mäkinen

Mäkinen is a Finnish surname derived from the noun mäki meaning "hill" and the common suffix -nen, which forms adjectives or nouns indicating origin or association. As such, Mäkinen broadly signifies someone from the hill or hill-related.

In onomastic terms, the root mäki is a frequent element in Finnish place and surname formation, and the -nen suffix is widespread in Finnish family names. The combination created many geographically oriented surnames during the 19th century, when fixed surnames became the norm in Finland.

The name is relatively common in Finland and is also found among Finnish diaspora communities, including in Sweden and North America, reflecting patterns of internal and international migration.

Spelling and pronunciation: The standard spelling uses the Finnish letter ä, and the name is typically pronounced with stress on the first syllable. In non-Finnish contexts, it may be rendered as Makinen (without the diacritic).

Gender: The surname is invariant with respect to gender in Finnish usage.