| ![Show Contents]() Finchum History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England Finchum is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Finchum family lived in the parish of Fincham in Norfolk. The name of this place derives from the Old English word finc, which means finch, and ham, which means homestead. 1 The Domesday Book of 1086 lists this parish as P(h)incham. 2 Early Origins of the Finchum familyThe surname Finchum was first found in Norfolk at Fincham. 3 Early rolls list Nigellus de Fincham, Norfolk, temp. William II; William de Fincham, Norfolk, 52 Henry III; and Thomas de Fincham, Norfolk, 22 Edward III. 4 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 include: John de Fincham, Norfolk; and Walter de Fincham, Norfolk. 5 Robert de Fincheham was listed in the Assize Rolls for Northumberland in 1202 and later, John de Fincham was found in Berkshire in 1305. Gilbert Fycheham was listed in the Assize Rolls for Lincolnshire in 1394. 6 One source claims the family was conjecturally descended from Robert Achard, the tutor of King Henry I, who was granted five manors in the county of Berkshire by his liege lord; one of these manors being Finchamstede or Finchamstead. It is believed that Robert's descendants in that manor became the Lords of Fincham. Later, "the Finchams of Fincham Hall, Norfolk, owned property in Brantham, Suffolk, in the 16th century." 7 Early History of the Finchum familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Finchum research. Another 109 words (8 lines of text) covering the year 1582 is included under the topic Early Finchum History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Finchum Spelling VariationsNorman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Fincham, Finchamsted, Finchamstead, Finchem, Finshaw, Finsher and many more. Early Notables of the Finchum familyMore information is included under the topic Early Finchum Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
 Finchum migration to the United States | + |
Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Finchum or a variant listed above:
Finchum Settlers in United States in the 20th Century- Alfred John Finchum, aged 2, who settled in St. Louis, in 1913
- Florence Finchum, aged 30, who immigrated to St. Louis, in 1913
- Vera Finchum, aged 5, who settled in St. Louis, in 1913
| Contemporary Notables of the name Finchum (post 1700) | + |
- Thomas Finchum (b. 1989), American gold medalist platform diver at the 2007 Pan American Games
- Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
- Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
- Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
- Rye, Walter, A History of Norfolk. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, 1885. Print
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
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Finchum migration to the United States 
