frank 1
Henry 1
Hugh 1
Laurance 1
Laurence 1
Owen 1
Patt 1
Ralph 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Timithy 1

FAQ

Finegan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Finegan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 255 people were recorded with the Finegan surname. That placed it at #10,924 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Finegan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 483 in 2016. That gives Finegan a modern rank of #10,240.

What does the Finegan surname mean?

Of Irish origin, meaning "fair-haired one" or "fair-skinned one."

What does the Finegan map show?

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