<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001209191-05-017749
<TYPE>3
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>2
<PERIOD>20050322
<FILING-DATE>20050328
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20050328
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS INC
<CIK>0000862831
<ASSIGNED-SIC>6021
<IRS-NUMBER>160816610
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>NY
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>220 LIBERTY STREET
<CITY>WARSAW
<STATE>NY
<ZIP>14569
<PHONE>7167861100
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>220 LIBERTY STREET
<CITY>WARSAW
<STATE>NY
<ZIP>14569
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>Connolly Thomas P
<CIK>0001321957
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>3
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-26481
<FILM-NUMBER>05707138
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<PHONE>585-786-1100
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>220 LIBERTY STREET
<CITY>WARSAW
<STATE>NY
<ZIP>14569
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>3
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc3.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 3 SUBMISSION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-03-22</periodOfReport>

    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000862831</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>FISI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001321957</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Connolly Thomas P</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>220 LIBERTY STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WARSAW</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>14569</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>No securities beneficially owned.</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes></footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Sonia M. Dumbleton for Thomas P. Connolly</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-03-28</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-24.3_79329
<SEQUENCE>2
<FILENAME>poa.txt
<DESCRIPTION>POA DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
 AUTHORIZATION TO FILE SECTION 16 REPORTS

I hereby authorize and
designate Ronald A. Miller, Sonia M. Dumbleton or Michael D. Grover to
execute and file or cause to be filed, on my behalf any Forms 3, 4 and 5,
including any amendments thereto, that I may voluntarily or be required to
file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as a result of my
ownership of, or transactions in, securities of Financial Institutions,
Inc.  This authority shall continue until I am no longer required to file
such forms, or until sooner revoked by me in writing.

In witness
whereof, I have executed this authorization this 28th day of March 2005.



	Thomas P. Connolly
	Director
	Financial Institutions,
Inc.


Maureen A. Kucharski
Witness
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
