Hello!
June was wondering whether there is a department that keeps track of names in Finland.
Yes, there is: Väestörekisterikeskus, or the Population Register Centre by its official English name.
They are online at www.vaestorekisterikeskus.fi, with user interfaces in Finnish and Swedish, and on some pages also in English.
The website provides statistical information on Finnish first names and surnames, as well as a "surname map" of Finland. Unfortunately, those pages are not in English,
so I'll include a brief description below.
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To access the statistics, click on "Names in Finland" (or "Nimipalvelu") on the Centre's front page.
The "Nimipalvelu" main page is displayed. The menu on the left has the following options:
* Etunimihaku = First-name look-up
* Sukunimihaku = Surname look-up
* Suosituimmat etunimet = Most popular first names
* Yleisimmät sukunimet = Most common surnames
* Etusivu = The front page of Nimipalvelu (the page now displayed)
* Hakuohje = Instructions
* Poistu = Exit Nimipalvelu
1. Etunimihaku = First-name look-up
Shows the number of people that were given a specific first
name in a period of time, or a specific year.
Note: Type the name with its exact spelling, especially if
the name contains the letters å, ä or ö. For example,
Paivi is incorrect, Päivi is correct.
2. Sukunimihaku = Surname look-up
Shows the number of people with a specific surname.
The information is displayed in table format:
Column headings from left to right: Total number; Men;
Women; In Finland; Abroad
Row headings, from top to bottom: Number of present holders
of queried name,
Number of previous holders of queried name, Number of
dead people with that surname, Grand total
As in the first-name look-up, type the name with its exact
spelling, especially if the name contains the letters å, ä or ö,
or is hyphenated.
3. Suosituimmat etunimet = Most popular first names
Shows the "top ten" lists of first names for men and women,
by decade, or an all-time top-ten list.
4. Yleisimmät sukunimet = Most common surnames
The present-day top-ten list of most common surnames,
break-down by sex, and totals
5. Etusivu = Return to the front page of Nimipalvelu
6. Hakuohje = Instructions
7. Poistu = Exit Nimipalvelu, return to the front page of the Centre
************************************************** **
The second surname resource is the "Family Name Chart", "Sukunimikartta" in Finnish.
Type the desired surname in its exact form, and select one of the three time periods. A "top-three" list of the unicipalities/localities with people born with that surname is displayed, and the municipalities/localities are shown on the map.
************************************************** **
Cheers,
Päivi T (a new list member)
June was wondering whether there is a department that keeps track of names in Finland.
Yes, there is: Väestörekisterikeskus, or the Population Register Centre by its official English name.
They are online at www.vaestorekisterikeskus.fi, with user interfaces in Finnish and Swedish, and on some pages also in English.
The website provides statistical information on Finnish first names and surnames, as well as a "surname map" of Finland. Unfortunately, those pages are not in English,
so I'll include a brief description below.
************************************************** **
To access the statistics, click on "Names in Finland" (or "Nimipalvelu") on the Centre's front page.
The "Nimipalvelu" main page is displayed. The menu on the left has the following options:
* Etunimihaku = First-name look-up
* Sukunimihaku = Surname look-up
* Suosituimmat etunimet = Most popular first names
* Yleisimmät sukunimet = Most common surnames
* Etusivu = The front page of Nimipalvelu (the page now displayed)
* Hakuohje = Instructions
* Poistu = Exit Nimipalvelu
1. Etunimihaku = First-name look-up
Shows the number of people that were given a specific first
name in a period of time, or a specific year.
Note: Type the name with its exact spelling, especially if
the name contains the letters å, ä or ö. For example,
Paivi is incorrect, Päivi is correct.
2. Sukunimihaku = Surname look-up
Shows the number of people with a specific surname.
The information is displayed in table format:
Column headings from left to right: Total number; Men;
Women; In Finland; Abroad
Row headings, from top to bottom: Number of present holders
of queried name,
Number of previous holders of queried name, Number of
dead people with that surname, Grand total
As in the first-name look-up, type the name with its exact
spelling, especially if the name contains the letters å, ä or ö,
or is hyphenated.
3. Suosituimmat etunimet = Most popular first names
Shows the "top ten" lists of first names for men and women,
by decade, or an all-time top-ten list.
4. Yleisimmät sukunimet = Most common surnames
The present-day top-ten list of most common surnames,
break-down by sex, and totals
5. Etusivu = Return to the front page of Nimipalvelu
6. Hakuohje = Instructions
7. Poistu = Exit Nimipalvelu, return to the front page of the Centre
************************************************** **
The second surname resource is the "Family Name Chart", "Sukunimikartta" in Finnish.
Type the desired surname in its exact form, and select one of the three time periods. A "top-three" list of the unicipalities/localities with people born with that surname is displayed, and the municipalities/localities are shown on the map.
************************************************** **
Cheers,
Päivi T (a new list member)