Seismic time-history analyses are essential for assessing the seismic performance of structures such as bridges during earthquakes. This study uses time-history analysis to analyze the seismic performance of a bridge pier resting on conventional and finned pile groups. The pier and pile group system is modeled in a three-dimensional finite element software ABAQUS, and different seismic records are used as input excitation for the analysis. Analyses are performed on finned pile groups with various fin lengths. The dynamic response of the bridge pier, including the acceleration, displacement, and drifts, is studied under different seismic excitations. The analysis results are presented as time histories of the pier and pile group system. The study shows that the pier and pile group system’s seismic response is influenced by the input ground motion’s seismic characteristics, the soil-structure interaction, and the stiffness of the pile groups. The findings provide valuable insights into the seismic performance of bridge piers resting on finned pile groups with \(L_f\) =0.4 \(L_p\) reducing the peak displacement by about 55% and 45% for El-Centro and Koynanagar earthquakes, respectively. Hence, Finned pile groups can be used to improve the performance of such structures against seismic hazards.