Finke History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany
Israel

The name Finke is a proud symbol of ancient Jewish culture. Before the late Middle Ages, people were known only by a single name. However, as the population increased and travelers set out on their journeys, it became necessary for people to adopt a second name to identify themselves. Jewish hereditary surnames were adopted from a variety of different sources. As a Jewish surname, the name Finke derives from a variety of sources. It is thought to have been an occupational name, deriving from the German word finch, which referred to the bird, and would have been given to someone who raised or sold finches. Another possible origin is from the female given name Finkle, which was a popular name in medieval Germany. It could also be an ornamental surname deriving from the Old German word finkelstein, which means diamond. Lastly, the name could be derived from the Yiddish word funk, which meant spark. The word funkenstein translates as sparkle stone, or diamond.

Finke Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: finkleman and others.

Finke Ranking

In the United States, the name Finke is the 9,703^rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Finke migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Finke Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

J Finke, who arrived in North America in 1832 2
Christian Finke, aged 19, who settled in Texas in 1845 aboard the ship "Apollo"
Cath Mars Finke, who landed in America in 1845 2
W Fr Finke, who arrived in America in 1847 2
Heinr W Finke, who landed in America in 1847 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Finke Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

August Finke, who landed in Arkansas in 1910 2

Finke migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Finke Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Joseph Finke, aged 46, a blacksmith, who arrived in South Australia in 1848 aboard the ship "Pauline" 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Finke (post 1700) +

Robert Finke (b. 1999), American swimmer, has won two gold medals at the 2020 Summer Olympics
Herbert Finke, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Illinois, 1952 4
Gene Finke, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate in primary for Texas State House of Representatives 77th District, 1996 4

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) PAULINE 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848Pauline.htm
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 20) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html