UK surname
A Jewish surname derived from the German words meaning "sparkle" or "shine" and "stone."
In the 1881 census there were 18 people recorded with the Finkelstein surname, ranking it #31,019 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 54, ranked #34,678, down from #31,019 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Christ Church Spitalfields, St Mary Whitechapel and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Finkelstein is 199 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 200.0%.
1881 census count
18
Ranked #31,019
Modern count
54
2016, ranked #34,678
Peak year
1901
199 bearers
Map years
3
1891 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Finkelstein surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Finkelstein surname density by area, 1911 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.
| Year | Period | Count | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1881 | historical | 18 | #31,019 |
| 1891 | historical | 121 | #21,169 |
| 1901 | historical | 199 | #15,173 |
| 1911 | historical | 170 | #16,510 |
| 1997 | modern | 31 | #34,582 |
| 1998 | modern | 32 | #34,633 |
| 1999 | modern | 31 | #34,821 |
| 2000 | modern | 33 | #34,607 |
| 2001 | modern | 32 | #34,537 |
| 2002 | modern | 36 | #34,480 |
| 2003 | modern | 36 | #34,522 |
| 2004 | modern | 35 | #34,783 |
| 2005 | modern | 48 | #33,932 |
| 2006 | modern | 41 | #34,788 |
| 2007 | modern | 40 | #35,037 |
| 2008 | modern | 39 | #35,191 |
| 2009 | modern | 41 | #35,221 |
| 2010 | modern | 48 | #34,946 |
| 2011 | modern | 52 | #34,688 |
| 2012 | modern | 51 | #34,756 |
| 2013 | modern | 54 | #34,666 |
| 2014 | modern | 54 | #34,700 |
| 2015 | modern | 55 | #34,620 |
| 2016 | modern | 54 | #34,678 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Christ Church Spitalfields, St Mary Whitechapel, London parishes, Manchester and Lytham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Christ Church Spitalfields | London (East Districts) |
| 2 | St Mary Whitechapel | London (East Districts) |
| 3 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 4 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 5 | Lytham | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Finkelstein surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Finkelstein, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Finkelstein surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Finkelstein household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Finkelstein is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Finkelstein is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Finkelstein, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Finkelstein has its origins in the Yiddish language and is an Ashkenazi Jewish name. It is derived from the Middle High German words "finke" meaning "finch" and "stein" meaning "stone", creating the literal meaning of "finch stone". This suggests the name may have been occupational, referring to someone who worked with birds or stones.
The name first appeared in the 13th century in areas of modern-day Germany and Poland where Jewish communities flourished. Early variations of the spelling included Finckelstein, Finkelsten, and Finkelsztajn. As Ashkenazi Jews migrated throughout Europe in the Middle Ages, the name spread to other regions.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Finkelstein name can be found in the 1385 census records of the city of Nuremberg, Germany, which lists a "Finckelstein" family. In the 15th century, a Rabbi Moses Finkelstein was a respected scholar in the city of Frankfurt, Germany.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the Finkelstein surname. Israel Finkelstein (1865-1942) was a Russian-born Zionist leader and one of the founders of the city of Tel Aviv. Sidney Finkelstein (1919-1974) was an American chemist who made significant contributions to the study of rubber and polymers.
Benjamin Finkelstein (1865-1939) was a Russian-born American businessman and philanthropist who funded the construction of the Finkelstein Memorial Library at Tulane University in New Orleans. Norman Finkelstein (born 1953) is a controversial American political scientist and author known for his criticism of Israeli policy towards Palestinians.
Joseph Finkelstein (1776-1865) was a Polish-born mathematician and astronomer who made important contributions to the field of celestial mechanics, studying the motion of planets and comets.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Finkelstein surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 10 Finkelsteins recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.70x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 10 | 5.70x |
| Lancashire | 4 | 1.92x |
| Lanarkshire | 3 | 5.28x |
| Gloucestershire | 1 | 2.90x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Westminster St James in Middlesex leads with 6 Finkelsteins recorded in 1881 and an index of 333.33x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Westminster St James | 6 | 333.33x |
| Manchester | 4 | 42.69x |
| Spitalfields London | 4 | 303.03x |
| Govan | 3 | 21.37x |
| Stroud | 1 | 149.25x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Finkelstein surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Finkelstein surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Finkelstein households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 2 |
| Tailor | 2 |
| Glazier | 1 |
| Housekeeper | 1 |
| Servant | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 18 people were recorded with the Finkelstein surname. That placed it at #31,019 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 54 in 2016. That gives Finkelstein a modern rank of #34,678.
A Jewish surname derived from the German words meaning "sparkle" or "shine" and "stone."
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Finkelstein bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.