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Finlayson Family History

Finlayson Surname Meaning

Scottish: from the Gaelic personal name Fionnlagh (see Finley 1 and Finlay) + -son.

This is the Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic MacFhionnlaigh.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Finlayson family from?

You can see how Finlayson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Finlayson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Finlayson families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1891 there were 97 Finlayson families living in London. This was about 23% of all the recorded Finlayson's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Finlayson families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Finlayson 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 did your Finlayson ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Police Constable and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Finlayson. 22% of Finlayson men worked as a Police Constable and 71% of Finlayson women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Finlayson were Metal Turner General Engineering and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Finlayson | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Police Constable
    22%
  • Mechanical Engineer
    16%
  • Builders Labourer H W
    11%
  • Metal Turner General Engineering
    11%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    71%
  • Private Means
    7%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%
  • Incapacitated
    3%

What Finlayson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 65,000 census records available for the last name Finlayson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Finlayson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Finlayson

Passenger Lists

There are 16,000 immigration records available for the last name Finlayson. 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 Finlayson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 7,000 military records available for the last name Finlayson. For the veterans among your Finlayson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Finlayson military records

You've only scratched the surface of Finlayson family history

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What is the average Finlayson lifespan?

Between 1955 and 2004, in the United States, Finlayson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1958, and highest in 1974. The average life expectancy for Finlayson in 1955 was 71, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Finlayson

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Finlayson 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.

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