Surname Antikainen - Meaning and Origin
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Antikainen: What does the surname Antikainen mean?
The surname Antikainen is a Finnish surname, which is derived from the given name Antti or Anttiin. The given name Antti is derived from the Greek given name "Andrew," meaning manly or strong. Historically, Antti was a very popular given name in Finland, and it is thought that the surname Antikainen is also derived from this given name.
The surname, Antikainen, can often be found in both Northern and Southern Finland, sometimes also referred to the island of Åland, historically belonging to Finland. At least during the 19th century, the surname Antikainen was a very common surname in Finland, believed to be derived from the southern, middle and northern parts of Finland.
Antikainen can be dissected into two parts: antik which means ancient, and ainen which means people, children, and descendants. Therefore, the literal meaning of the surname Antikainen is "of the ancient people" and it is often thought to come from a family with a strong and long-standing history.
The name is also believed to represent a noble family line, as it often appears in the names of well-known and famous Finns from the 19th and early 20th centuries. The surname might, therefore, represent a certain status within the Finnish culture.
All in all, the surname Antikainen is derived from the given name Antti and has a direct link to the Greek given name Andrew. The literal meaning is "of the ancient people" and, historically, it has become associated with nobility and a strong familial line.
Order DNA origin analysisAntikainen: Where does the name Antikainen come from?
The surname Antikainen is a Finnish surname that originates from the region of North Karelia. It is common today in parts of Eastern and Northern Finland and also in the Baltic states of Estonia and Latvia. It is likely that the name can be found in the Finnish diaspora around the world as many Finns have left the country in search of new opportunities abroad.
In Finland, the 5,637 people who bear the surname Antikainen living in the country represent approximately 0.1 per cent of the Finnish population. Most of them live in the region of North Karelia, with the largest numbers in the cities of Lieksa and Joensuu, especially the latter hosting notably high number of Antikainen's. According to the Population Register Center of Finland, there are more men with the name Antikainen than women.
The surname Antikainen has Norse origins, composed of two components: ‘anti’ meaning ‘opposite’ or ‘against’ and ‘kainen’ deriving from the name Kainuu, an old neighboring county of North Karelia in Finland. The name can be interpreted to mean ‘the resident of Kainuu who stands against[s] the rest’, referring to a person of conviction, an individual who was brave enough to stand by his beliefs against everyone else.
The name Antikainen is derived from dozens of centuries of history, and its meaning can be seen as a reminder of bravery and justice. Although much rarer compared to some other Finnish surnames, Antikainen’s’s legacy remains alive in many parts of Finland and the diaspora around the world.
Variations of the surname Antikainen
The surname Antikainen is a patronymic Finnish surname which is derived from the first name Antti, derived from the medieval Greek personal name Antigonos, or Ancient Greek name Antonios, meaning “beyond one’s strength” or “worthy of admiration.”
Antikainen is the most common spelling of this surname, but there are several alternate spellings and variants in Finland and the surrounding Scandinavian countries, such as Anttikainen, Antikainen, Antikaisen, Antikaisenen, Anttikainen, Anttikaininen, Anttikoinen, Antikkoinen, and Anttikaijanen. In Sweden, the spelling of the surname is Andersson. Outside of Scandinavia, Antikainen is typically anglicized as Anderson or Andersson.
The surname has also evolved into many other surnames, such as Anttila, Antero, Anttonen, and Anteroinen. Anttila is an especially common variation of the surname in Finland, and in other languages may also be known as Anttilainen, Anttilaisen, Anttilanen, or Antilainen. Anteroinen is another Finnish variant, and is commonly anglicized as Andersonische or Andersonjussen. Anttonen may also be an alternate spelling, and is anglicized as Anten. Finally, Antero is an uncommon Swedish variant, which may be anglicized as Antersson.
In all, while Antikainen is the most common spelling of this surname, there are several variants and spellings available depending on location and language, and they have all evolved into many other surnames over the years.
Famous people with the name Antikainen
- Antti Antikainen, a former Finnish footballer.
- Atte Antikainen, a classical composer and teacher who led the Kuopio Academy of Music.
- Jolle Antikainen, a Finnish film director, screenwriter and theatrical playwright.
- Antti Antikainen, a former Finnish ice hockey player and coach.
- Tuomas Antikainen, a retired professional ice hockey player from Finland.
- Patrik Antikainen, a professional ice hockey player from Finland.
- Aki Antikainen, a former Finnish sprint canoeist.
- Jussi Antikainen, a former professional ice hockey player and coach from Finland.
- Saara Antikainen, a Finnish soprano opera singer.
- Anssi Antikainen, a drummer and percussionist from Finland.