UK surname
A surname derived from the German word "finken," meaning a finch or small bird.
In the 1881 census there were 77 people recorded with the Finkle surname, ranking it #22,617 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 66, ranked #33,948, down from #22,617 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Christ Church Spitalfields, Gateshead and Monkwearmouth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Finkle is 111 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 14.3%.
1881 census count
77
Ranked #22,617
Modern count
66
2016, ranked #33,948
Peak year
1911
111 bearers
Map years
2
1901 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Finkle surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Finkle 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1851 | historical | 37 | #26,673 |
| 1861 | historical | 64 | #25,747 |
| 1881 | historical | 77 | #22,617 |
| 1891 | historical | 79 | #26,897 |
| 1901 | historical | 109 | #21,712 |
| 1911 | historical | 111 | #21,392 |
| 1997 | modern | 99 | #27,039 |
| 1998 | modern | 96 | #28,188 |
| 1999 | modern | 96 | #28,326 |
| 2000 | modern | 91 | #28,952 |
| 2001 | modern | 86 | #29,281 |
| 2002 | modern | 82 | #30,181 |
| 2003 | modern | 78 | #30,654 |
| 2004 | modern | 71 | #31,578 |
| 2005 | modern | 68 | #32,097 |
| 2006 | modern | 67 | #32,532 |
| 2007 | modern | 70 | #32,580 |
| 2008 | modern | 67 | #33,135 |
| 2009 | modern | 65 | #33,611 |
| 2010 | modern | 72 | #33,324 |
| 2011 | modern | 68 | #33,613 |
| 2012 | modern | 67 | #33,840 |
| 2013 | modern | 68 | #33,877 |
| 2014 | modern | 72 | #33,647 |
| 2015 | modern | 71 | #33,666 |
| 2016 | modern | 66 | #33,948 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Christ Church Spitalfields, Gateshead, Monkwearmouth, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Bishop Wearmouth. 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 | Gateshead | Durham |
| 3 | Monkwearmouth | Durham |
| 4 | Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars | Leicestershire |
| 5 | Bishop Wearmouth | Durham |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Finkle 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 Finkle, 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 Finkle surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Finkle 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, Finkle 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 Finkle is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Finkle, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Finkle is of German origin and dates back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old German word "finken," which means "finch," referring to the small songbird. The name likely originated as a nickname for someone who had a particular affinity for finches or who exhibited bird-like qualities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of medieval documents from the region of Saxony, where a certain "Henricus Finkele" is mentioned in a record from the year 1292. This suggests that the name was already established in the German-speaking areas during the 13th century.
The Finkle surname has long been associated with various regions in Germany, including Bavaria, Hesse, and the Rhineland. It is also found in areas that were once part of the Holy Roman Empire, such as modern-day Austria and Switzerland.
In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the name Finkle was Johann Finkle, a Lutheran theologian and reformer born in Alsace in 1515. He played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation movement and authored several influential works on theology.
Another historical figure with the Finkle surname was Hans Finkle, a German artist and engraver who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He is known for his intricate etchings and woodcuts depicting religious and mythological scenes.
Centuries later, in the 19th century, a prominent Finkle was the German composer and music theorist Carl Finkle (1808-1892). He wrote numerous operas, symphonies, and chamber works, contributing to the development of Romantic-era music.
During the medieval and early modern periods, the Finkle name was also found in various spellings and variations, such as Finkel, Finkler, and Finkelman, reflecting regional linguistic differences and scribal practices.
In some instances, the Finkle surname may have been associated with specific place names or locations, as was common with many German surnames. However, the exact origins of such place-based connections remain uncertain.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Finkle 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. Durham leads with 50 Finkles recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.38x.
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Monkwearmouth Shore in Durham leads with 14 Finkles recorded in 1881 and an index of 321.10x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Monkwearmouth Shore | 14 | 321.10x |
| Bishopwearmouth | 12 | 62.57x |
| Northallerton | 12 | 1263.16x |
| Westoe | 8 | 63.14x |
| Linthorpe | 6 | 135.14x |
| Monkwearmouth | 5 | 233.64x |
| Spitalfields London | 5 | 88.50x |
| Whitburn | 4 | 769.23x |
| Morton On Swale | 3 | 4285.71x |
| Sunderland | 3 | 75.95x |
| Wolviston | 2 | 1250.00x |
| Hart | 1 | 185.19x |
| Southhampton St Mary Extra | 1 | 588.24x |
| West Herrington | 1 | 128.21x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Finkle 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 Finkle 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 Finkle households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 19 |
| Painter | 3 |
| Brickmaker | 2 |
| Child | 2 |
| Joiner | 2 |
| Labourer | 2 |
| (Painter) | 1 |
| Blacksmith Unemployed | 1 |
| Coal Miner | 1 |
| Coal Miner Wife | 1 |
| Cowkeeper (Dairy) | 1 |
| Domestic Servant | 1 |
| Dressmaker | 1 |
| Engine Fitter | 1 |
| Engine Fitter At Works | 1 |
| Engine Smith (E & M) | 1 |
| General Serv | 1 |
| Glazier | 1 |
| Hair Dresser | 1 |
| Hawker | 1 |
| House Wife | 1 |
| Lab Wife | 1 |
| Machiner At Coat Maker | 1 |
| Mid Wife | 1 |
| Printer | 1 |
| Railway Signalman | 1 |
| Rolly | 1 |
| Roper | 1 |
| Signal Repairer (R Cont) | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 77 people were recorded with the Finkle surname. That placed it at #22,617 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 66 in 2016. That gives Finkle a modern rank of #33,948.
A surname derived from the German word "finken," meaning a finch or small bird.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Finkle 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.