Show ContentsFinis History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Today's generation of the Finis family bears a name that was brought to England by the migration wave that was started by the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Finis family lived in Fiennes, in the region of Pas-de-Calais, Normandy. 1

Early Origins of the Finis family

The surname Finis was first found in Kent where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor, Lords of the Cinque Ports, and Constables of Dover Castle. They are said to be descended from Conon de Fiennes, the Earl of Boulogne, of the county of Boulounais in Normandy. 2

John de Fiennes accompanied William, Duke of Normandy in his conquest of England at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D. In England, William was the 1st Baron de Fiennes (circa 1160-1241). The family also remained in France where Robert de Fiennes was constable of France from 1350 to 1370.

Early History of the Finis family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Finis research. Another 80 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1405, 1450, 1472, 1496, 1534, 1539, 1541, 1557, 1582, 1594, 1595, 1602, 1606, 1608, 1613, 1625, 1657, 1660, 1662, 1669, 1674 and 1676 are included under the topic Early Finis History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Finis Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Finis include Finnes, Fienne, Fiennes and others.

Early Notables of the Finis family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was James Fiennes Lord Say (or Saye) and Sele (d. 1450), the second son of Sir William de Fiennes (d. 1405) and Elizabeth, daughter of William Batisford, a great Sussex heiress. Thomas Fiennes, 8th Baron Dacre (1472-1534), an English peer and soldier; and Richard Fiennes, 7th Baron Dacre 'of the South' (c. 1557-1613) born at Herstmonceux Castle, Sussex, England, English peer. William Fiennes, 1st Viscount Saye and Sele (1582-1662), was an English nobleman and politician, who helped establish a company for the settlement of the Providence Island colony and later established the New England...
Another 131 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Finis Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Finis migration to the United States +

In England at this time, the uncertainty of the political and religious environment of the time caused many families to board ships for distant British colonies in the hopes of finding land and opportunity, and escaping persecution. The voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, though, and many arrived in North America sick, starved, and destitute. Those who did make it, however, were greeted with greater opportunities and freedoms that they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Finiss to arrive on North American shores:

Finis Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Frank Finis, who arrived in Arkansas in 1904 3

Canada Finis migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Finis Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Christian Finis, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749

Contemporary Notables of the name Finis (post 1700) +

  • Jefferson Finis Davis (1808-1889), American politician, President of the Confederate States of America (1862-1865), United States Senator from Mississippi (1857-1861)
  • Finis Dean Smith (1932-2023), American track and field athlete and stuntman, and winner of the gold medal in the 4 × 100 m relay at the 1952 Summer Olympics, inducted into the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2006
  • Finis Conner, American founder of Conner Peripherals
  • Finis Jennings Dake (1902-1987), American Pentecostal minister and evangelist
  • Finis Ewing Johnston (1843-1920), American politician, Member of California State Assembly 20th District, 1883-85
  • Finis Ewing McLean (1806-1881), American politician, Member of Kentucky State Legislature; U.S. Representative from Kentucky 3rd District, 1849-51 4
  • Finis Leroy Heidel, American Democratic Party politician, Member of New Mexico State Senate 20th District, 1971-72 4
  • Finis Branham, American Republican politician, Candidate in primary for Delegate to Michigan State Constitutional Convention from Wayne County 4th District, 1961 5
  • Finis James Garrett (1875-1956), American Democratic Party politician, U.S. Representative from Tennessee 9th District, 1905-29; Judge of U.S. Court of Customs and Patent Appeals, 1929 6


The Finis Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Fortem posce animum
Motto Translation: Wish for a strong mind.


  1. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. 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)
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 26) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  5. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 17) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  6. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 16) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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