Finnish Names

Changing Surname

Many families changed their name from one Finnish name to another Finnish name after coming to the States because there were so many with that same name. The problem came about when there were, for example, three families named Luoma but only one was this originally the others were Takaluoma, and Rintaluoma but they all dropped the first part of the name and kept Luoma.

Families also changed their surnames to the equivalent English word.
(All the changes certainly make it challenging for genealogical research!)

Meaning of Surname

Hellgren (Häll=kallio=cliff or ledge / gren=oksa=branch)
Hietanen (hieta=hiekka=sand (hieta is fine sand, hiekka is normal sand)
Kallio=rock (big), cliff
Kangas=fabric; cloth (canvas as in painting); or dry peaty forest with heavy moss- and lichen-cover
Kasari = copper kettle or sauce pan
Kivi=rock (small), stone Kutoja=weaver
Lahti=bay
Lång=pitkä=long
(Other variations from Lang ~ Lång are: Lankinen, Lankila, Lanki and Lonka, Lonkala, Lonkainen and Lonki. Again all pertaining to pitkä.)
Luoma=can mean sivujoki=tributary (stream or brook)
Mäki=hill
Niitty=meadow
Nuottimäki (Nuotti=note, mäki=hill)
Peltola=Pelto=field
Skinnar>Kinnari=tanner (leather)

GIVEN NAMES

Meaning of Given Names

Taisto is a man's name and comes from the word taistelu=fight, combat, struggle, battle. There are other names that probably came about during the struggle for independence and self-recognition and these are:

Lempi=love
Rauha=peace
Toivo=hope
Urho=hero/brave

VANHAT SUKUNIMET: Ruotsi-Suomi
OLD FAMILY NAMES: Swedish- Finnish
(There are many names used nowadays also)

Miesten nimet (Males):

Abel = Aapeli
Albert = Pertti
Alexander = Aleksi, Aleksanteri
Anders, Anton = Antti, Antero
Armas (means "dear" in English)
Arvid = Arvi
Axel = Akseli
Birger
Bruno = Rauno
Christoph, Kristoffer = Risto
David = Taavetti
Edvard = Martti ?
Emil = Eemeli
Erich, Erik = Erkki
Esa
Fredrik, Friedrich
Grels = Reijo
Gustaf, August = Kustaa
Göran, Jöran = Yrjö
Hans = Hannu
Heinrich, Henrik = Heikki
Jaakob, Jacobi = Jaakko
Jani
Janne
Johan = Juho, Juha, Juhana
Johannes = Johannes, Juhani
Joni
Jouka
Jouni
Joseph = Jooseppi
Karl = Kaarlo
Klas = Klaus
Lars = Lauri
Magnus = Mauno
Marcus = Markus
Martinus = Martti
Matts, Matthias = Matti, Matias
Mauritz = Mauri
Michel = Mikael, Mikko
Miika
Mika
Morten = Martti
Nestor = Nestori
Nils = Niilo
Olivier = Olli
Olof = Olavi
Paulus = Pauli
Per = Pertti
Peter, Petrus = Petri
Philip
Sacharias, Zakarias = Sakari
Samuel = Sami, Samuli
Simon = Simo
Sophia = Sofia
Stephan = Tahvo, Tahvana
Tauno
Thomas = Tuomas
Timoteus = Timo
Topi
Tuula
Uno = Uuno
Viktor = Vihtori
Wilhelm = Ville, Viljo
Wilho or Vilho

Naisten nimet (females):

Aili
Britha, Birgita = Briitta, Riitta
Charin, Caisa = Kaisa
Charina, Chatrin = Kaarina, Katariina
Christin = Kirstin, Kristiina, Tiina
Clara = Klaara
Eleanora = Noora
Elisabeth = Liisa
Eva = Eeva
Fredrika = Riikka
Gertrud = Kerttu
Greta, Margareta = Reetta
Helena = Helena, Leena
Inger = Inkeri
Karolina = Karoliina
Kirsi
Lahja - (means "gift")
Lovisa = Loviisa
Margeta = Marketta
Marjo
Marjukka
Martha = Martta
Outi
Sara = Saara
Sigfrid = Sippo
Sirkku
Tuuli
Tytti
Virpi
Walborg = Varpu