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Finelay Family History

Finelay Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Finlay, Findlay, Finley, Finkley, Finlan, Hinely, Fineman, Finelli

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Finelay family from?

You can see how Finelay families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Finelay family name was found in the USA, and Scotland between 1871 and 1880. The most Finelay families were found in USA in 1880. In 1871 there was 1 Finelay family living in Renfrewshire. This was 100% of all the recorded Finelay's in Scotland. Renfrewshire had the highest population of Finelay families in 1871.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Finelay surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What Finelay family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 24 census records available for the last name Finelay. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Finelay census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Finelay

Passenger Lists

There are 14 immigration records available for the last name Finelay. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Finelay immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1 military records available for the last name Finelay. For the veterans among your Finelay ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Finelay military records

You've only scratched the surface of Finelay family history

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What is the average Finelay lifespan?

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Finelay ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Finelay

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