Finkel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany
Israel

The name Finkel 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 Finkel 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.

Finkel Spelling Variations

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

Finkel Ranking

In the United States, the name Finkel is the 10,769^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Finkel migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Finkel Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Philipp Finkel, who landed in New York in 1709 2

Finkel Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Finkel, aged 30, who arrived in Missouri in 1847 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Finkel (post 1700) +

Howard Finkel (1950-2020), American professional wrestling ring announcer, inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009
Philip "Fyvush" Finkel (1922-2016), American Emmy Award nominated actor, best known for his role as lawyer Douglas Wambaugh on the television series Picket Fences
Maurice Herman Finkel (1888-1949), American architect and Yiddish theater actor
Raphael Finkel (b. 1951), American computer scientist and a professor
Shelly Finkel (b. 1944), American boxing and music manager and promoter
Robbi Finkel (b. 1950), American and Canadian composer
Donald Alexander Finkel (1929-2008), American poet
Dave Finkel (b. 1970), American television producer, actor, and screenwriter
David Louis Finkel (b. 1955), American journalist
Moishe Finkel (1850-1904), American prominent figure in the early years of Yiddish theater
... (Another 7 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

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)