NameCensus.

UK surname

Phinn

An anglicized spelling of the Irish surname Finn, meaning "fair" or "white."

In the 1881 census there were 110 people recorded with the Phinn surname, ranking it #18,695 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 305, ranked #14,576, up from #18,695 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Gateshead and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Tyneside, North Barlanark and Easterhouse South and Vicarland and Cairns.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Phinn is 322 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 177.3%.

1881 census count

110

Ranked #18,695

Modern count

305

2016, ranked #14,576

Peak year

2010

322 bearers

Map years

6

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Phinn had 110 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,695 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 305 in 2016, ranked #14,576.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 183 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Phinn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Phinn surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Phinn 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 42 #25,706
1861 historical 76 #24,114
1881 historical 110 #18,695
1891 historical 115 #21,878
1901 historical 183 #15,996
1911 historical 91 #23,684
1997 modern 261 #14,849
1998 modern 275 #14,715
1999 modern 281 #14,578
2000 modern 277 #14,688
2001 modern 270 #14,734
2002 modern 280 #14,660
2003 modern 282 #14,410
2004 modern 277 #14,644
2005 modern 281 #14,411
2006 modern 292 #14,148
2007 modern 297 #14,135
2008 modern 298 #14,206
2009 modern 302 #14,353
2010 modern 322 #14,034
2011 modern 312 #14,230
2012 modern 314 #14,063
2013 modern 317 #14,186
2014 modern 319 #14,216
2015 modern 316 #14,214
2016 modern 305 #14,576

Geography

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Where Phinns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Gateshead, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Manchester and Stranton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Tyneside, North Barlanark and Easterhouse South, Vicarland and Cairns and Parkhead West and Barrowfield. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Stranton Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Tyneside 001 South Tyneside
2 North Barlanark and Easterhouse South Glasgow City
3 Vicarland and Cairns South Lanarkshire
4 Parkhead West and Barrowfield Glasgow City
5 South Tyneside 004 South Tyneside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Phinn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Phinn

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Phinn, 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 Phinn surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Phinn 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Phinn is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Phinn is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Phinn 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 Phinn is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Phinn

The surname Phinn is of English origin and is believed to have originated in the county of Derbyshire during the 13th century. It is thought to be a locational surname derived from the Old English word "finnan," meaning "to come across" or "to find," suggesting that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a prominent landmark or geographical feature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Derbyshire from 1273, which mentions a Robert Phinn as a landholder in the area. This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the late 13th century.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Phynne, Phinne, and Fynne, reflecting the variations in spelling that were common during that time. The Subsidy Rolls of Derbyshire from 1327 list a William Phinne, indicating the continued presence of the surname in the area.

The Phinn surname later spread to other parts of England, with records showing instances of the name in Yorkshire and Lancashire by the 16th century. One notable individual was Richard Phinn (1556-1628), a merchant and alderman of York, who served as the city's Lord Mayor in 1600.

In the 17th century, the surname gained prominence with the birth of Sir James Phinn (1635-1718), a renowned English jurist and Member of Parliament for Derbyshire. He was appointed as a Justice of the King's Bench in 1689 and played a significant role in the legal system during the reign of King William III.

Another notable figure from this period was John Phinn (1669-1743), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Broughton Gifford in Wiltshire. He published several works on theology and religious subjects during his lifetime.

In the 19th century, the Phinn surname was associated with individuals such as William Phinn (1809-1892), a Scottish-born Australian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Council of New South Wales, and George Phinn (1836-1914), an English-born American artist and illustrator known for his works depicting scenes from the American Civil War.

While the Phinn surname has historical roots in England, particularly in Derbyshire, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including Australia, North America, and beyond, with individuals bearing this name making significant contributions in various fields over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Phinn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Phinn 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. Angus leads with 41 Phinns recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.88x.

County Total Index
Angus 41 40.88x
Warwickshire 15 5.49x
Morayshire 10 59.45x
Norfolk 8 4.81x
Lancashire 7 0.54x
Perthshire 7 14.41x
Aberdeenshire 6 5.98x
Lanarkshire 5 1.43x
Argyllshire 3 9.95x
Surrey 3 0.57x
Dorset 2 2.81x
Yorkshire 2 0.19x
Banffshire 1 4.45x
Channel Islands 1 3.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dundee in Angus leads with 26 Phinns recorded in 1881 and an index of 69.44x.

Place Total Index
Dundee 26 69.44x
Liff Benvie 11 72.23x
Aston 10 13.30x
Blairgowrie 7 364.58x
Lakenham 7 295.36x
Rothes 7 853.66x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 6 31.98x
Birmingham 5 5.49x
Chorlton On Medlock 4 19.60x
Drainie 3 201.34x
Dunoon Kilmun 3 127.66x
Maryhill 3 43.80x
Huddersfield 2 12.80x
Lochee 2 224.72x
Long Critchell 2 3333.33x
Montrose 2 32.89x
Barony 1 1.13x
Govan 1 1.15x
Hulme 1 3.73x
Lambeth 1 1.06x
Liverpool 1 1.28x
Mortlach 1 90.91x
Richmond 1 13.53x
Southwark Christchurch 1 19.72x
St Helier 1 9.58x
Thorpe Next Norwich 1 56.82x
Warrington 1 6.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Edith 2
Ellen 2
Maria 2
Alice 1
Ann 1
Elizabeth 1
Eveline 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Kate 1
Margaret 1
Maud 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Charles 2
Alfred 1
Ambrose 1
Frederick 1
Geo.Adamson 1
George 1
Herbert 1
James 1
John 1
Patrick 1
Percy 1
Stephen 1
Walter 1
Wilfred 1
William 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 Phinn households.

FAQ

Phinn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Phinn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 110 people were recorded with the Phinn surname. That placed it at #18,695 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Phinn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 305 in 2016. That gives Phinn a modern rank of #14,576.

What does the Phinn surname mean?

An anglicized spelling of the Irish surname Finn, meaning "fair" or "white."

What does the Phinn map show?

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