NameCensus.

UK surname

Finucane

Originally an Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "fionn" meaning fair or white, and "cuan" meaning harbor.

In the 1881 census there were 36 people recorded with the Finucane surname, ranking it #28,559 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 203, ranked #19,396, up from #28,559 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North West Leicestershire, Leeds and Cults, Bieldside and Milltimber West.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Finucane is 242 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 463.9%.

1881 census count

36

Ranked #28,559

Modern count

203

2016, ranked #19,396

Peak year

2002

242 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Finucane had 36 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,559 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 203 in 2016, ranked #19,396.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 92 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Multicultural Inner Suburbs.

Finucane surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Finucane surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Finucane 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 6 #32,278
1861 historical 25 #30,804
1881 historical 36 #28,559
1891 historical 89 #25,542
1901 historical 92 #23,800
1911 historical 81 #24,719
1997 modern 224 #16,392
1998 modern 233 #16,459
1999 modern 232 #16,594
2000 modern 235 #16,423
2001 modern 226 #16,620
2002 modern 242 #16,186
2003 modern 225 #16,808
2004 modern 211 #17,590
2005 modern 218 #17,170
2006 modern 218 #17,297
2007 modern 235 #16,668
2008 modern 237 #16,688
2009 modern 221 #17,848
2010 modern 228 #17,844
2011 modern 213 #18,502
2012 modern 205 #18,909
2013 modern 208 #19,041
2014 modern 212 #18,945
2015 modern 210 #18,958
2016 modern 203 #19,396

Geography

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Where Finucanes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North West Leicestershire, Leeds, Cults, Bieldside and Milltimber West, Ealing and Birmingham. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North West Leicestershire 013 North West Leicestershire
2 Leeds 005 Leeds
3 Cults, Bieldside and Milltimber West Aberdeen City
4 Ealing 020 Ealing
5 Birmingham 104 Birmingham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Finucane

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Finucane

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

Baseline UK

Group

Multicultural Inner Suburbs

Nationally, the Finucane surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Multicultural Inner Suburbs, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Finucane 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 many younger and middle-aged adults with children. All ethnic minorities, apart from those identifying as Pakistani or Bangladeshi, appear to be present in above average proportions. Affiliation to Christian religions is uncommon. Long-term disability rates are low, mirrored in limited provision of unpaid care. Privately rented terrace houses and flats are the norm. Managerial, professional and technical occupations are prevalent, and work is rarely part time. Many individuals have degree level qualifications. These areas form the inner suburbs of many of the UK’s towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Finucane 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

Finucane 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

Finucane falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Finucane

The surname Finucane is of Irish origin and dates back to the 12th century. It is an Anglicized form of the ancient Irish Gaelic name Ó Fionnuchán, which means "descendant of Fionnuchán." Fionnuchán is derived from the Gaelic elements fionn, meaning "fair" or "white," and ocán, a diminutive form of the name Óengus.

The name is believed to have originated in County Clare, where the Finucane clan was located in the territory of Corcomroe. They were a prominent family in this region and held lands near Ballyvaughan and Liscannor. The earliest recorded instance of the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, an ancient chronicle of medieval Irish history, dating back to the 13th century.

One of the earliest notable members of the Finucane family was Diarmaid Ó Fionnuchán, a 14th-century Irish poet and historian. He was renowned for his work "Foras Feasa ar Éirinn" (The Foundation of Knowledge of Ireland), which provided a comprehensive account of Irish history and mythology.

In the 16th century, Finucane was also the surname of a prominent Irish bardic family from County Clare. They were renowned poets and scholars, and their works were highly regarded in Gaelic Ireland. One of the most famous members of this family was Muiris Óg Ó Fionnuchán, a renowned poet who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

During the 17th century, several members of the Finucane family were notable for their roles in the Irish Confederate Wars and the Williamite War in Ireland. Conor Finucane was a prominent Confederate military officer who fought against the English Parliamentary forces in the 1640s.

Another notable figure was Patrick Finucane (1705-1777), an Irish Catholic priest and scholar. He was a prominent member of the Finucane family from County Clare and was known for his extensive knowledge of Irish history and language.

Over the centuries, the Finucane surname has been spelled in various ways, including O'Finucane, Finegan, Fynnoghane, and Fynnoghan. Despite the variations in spelling, the name has maintained its strong Irish heritage and connection to County Clare.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Finucane families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Finucane 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. Hampshire leads with 7 Finucanes recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.47x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 7 9.47x
Cornwall 6 14.69x
Middlesex 6 1.66x
Kent 4 3.25x
Lancashire 4 0.93x
Surrey 4 2.28x
Yorkshire 4 1.12x
Royal Navy 1 23.26x
Warwickshire 1 1.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lymington in Hampshire leads with 7 Finucanes recorded in 1881 and an index of 1296.30x.

Place Total Index
Lymington 7 1296.30x
Hackney London 6 29.66x
Stratton 6 2727.27x
Woolwich 4 87.91x
Clapham 3 66.52x
Clifton In York 3 400.00x
Crumpsall 2 198.02x
Walton On Hill 2 86.21x
Bidford 1 526.32x
Huddersfield 1 19.19x
Richmond 1 40.65x
Royal Navy 1 27.17x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Louisa 2
Anne 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Flora 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Infant 1
Margaret 1
Margt. 1
Rosa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 6
John 3
Cornelius 2
Bryan 1
Edward 1
George 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Joseph 1
Patrick 1

Top occupations

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 Finucane households.

FAQ

Finucane surname: questions and answers

How common was the Finucane surname in 1881?

In 1881, 36 people were recorded with the Finucane surname. That placed it at #28,559 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Finucane surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 203 in 2016. That gives Finucane a modern rank of #19,396.

What does the Finucane surname mean?

Originally an Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "fionn" meaning fair or white, and "cuan" meaning harbor.

What does the Finucane map show?

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