How do names work in Finland?

In Finland, a person must have a surname and at least one given name with up to three middle names permitted. Surnames are inherited either patrilineally or matrilineally, while given names are usually chosen by a person’s parents.

Where does the last name Farmer originate from?

The surname Farmer is a ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. It is derived from the Old French “fermier.” It is a name for a tax farmer, that is, someone who undertook the collection of taxes and tariffs.

What are common Finnish last names?

The most common Finnish-language surnames include Korhonen, Virtanen, Nieminen, Mäkinen, Hämäläinen, Koskinen, Heikkinen and Järvinen. Yes, this land loves its –nen suffix, a sure way to recognise a Finnish surname.

What are common Finnish names?

Last year the most popular Finnish first names given for boys were Leo, Elias, Eino, and Väinö. For girls, Aino, Eevi, Emma, Sofia, and Aada topped the list compiled by Finland’s Population Register Centre. Ellen and William were meanwhile favourites among Finland’s Swedish-speaking minority.

Is farmer a Scottish name?

Farmer is an English surname. Although an occupationally derived surname, it was not given to tillers of the soil, but to collectors of taxes and tithes specializing in the collection of funds from agricultural leases.

Is Farmer an Irish surname?

Irish: Anglicized (part translated) form of Gaelic Mac an Scolóige ‘son of the husbandman’, a rare surname of northern and western Ireland.

Is Salo a Finnish name?

Finnish: ornamental name from salo ‘forested wilderness’, perhaps chosen in some cases as a topographic name by someone who lived in such a place.

When did surnames become mandatory in Finland?

The first national act on names came into force in 1921, and it made surnames mandatory. Between 1930 and 1985, the Western Finnish tradition whereby a married woman took her husband’s surname was mandatory. Previously in Eastern Finland, this was not necessarily the case.

When did Finland change the last name of married couples?

Between 1930 and 1985, the Western Finnish tradition whereby a married woman took her husband’s surname was mandatory. Previously in Eastern Finland, this was not necessarily the case. On 1 January 2019, the reformed Act on Forenames and Surnames came into force.

Why did so many Swedish names change to Finnish?

With the growth of Finnish nationalism in the beginning of the 1900s many Swedish and other foreign sounding names were changed to Finnish names. For example, Forsman became Koskimies and Widbom became Pajula. These could be direct translations, partial translations, or completely different names.

What is the origin of the Finnish word J?

Previously in Eastern Finland, this was not necessarily the case. Finnish given names are often of Christian origin (e.g., Jukka from Greek Johannes ), but Finnish and Swedish origins are also common. In Finnish, the letter “j” denotes the approximant [j], as in English you.