Show ContentsFein History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

From the historical and enchanting region of France emerged a multitude of notable family names, including that of the distinguished Fein family. Originally, the people in this region went by one (personal) name. Surnames evolved during the Middle Ages when people began to assume an extra name to avoid confusion and to further identify themselves. These names then began to become "fixed" or hereditary between the generations. One of the types of names adopted as surnames were those derived from nicknames. Nicknames, or "eke-names," were an added name that generally reflected some physical characteristics or other attribute of the person that used the name. The Fein surname derives from the Old French word "fin," which could mean "fine," "delicate," "skilled," or even "cunning;" and as such could have been a nickname for a delicate, sensitive, elegant, or clever man.

Early Origins of the Fein family

The surname Fein was first found in Burgundy (French: Bourgogne), an administrative and historical region of east-central France, where the family has held a family seat since ancient times.

Early History of the Fein family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fein research. Another 210 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1494, 1498, 1525, 1530, 1532, 1555, 1567, 1571, 1611, 1778 and 1837 are included under the topic Early Fein History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fein Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Fin, Fins, Finn, Finns, Fain, Faint, Fains, Faints, Faind, Fainds, Fein, Feint, Feins, Feints, Feind, Feinds, de Fin, du Fin and many more.

Early Notables of the Fein family

Another 31 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Fein Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Fein migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Fein Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Johannes Wilhelm Fein, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1751 [1]
  • Johannes Fein, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1798 [1]
Fein Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • George P Fein, who landed in St Clair County, Illinois in 1844 [1]
  • John Peter Fein, aged 37, who arrived in Texas in 1845 aboard the ship "Strabo" [1]
  • Franz Jak Fein, who landed in America in 1853 [1]
  • Mrs. Kaspar Fein, who landed in America in 1858 [1]
Fein Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Max Fein, who arrived in Wisconsin in 1913 [1]

Contemporary Notables of the name Fein (post 1700) +

  • Nathaniel Fein (1914-2000), American photographer for the New York Herald Tribune for 33 years, best known for his Babe Ruth Bows Out which won him the 1949 Pulitzer Prize for Photography
  • Samuel L. Fein (b. 1899), American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Massachusetts, 1932 [2]
  • Jill Fein, American politician, Representative from Texas 22nd District, 1974; Socialist Workers Candidate for U.S. Senator from Washington, 1986 [2]
  • Daniel B. Fein, American politician, Socialist Workers Candidate for U.S. Senator from Rhode Island, 1970 [2]
  • Dan Fein, American politician, Socialist Workers Candidate for Mayor of New York City, New York, 2009 [2]
  • Arnold L. Fein, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1964 [2]


  1. 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)
  2. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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