NameCensus.

UK surname

Finlayson

Son of Finlay, a Scottish and Irish name derived from the Gaelic personal name Fionnlagh, meaning "fair warrior."

In the 1881 census there were 3,467 people recorded with the Finlayson surname, ranking it #1,312 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,466, ranked #1,960, down from #1,312 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Applecross and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lochlash, Broadbay and Northwest Lewis.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Finlayson is 3,760 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.0%.

1881 census count

3,467

Ranked #1,312

Modern count

3,466

2016, ranked #1,960

Peak year

1901

3,760 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Finlayson had 3,467 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,312 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,466 in 2016, ranked #1,960.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,760 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Finlayson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Finlayson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Finlayson 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 2,593 #1,136
1861 historical 2,762 #1,059
1881 historical 3,467 #1,312
1891 historical 3,581 #1,340
1901 historical 3,760 #1,499
1911 historical 600 #6,841
1997 modern 3,159 #2,035
1998 modern 3,301 #2,026
1999 modern 3,291 #2,059
2000 modern 3,345 #2,017
2001 modern 3,256 #2,024
2002 modern 3,326 #2,028
2003 modern 3,310 #1,996
2004 modern 3,276 #2,013
2005 modern 3,268 #1,992
2006 modern 3,311 #1,976
2007 modern 3,388 #1,942
2008 modern 3,382 #1,967
2009 modern 3,428 #1,991
2010 modern 3,493 #1,994
2011 modern 3,411 #2,022
2012 modern 3,352 #2,013
2013 modern 3,403 #2,016
2014 modern 3,458 #1,995
2015 modern 3,430 #1,993
2016 modern 3,466 #1,960

Geography

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Where Finlaysons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Applecross, Edinburgh, Lochcarron and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Lochlash, Broadbay, Northwest Lewis, Tain and Clermiston and Drumbrae. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Applecross Ross And Cromarty
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Lochcarron Ross And Cromarty
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Lochlash Highland
2 Broadbay Na h-Eileanan Siar
3 Northwest Lewis Na h-Eileanan Siar
4 Tain Highland
5 Clermiston and Drumbrae City of Edinburgh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Finlayson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Finlayson

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Finlayson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Finlayson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Finlayson 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

Finlayson 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

Finlayson falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Finlayson 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 Finlayson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Finlayson

The surname Finlayson is of Scottish origin, deriving from the Gaelic "Fionnlagh" or "Fionnladh", meaning "fair hero" or "white warrior". It is a patronymic name, formed by adding the suffix "-son" to the personal name Finlay or Finley.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the 13th century, with references to individuals bearing the name in various Scottish records and charters. One of the earliest known bearers was David Fynlaweson, who was mentioned in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1290.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in the form Finlayson in the Ragman Rolls, a collection of homage rolls compiled during the reign of Edward I of England. This document recorded the names of Scottish landowners who swore fealty to the English king in the late 13th century.

The Finlaysons were particularly prominent in the Highlands of Scotland, particularly in areas such as Perthshire and Argyllshire. The name was also associated with the Clan Mackenzie, with some Finlaysons serving as bodyguards to the chiefs of the clan.

One notable bearer of the name was John Finlayson (c. 1770-1854), a Scottish scholar and author who wrote extensively on Scottish history and literature. He also served as the librarian to the University of Edinburgh.

Another prominent figure was James Finlayson (1875-1942), a Scottish actor and comedian who appeared in numerous films during the silent and early sound eras. He is best known for his roles in comedies produced by the Hal Roach Studios, where he often played alongside Laurel and Hardy.

In the field of science, Robert Finlayson (1835-1907) was a Scottish meteorologist and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of atmospheric dynamics and weather patterns.

The name Finlayson has also been associated with several places in Scotland, such as Finlayson's Burn in Ayrshire and Finlayson's Green in Glasgow.

Throughout its history, the surname Finlayson has been subject to various spellings, including Finlawson, Finlason, and Finleyson, reflecting regional variations and the evolution of language over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Finlayson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Finlayson 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. Ross-shire leads with 785 Finlaysons recorded in 1881 and an index of 84.94x.

County Total Index
Ross-shire 785 84.94x
Lanarkshire 506 4.65x
Midlothian 383 8.50x
Inverness-shire 262 26.07x
Stirlingshire 178 14.34x
Angus 163 5.23x
Perthshire 152 10.06x
Caithness 120 26.04x
Fife 117 5.87x
Renfrewshire 99 3.80x
Middlesex 86 0.26x
Surrey 71 0.43x
Aberdeenshire 48 1.54x
Lancashire 48 0.12x
Durham 40 0.40x
Selkirkshire 36 11.82x
Yorkshire 35 0.10x
Argyllshire 26 2.78x
Nairnshire 26 25.31x
Clackmannanshire 23 8.27x
East Lothian 21 4.71x
Peeblesshire 18 11.37x
Kent 17 0.15x
Morayshire 17 3.25x
Ayrshire 16 0.64x
Dunbartonshire 14 1.55x
Northumberland 14 0.28x
Orkney 10 2.70x
Hampshire 8 0.12x
West Lothian 8 1.58x
Cheshire 7 0.09x
Roxburghshire 7 1.15x
Shropshire 7 0.24x
Berwickshire 6 1.47x
Kirkcudbrightshire 6 1.23x
Warwickshire 6 0.07x
Buteshire 5 2.45x
Cumberland 5 0.17x
Leicestershire 5 0.13x
Shetland 5 1.45x
Sussex 5 0.09x
Channel Islands 4 0.40x
Glamorgan 4 0.07x
Isle of Man 4 0.64x
Kincardineshire 4 0.98x
Sutherland 4 1.55x
Royal Navy 3 0.75x
Gloucestershire 2 0.03x
Kinross-shire 2 2.35x
Northamptonshire 2 0.06x
Staffordshire 2 0.02x
Banffshire 1 0.14x
Berkshire 1 0.04x
Cornwall 1 0.03x
Devon 1 0.01x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.13x
Norfolk 1 0.02x
Suffolk 1 0.02x
Wiltshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lochalsh in Ross-shire leads with 163 Finlaysons recorded in 1881 and an index of 686.32x.

Place Total Index
Lochalsh 163 686.32x
Barony 130 4.72x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 127 7.00x
Applecross 99 381.06x
Cromarty 99 400.32x
Glasgow 88 4.55x
Govan 85 3.16x
Lochcarron 76 452.38x
Stornoway 71 58.94x
Dundee 67 5.76x
Portree 65 174.78x
Inverness 64 25.32x
Falkirk 61 20.99x
Stirling 61 38.98x
Wick 54 36.28x
Cambusnethan 52 21.51x
Dunfermline 47 15.34x
Strath 46 150.57x
South Leith 35 6.90x
Snizort 34 135.62x
Urray 34 118.47x
Knockbain 33 152.64x
Lochs 33 44.85x
Barvas 32 51.86x
Dalserf 32 29.46x
Eastwood 32 19.92x
Hamilton 29 9.55x
Larbert 28 37.74x
Contin 25 148.99x
Tulliallan 25 97.66x
Ardoch 24 188.83x
Liff Benvie 24 5.07x
Nairn 24 38.50x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 22 20.63x
Fodderty 22 94.14x
Inveresk 21 17.20x
Lambeth 21 0.72x
Edinburgh St Stephens 19 21.41x
North Leith 19 9.11x
St Ninians 19 15.44x
Cathcart 18 12.76x
Islington London 18 0.55x
Beath 17 27.00x
Kintail 17 213.57x
Blackford 16 86.63x
Dunblane 16 44.26x
Old Monkland 16 3.70x
Watten 16 98.77x
Culross 15 114.68x
Fulham London 15 3.07x
Selkirk 15 17.49x
Arbroath 14 13.55x
Edinburgh St Georges 14 14.96x
Melrose 14 18.27x
St Vigeans 14 8.32x
Tain 14 39.99x
Brechin 13 10.61x
Currie 13 47.10x
Kilmorack 13 42.66x
Alloa 12 8.90x
Bower 12 64.66x
Duddingston 12 13.26x
Perth St Pauls 12 34.31x
Camberwell 11 0.51x
Dollar 11 38.19x
Edinburgh Greenside 11 18.47x
Lasswade 11 10.67x
Rosskeen 11 25.29x
Aberdeen Old Machar 10 1.54x
Biggar 10 40.63x
Edinburgh New 10 28.56x
Helmington Row 10 21.45x
Kirkden 10 51.28x
Masham 10 81.04x
Paisley Low Church 10 12.11x
Riccarton Hurlford 10 22.63x
Clapham 9 2.14x
Haswell 9 12.54x
Latheron 9 11.68x
Peebles 9 19.24x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 22
Elizabeth 18
Jane 16
Margaret 12
Annie 11
Ann 8
Sarah 8
Agnes 6
Hannah 6
Jessie 6
Helen 5
Isabella 5
Martha 5
Alice 4
Emily 4
Kate 4
Ada 3
Eliza 3
Georgina 3
Beatrice 2
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Ellen 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
H. 2
Harriet 2
Janet 2
Jeanie 2
Maggie 2
Marion 2
Susan 2
Alexandra 1
Christina 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Flora 1
H.E. 1
Jemima 1
Joan 1
Julia 1
Lilian 1
Lilias 1
Lilly 1
Louisa 1
Louise 1
Lydia 1
Williamina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 21
William 21
James 18
Thomas 14
Alexander 7
Robert 7
George 6
Charles 5
Archibald 4
Henry 4
David 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Andrew 2
Augustus 2
Edward 2
Finlay 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Jas. 2
Jno. 2
Joseph 2
Peter 2
Angus 1
Benjamin 1
C. 1
Chas. 1
Daniel 1
Donald 1
Ernlie 1
F. 1
Fair 1
Francis 1
Fredk.J. 1
Gavrie 1
Geo. 1
Gilbert 1
Graham 1
Hamilton 1
Hugh 1
J. 1
Janus 1
Jos. 1
Malcolm 1
Matthew 1
Murdock 1
Ralph 1
Rbt. 1
Richard 1
Wm.George 1

FAQ

Finlayson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Finlayson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,467 people were recorded with the Finlayson surname. That placed it at #1,312 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Finlayson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,466 in 2016. That gives Finlayson a modern rank of #1,960.

What does the Finlayson surname mean?

Son of Finlay, a Scottish and Irish name derived from the Gaelic personal name Fionnlagh, meaning "fair warrior."

What does the Finlayson map show?

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