100 Common Finnish Surnames Or Last Names With Meanings

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A picturesque European nation, Finland boasts of some interesting and unique surnames. Some of the Finnish surnames are ethnic, while others may have a toponymic, patronymic, or occupational origin. Many Finnish surnames also serve as ornamental or adopted surnames. In this MomJunction post, we present 100 common Finnish surnames or last names along with their meanings.

List Of Common Finnish Surnames Or Last Names

1. Aalto

The surname Aalto has an ornamental origin, deriving its name from the Finnish word “Aalto,” meaning “wave.”

2. Aho

The surname Aho originates from the word “Aho,” which either means a “forest clearing” or “glade.” In the 19th century and the early part of the 20th century, Aho is said to have served as an ornamental name in Finland.

3. Ahonen

It is derived from the word “Aho,” which means “glade,” Ahonen is a common Finnish last name meaning, “small glade.”

4. Annala

Annala derives its name from “Anna,” a female birth or personal name along with the “la” suffix.

5. Anttila

Anttila originates from the birth name “Antti” along with the “la” suffix. The surname Anttila has a habitational original representing an individual who either works or resides at a farm called Anttila.

6. Aro

Aro has a toponymic origin derived from the word “Aro,” which either means “wet meadow” or “relatively infertile ground” or “hard.” The surname Aro also has an ornamental origin.

7. Arola

Arola has a habitational origin deriving its name from “Arola,” located in several places in Europe.

8. Autio

Autio has a toponymic origin and derives its name from “Autio,” meaning “abandoned.” Autio thus refers to an abandoned farm or a field that is no longer in use.

9. Couri

A variant of Courie, the Finnish surname Couri has a habitational origin deriving its name from “Courie,” the name of several small places located in France.

10. Elo

It is derived from the word “Elo” meaning, “harvest” or “grain” or “life.” The surname has an ornamental origin.

11. Erkkila

Erkkila has a habitational origin, originating from “Erkkila,” a farm name. Erkkila also derives from “Erkki,” a personal name along with the “la” suffix.

12. Eskola

A surname with a habitational origin, Eskola derives its name from “Eskola,” a farmstead. Esko also derives its name from the birth name “Esko” with the “la” suffix.

13. Haapala

Haapala derives its name from the word “Haapa” meaning, “Aspen” along with the “la” suffix. Haapala has a habitational origin representing individuals who work at or resides at any of the so-named farmsteads.

14. Haataja

An old Finnish family name, Haataja, probably derives its name from “Haataa,” a Finnish dialect word that means “to toil.”

15. Hakala

Hakala has a toponymic origin and derives from the word “Haka,” meaning “paddock” or “pasture.” Hakala is an ornamental name.

16. Halko

Halko derives from the word “Halko,” which means “split log” or a “piece of wood.” Halko thus has an occupational origin referring to a wood-cutter.

17. Halla

Halla has a toponymic origin, deriving itself from “Halla,” meaning “Frost” or “fallow field.” Halla also has an ornamental origin, since it was adopted by many individuals (Finns).

18. Halonen

Halonen comes from “Hali” a birth or personal name along with “nen,” a common surname suffix.

19. Hamalainen

Hamalainen has a regional origin representing individuals from Hame province, situated in central Finland.

20. Hanninen

A common Finnish surname, Hanninen possibly derives from “Johannes,” a German personal name along with the “nen” surname suffix.

21. Hannula

Hannula derives its name from “Hannu,” a derivative of the German personal name Johannes, and “la” suffix). Hannula is also said to have been the name of several farmsteads, thus making the name toponymic as well.

22. Harju

The surname Harju originates from the word “Harju” meaning “a ridge.” The name has a toponymic origin referring to those who lived on a ridge, like the one along a river.

23. Hautala

The surname Hautala originates from the word “Hauta” meaning, “pit” along with the “la” suffix. Hautala may have been the name of a farmstead with storage pit, charcoal-burning pit, or cooking-pit.

24. Heikkila

The surname Heikkila derives its name from “Heikki,” a personal name derived from the German name Heinrich, along with the suffix “la.” Heikkila is often used to address an individual from a household that is headed by any person named Heikki.

25. Heikkinen

A common Finnish surname, Heikkinen originates from the personal name “Heikki” combined with the suffix “nen.”

26. Heino

It comes from the Finnish word “heina” meaning, “hay.” The name may have been an ornamental one.

27. Heitala

The surname Hietala originates from the Finnish word “hieta” meaning, “sand” combined with the suffix “la.” The surname would also have been the name of several farmsteads with sandy grounds.

28. Hiltunen

Hiltunen originates from the Old German word “hild,” which means “strife” or “battle.” This word is combined with the suffix “nen” to form the surname.

29. Honkala

Honkala has an ornamental origin, and is derived from the Finnish word “honka,” which means “pine tree.”

30. Huhta

The surname comes from the Finnish word “Huhta” meaning, “forest clearing” or “glade.” The surname thus has a toponymic origin.

31. Jarvela

Jarvela has a toponymic origin and derives from the Finnish word “jarvi,” meaning “lake” combined with the “la” suffix.

32. Jarvi

It comes from the Finnish word “jarvi” meaning a “lake.” The name is a toponymic one referring to a people living along the lake. The surname may also have been an ornamental one, adopted by a group of people.

33. Jokela

The surname Jokela originates from the Finnish word “joki,” which means a “river.” The name is a toponymic one referring to those who lived along a river.

34. Jokinen

The surname Jokinen is a variant of the personal name “Joki” which means “river.” Also, Jokinen may have been adopted by those who were associated or worked for the “Jokela” family.

35. Juntunen

Juntunen is a short form of the birth name “Juntto” or “Juntti,” along with the suffix “nen.”

36. Kallio

Kallio has a toponymic origin and is derived from the Finnish word “kallio,” which means “rock.” The surname may have been also an ornamental one.

37. Kangas

Kangas comes from the Finnish word “Kangas” meaning “fabric” or “cloth.” The name may have been an occupational one referring to a family of textile merchants or garment makers.

38. Kantola

Kantola originates from the Finnish word “Kanto” meaning a “stump.” The name either has a toponymic origin or an occupational one.

39. Kari

Kari derives its name from the word “Kari” which means, “sandbar,” “small island,” or “stony rapids.” The surname has a toponymic as well as ornamental origin.

40. Karjala

Karjala originates from the Finnish word “Karja” meaning, “cattle.” The name is an occupational one referring to those who originally worked as cattle farmers or herdsmen.

41. Kauppi

Kauppi is a variation of the name “Jakaupr,” which is derived from the personal name “Jacob.”

42. Kemppainen

The Finnish surname probably comes from the Swedish word “kampe,” meaning a “warrior” or a “soldier.”

43. Keranen

Keranen probably derives from the Finnish word “Kerapaa,” which was likely a nickname given to an individual with small cropped hair or one with a round head.

44. Keto

Keto has its origin from the Finnish word “Keto,” meaning a “grassy field” or a “meadow.” The surname most likely has a toponymic origin or would have referred to a farmstead.

45. Ketola

It is a toponymic surname derived from the Finnish word “keto” meaning “meadow” or “field.”

46. Kilpela

Kilpela comes from the Finnish word “kilpi,” which means “shield,” along with the “la” suffix.

47. Kinnunen

It likely comes from the Swedish word “skinn” which means “pelt” or “hide.” The name is likely to have been an occupational one.

48. Kivela

The surname derives from the Finnish word “kivi” meaning “stone.” The name would have been originally that of farmsteads.

49. Kivi

It comes from the Finnish word “kivi” meaning “stone” or “pebble.” The name would have been a toponymic one.

50. Koivisto

Koivisto derives from the Finnish word “koivu,” which means “birch tree.” The name is a toponymic one referring to those who lived along a birch tree forest.

51. Kokko

Kokko has its origin in the Finnish word “kotka,” meaning “eagle.”

52. Korhonen

Korhonen originates from “Korho,” a nickname that means “deaf person.” Korhonen may have been originally indicative of someone clumsy or an individual who stays aloof.

53. Korpela

Korpela derives from the Finnish word “Korpi,” which means a “remote forest.” Korpela possibly has a toponymic origin.

54. Koskela

It is a toponymic surname that comes from the Finnish word “koski” meaning “rapids” or “waterfall.”

55. Kotila

The surname Kotila derives from “koti,” a Finnish word meaning “home.” The name would have been a habitational one deriving from the name of a farmstead.

56. Kujala

The surname Kujala derives from the Finnish word “kuja” meaning, “lane” or “alley.” Kujala has a toponymic origin and would have been indicative of a house or farm situated by the lanes or alley.

57. Kumpula

Kumpula originates from the Finnish word “kumpu,” meaning “grassy mound,” along with the surname suffix “la.”

58. Kurtti

Kurtti derives from “Kurtti,” a Finnish personal name, which itself comes from the Germanic word “Kurt.”

59. Kuusisto

It derives from the Finnish word “kuusi,” which means, “spruce.” Kuusisto has a toponymic origin.

60. Kyllo

The surname Kyllo derives from the Finnish word “kylla,” which means “yes.” The name is likely to have been an ornamental one.

61. Laakso

It comes from the Finnish word “laakso” meaning a “valley.” The name is a toponymic one referring to those who lived in or along a valley.

62. Lahti

The name comes from the Finnish word “lahti” meaning a “bay” or a “cove.” Lahti is likely a toponymic name or may also have an ornamental origin.

63. Laine

It comes from the Finnish word “laine” meaning a “wave.” Laine is either is a toponymic name or an ornamental one.

64. Laitinen

Laitinen derives from “Laiti,” a Germanic personal name combined with the “nen” surname suffix.

65. Lampi

Lampi derives from the Finnish word “lampi,” meaning “pond.” The name is a toponymic one.

66. Lampo

It is a variant of the name Lampi. Another likely origin of the surname is the word “Alampo,” derived from “Eulampios” a Greek personal name, which means “most splendid.”

67. Lassila

Lassila derives from “Lasse,” a Swedish personal name combined with the “la” suffix. Lassila means “Lasse’s place.”

68. Lauri

Lauri derives from “Lauri,” a personal name derived from the Latin personal name “Laurentius.”

69. Lehtinen

Lehtinen has its origin in “Lehti,” a Finnish word meaning “leaf.” The name is likely an adopted surname or ornamental name.

70. Lehto

Lehto derives from the Finnish word “Lehto,” meaning “grove.” The name has a toponymic origin and referred to those who lived along a grove or an orchard.

71. Leino

The surname Leino is likely derived from the Finnish adjectives “leini,” “leina,” or “leino,” which means “sad” or “weak.” The name is likely to have been an ornamental one.

72. Lepisto

Lepisto comes from the Finnish word “Leppa,” which means “alder tree.” It is likely a toponymic Finnish surname.

73. Leppanen

Lappanen also comes from “Leppa,” meaning “alder tree” in Finnish. The name would have originally referred to those who lived at a farmstead with the said name or those who lived along an alder tree forest.

74. Linna

It is the Finnish word for “castle.” It may have originally referred to those who worked in a castle or lived near a castle.

75. Luoma

It comes from the Finnish word “luomi,” which means a “mole” or “reddish mark on the face.” The name may have been a nickname and later transformed into a surname.

76. Maijala

Maijala derives from the Finnish word “Maja,” meaning “hut ” or “cottage.”

77. Makela

Makela is a toponymic name that originates from the Finnish word “maki,” meaning “hill.”

78. Maki

It is the Finnish word for a “hill.” The name is a toponymic one or an adopted ornamental name.

79. Manner

It is the Finnish word for “mainland” or “continent.” The name is likely to have been an ornamental one.

80. Manni

It is an adopted surname and likely has its origin in the Icelandic word “Manni,” which means “Man.”

81. Nieminen

Nieminen is a toponymic surname that derives from “Niemi,” a Finnish word meaning “peninsula.”

82. Nikula

Nikula has its origin from “Niku,” a Finnish personal name, which is itself derived from the name Nicholas.

83. Nurmi

It is the Finnish word for “pasture” or “grassland.” The name could be toponymic, occupational, or ornamental.

84. Oja

This toponymic surname comes from the Finnish word “oja” meaning a “dike” or a “ditch.”

85. Partanen

Partanen was originally a nickname derived from “parta,” a Finnish word meaning “beard.”

86. Peura

Peura is a toponymic surname derived from “Puro,” a Finnish word that means “stream” or a “creek.”

87. Pietila

It is derived from the Finnish personal name “Pieti,” which is a derivative of the personal name “Peter.”

88. Ranta

It is derived from the Finnish word “ranta” meaning, “shore” or a “beach.” The name likely has a toponymic origin.

89. Rautio

Rautio has an occupational origin, and means “smith” in Finnish.

90. Rinnie

It is derived from the Finnish word “Rinne,” which means “slope” or “hillside.” Rinnie has a toponymic as well as an ornamental origin.

91. Ruona

Ruona has a toponymic origin deriving from “ruona,” meaning “alluvial land” or “creek.” The surname is also a diminutive of other similar surnames such as Ruonala, Ruonakangas, and Ruonakoski.

92. Saari

It is the Finnish word for “island.” Saari is a toponymic surname referring to those who originally lived on an island.

93. Saksa

Saksa derives from “Sachs,” a Germanic word meaning “Saxon.” Saksa likely has an ethnic origin referring to the German traders.

94. Salo

It is a toponymic surname that comes from the Finnish word “salo,” meaning “forested wilderness.”

95. Seppanen

Seppanen originates from “seppa,” which means “smith” in Finnish. The name is thus an occupational one.

96. Takala

The surname derives from the Finnish word “taka,” meaning “behind,” “back,” or “rear.” Takala has a toponymic origin, indicative of a distant or faraway farm location.

97. Toivonen

It is derived from the Finnish word “toivo” meaning “hope.” Toivonen is likely an ornamental surname.

98. Tuomala

Tuomala is an ornamental name, which is a combination of the personal name “Tuomas,” a variation of Thomas, and the suffix “la.”

99. Vanhanen

Vanhanen derives from “Vanha,” a Finnish word meaning “old.”

100. Vitta

It is derived from the Old German word “vitu” meaning “forest.” Vitta is likely to have been a toponymic surname.

Several Finnish surnames trace their origin to Swedish, German, and even Old German languages. It is also fascinating to learn that surnames would often come from the names of farms and other locations across the country.

Do you have any interesting Finnish surnames to share? Let us know in the comments section below.