paikanniminä

Paikanniminä is a Finnish term that translates to "as place names" or "in place names." It refers to the use of geographical features, locations, or settlements as the origin for personal names or surnames. This practice is common across many cultures and languages, including Finnish.

In the Finnish context, paikanniminä often involves a person taking a surname derived from a specific farmstead, village, town, or a prominent natural landmark like a lake, river, or hill in their vicinity. For example, someone might have been born or lived on a farm called "Mäkelä" and adopted "Mäkelä" as their surname. Similarly, a surname could originate from a lake name, such as "Järvinen" (derived from "järvi," meaning lake).

The adoption of place names as surnames often occurred during periods of increased surname registration, particularly in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Finland. It provided a systematic way for individuals to be identified and distinguished, moving away from patronymics or older, less standardized naming conventions. The process of choosing or being assigned a place-name-based surname could be influenced by where a family lived, their ancestral lands, or even a prominent feature in their local environment. This practice has resulted in a significant number of Finnish surnames having a direct connection to the geography of Finland.