My surname is Finch and my branch of the family comes from the counties of Surrey and Sussex in southern England. The surname derives from the small songbirds and may have related to people who caught and sold them. Click on the names of my ancestors to find out more about them.
My known Finch ancestors are:
- My grandparents.
Gerald Wilfred Finch (1907-1995) married Norfolk native Gertrude Maud Daisy Stolliday (1906-1992) and had a son. Gerald worked in and co-owned the family bakery business in Croydon, Surrey.
- My great-grandparents.
Walter Finch (1872-1949) married fellow Reigate resident Annie Budgen (1875-1980). Walter set up the family bakery business in Croydon while Annie lived until she was 105.
- My 2nd great-grandparents.
Isaac Finch (1837-1896) married Phoebe Ann Ward (1836-1921), who came from Tottenham in Middlesex. They met when she moved south to work as a servant.
- My 3rd great-grandparents.
Henry Finch (1801-1885) married Chipstead-born Jane Bashford (1806-1885). They lived in Reigate, Surrey, where Henry worked as an agricultural labourer.
- My 4th great-grandparents.
Thomas Finch (1768-1845) married Ann Burley (1775-1850) – both of them from Reigate in Surrey. He was probably a carpenter.
- My 5th great-grandparents.
Thomas Finch (1738-1813) and Mary Bilcliffe (1735-1783). Thomas was a carpenter and came from Slinfold in Sussex but died in Reigate after marrying for a second time.
- My 6th great-grandparents.
John Finch (1711-1795) and Sarah King (1713-1753). John was born in to a carpentry family and lost his first wife relatively early in their marriage. He married again.
- My 7th great-grandparents.
William Finch (1685-1765) and Elizabeth Puttock (1688-1743). William was another carpenter and could well be the first of the Finches to live and work in Slinfold, Sussex.
- My 8th great-grandparents.
John Finch (1653-1709) and Sarah Richardson (????-1725). Carpenter John was born in Rusper, Sussex; I’ve not found a baptism for Sarah.
- My 9th great-grandparents.
John Finch (1616-1673) and Mary Bishop (16??-1670). They lived through the English Civil War but their origins are murky.
Finch as a name is thought to be of Anglo-Saxon origin, from the Old English pre-7th century ‘fink’, the finch bird, and according to the experts has several interpretations. It could be an occupational name for a breeder of finches or for one who caught and sold them as songbirds. The name may also have originated as a nickname for a colourful person or one with a beautiful singing voice.
The surname is recorded as far back as the mid-11th century and can be found in the variations Fink, Ffinch, Vink and Vinck among many others. The first recorded spelling is that of Godric Finc, dated 1049, in the Olde English Byname Register during the reign of Edward the Confessor. Whether I’m related to any of them remains to be seen…
I am a descendant of William Finch (1762-1842) and Philadelphia Hunt, one of two couples by the names of William and Philadelphia Finch registered at the Parish Church of St. Mary, Willesden during the late 1700s to early 1800s. I am reasonably certain that William’s father was the William Finch who was a victualler who lived on Brewer St. (now Paget St.) in Islington circa 1774.
I am currently trying to sort out the tangled knot of Finch families who lived in Clerkenwell and area. Judging by the names of neighbours, it appears that a number of families (possibly related) moved to Croydon in the mid 1700s. My guess is that there differences in belief may have separated families: at least two generations of my ancestors were non-conformists, though I have as yet been unable to discern what the nature of their non-conformity might have been.
William and Philadelphia were married, and baptised all of their children at St. Mary’s Willesden, and their son John and grandson Robert maintained some connection with that church as well, though both were buried at Bunhill Fields–therefore likely not Church of England.
My guess is that certain churches (Old St. Pancras is one) were either tolerant or sympathetic to dissidents.
If any of this connects with your research, I would be very happy to know what you have found out.
Regards,
Peter H. Finch
Hi Peter
Thank you for your email and the information about William and Philadelphia.
I’ve yet to find any of my Finch ancestors linked to Willesden, Clerkenwell or Islington. Other branches of my family, however, did come from various parts of north London although this sounds like it would be of no use to your research.
The Finch/Croydon connection for me is not really evident until the start of the 20th century when Walter Finch moved there with his family. My Finch branch appears to have originated more in Sussex than north of the Thames.
So it appears we don’t have a huge amount in common – at least yet!
On another matter entirely, I used to live right near Bunhill fields. I used to love wandering through that cemetery…
Good luck with your research.
Stephen
Hello Peter,
I am a Northamptonshire Finch( of which their used to be quite a number( and though I haven’t done any genealogical research myself I have inherited some ‘family legends’ from past members of the family and a bit of second- hand genealogy from them as well. The earliest I have heard of were tailors in the Southwark area of London in the 16th/17th century. The story is that became puritans and eventually had to leave London, migrating north west up the Watling Street (A5) They were continually having to move on due to the strength of their religious convictions till at some stage they ended up in Dunstable. There the inevitable happened and they all fell out with each other and the family split. The more fervent half headed from Dunstable towards Bedford, but the rest moved to the Northamptonshire/ Buckinghamshire/ Oxfordshire border where the bulk of them spread out into the villages either side of the Watling Street between Towcester and Weedon, their nonconformist tendencies largely spent. One of the villages, Astcote, became known at one time as ‘ The village of the birds’ as half the people who lived there were Nightingales and the other half were Finches…! ( I lived in the next village along and went to school there with a Nightingale) Villages in that corridor that I know had or have Finches living in them were Rothersthorpe, Ascote, Fosters Booth, Greens Norton, Bugbrooke and Milton and they can be found in the cemeteries of most I am told. One branch of these Finches apparently got as far as Coventry. One thing my father told me that is intriguing but I have never confirmed is that my grandfather said when the book ‘Lark Rise to Candleford’ was published that one of the families mentioned in the book were identifiably relatives of his , but whether Finches or on his maternal side I have no idea. Unfortunately the names of the families and the locations have had their names changed, though the towns and villages are easy enough to identify.
I came across this site whilst investigating my Clemente family from Nutfield, Surrey.
Your 12x great grandfather John Butching (detailed as Buchin on FMP) was married to Amy Clemente, son of John Clemente. I haven’t found their marriage but Amy and her son (also called John Buchin) are mentioned in her fathers will. John Clemente is my 12x great grandfather.
Hope this helps you.
Caroline
Hi Caroline. Sorry for the delay in replying but I’d like to thank you for this excellent info! I’ve been struggling for some time to find this exact info so it’s really helpful. I will look into getting a copy of the will.
Thanks again.
Stephen
My husband is a finch his mother name is Ruth Edwina Finch and father name is Allan Lloyd nadin please email me if you have any more to go on about the family history please
Hi Shelley
Sorry but these names don’t ring a bell. Where did they come from?
Stephen
I am Anthony Finch born in Dorking in 1942. My father was Herbert Finch (an astronomer) born in 1904. His father was Edward Finch born in 1868.
Hi Shelly, I have info on Allan’s side, but nothing for Ruth. The Nadin’s came from Lancashire. I have them back to 1757 so far. They came out to New Zealand in 1865 on board the Matoka.
I am Dylan finch with my grandfather being born in Birmingham in late 1954, Alan Finch if you need any information I’d happily share.
My family descends from John Finch who traveled on the Winthrop Fleet ~1632. I am wondering about information on his lineage in England. Thank you in advance.
My Great great great grandmother is Eliza Finch 1883-1952 Father William Finch. Trying to find out more about that side of the family and more on Eliza sister Rose. Rose died at 23 and the cause was drowning in bath fully clothed. Want to see photos of family and see if anyone has info on this side of the Finch family
My name was Finch before I married Im from Bilston Wolverhampton