- From the first name Fionn, which means fair, fair-haired, or blond
- Finn Mac Cumhail was legendary Irish 3rd-century hero who was similar to the English Robin Hood
- His warrior-followers were named Finians
- Known for being the first name of actor Finn Wolfhard
- Often used as a last name, and famous for musician/singer Neil Finn and supermodel Camila Finn, among others
The text below is excerpted with permission from the book The Encyclopedia of American Last Names: Family Genealogy and Meanings for 1000 Surnames of Early European Settlers to the United States.
History of the name Finn
The surname Finn comes from Ireland, where Fionn, “fair, fair haired, white,” was a favorite adfix to the names of many chiefs and kings. The Old Irish Fionn is the same word as the Welsh surname Gwyn.
The name was early carried to England, and is the origin of Finney, Finnie, Fynne, Phin, Phinney, etc.
The Finns, from whom tribute was taken by the Norwegian kings, were regarded with not a little awe as necromancers, but marriages were entered into with them, and the name of Finn penetrated into the nomenclature of the offspring, as Finnlong, Thorfin; or the name Halfdan was employed, indicative of mixed blood.
