sukunimiä

Sukunimiä is the Finnish term for family names or surnames. A sukunimi is used to identify a person as a member of a particular family and is typically inherited from one generation to the next, providing a link among relatives and serving as a standard part of formal identification.

In Finland, surnames come from several traditional sources. Many Finnish surnames are of Finnish origin and are associated with nature, places, or farm names, often featuring endings such as -nen, -la, -mäki, or -joki. There is also Swedish influence, reflected in names that come from Swedish origin or that bear endings from Swedish naming patterns. Some surnames are patronymic, occupational, or descriptive in origin.

Historically, Finns often used patronymics, where a surname was derived from the father’s given name. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, there was a broad shift toward fixed hereditary surnames, and today most people keep the same surname across generations. In modern practice, individuals may change or add surnames through legal processes; women may adopt a spouse’s surname, and hyphenated or double-barreled surnames are legally possible, though not universal.

Sukunimiä also plays a central role in civil records, travel documents, education, and daily life, and it is a key element in genealogical research and cultural identity. The study of surnames can reveal patterns of migration, language contact, and social history within Finland and among Finnish-speaking communities abroad.