Surname Heikkinen - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'H'
Heikkinen: What does the surname Heikkinen mean?
Heikkinen is a Finnish surname, originating from the northern region of Finland. The meaning of the name is derived from the Germanic word 'Heiko', meaning 'facing'. It is thought that the name is derived from the practice of indicating direction, with one facing a known landmark or feature of the landscape.
It is also believed that the name is an occupational name for a herder, as the name appears in records that detail the pasturing of livestock. The suffix 'nen' is the closest equivalent of "son of" or "descendant from" in Finnish.
The name is prominent and prevalent throughout Finland and the Finnish-Swedish Caribbean island of Saint Barthélemy. In Finland, Heikkinen is the sixth most common surname, and on the Caribbean island of Saint Barthélemy, Heikkinen is the second most common surname.
Heikkinen has also been passed down through several generations of characters in an epic Japanese novel, The Tale of Genji, penned by Murasaki Shikibu. In the story, a young girl by the name of Heikkinen appears as a member of the aristocracy.
Today, Heikkinen is a surname that appears in many cultures, all deriving from the same origin; ultimately, meaning 'facing'. The legacy of Heikkinen has left an imprint on the Finnish culture and beyond.
Order DNA origin analysisHeikkinen: Where does the name Heikkinen come from?
The last name Heikkinen is a quite common surname in Finland, particularly in the Eastern and Northern regions, but could also be found in other parts of the country. It is also fairly common in Scandinavian countries, such as Norway and Sweden, as well as Estonia. The Heikkinen name is particularly prominent in Lapland, a region that lies across the northern and eastern parts of Finland and Norway.
The Heikkinen surname is believed to have originated from the Old Norse language and is believed to mean “the one who was gentle and friendly” or “a little ray of light”. It is also thought to be derived from the Swedish word ‘hejkin’, which means ‘to knock’.
Other countries Heikkinen is found include the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. The majority of immigrants with the Heikkinen surname in these countries come from Scandinavia or Finland. In recent times, Finland has emerged as one of the most popular destinations to pursue higher education and professional opportunities, so it is not surprising to find the Heikkinen surname in these countries.
The frequency of the Heikkinen surname has relatively remained unchanged since records first began being kept in the early 1500s. Today, the Heikkinen name is a common one, spread across different parts of the world.
Variations of the surname Heikkinen
The surname Heikkinen is a Finno-Ugric surname of the Finnish language, derived from the personal name Heikki, which also appears in the Estonian language as Heiki. It is most commonly found in Finland, but can be found in other countries as well, due to Finnish and Estonian diasporas. The Heikkinen surname is also spelled Heikkinen, Heikkonen, Heikonen, Heikala, Heikkilä, Heikkilä, and Heikkiö.
The root word of the surname, “heikki” is derived from Old Norse and means “strong” or “brave”. Many coats of arms belonging to the Heikkinen family feature horns, indicating that the original founders were of Norse descent.
The Heikkinen surname has several variants, including Heikkala, Heikkila, Heikkilä, and Heikkiö. Heikkala is typically a variant found in Lapland, and is derived from the Finnish word “heikata”, meaning “to weaken”. Heikkila and Heikkilä are variations of the same root name, derived from the Finnish words “heikki” and “lä” respectively. Heikkiö is derived from the Finnish as well, and is derived from the words “heikki” and “ö”, which means “island”.
In the Finland Swedish-speaking region, the surname Heikkinen is often spelled Heicking. In some cases, the Finnish spelling Heikkilä is used as a variant of Heikkinen, and is found primarily among Swedish-speaking Finns.
A variant of the Heikkinen surname is Heikki, which is derived from the personal name Heikki, meaning “strong” or “brave”. It, in turn, has several variants, including Heikkiö, Heikkilä, Heikkiösen, Heikkinen, Heikkalä, and Heikkälä.
Heikkinen is one of the most common surnames in Finland, and is of Finno-Ugric origin. The variants of the surname indicate its Nordic roots, and are evidence of the historic migrations in the region.
Famous people with the name Heikkinen
- Rauno Heikkinen: Finnish rally driver
- Antti Heikkinen: Finnish cross-country skier
- Kaisa Heikkinen: Finnish discus thrower
- Valtteri Heikkinen: Finnish former bandy player
- Kimmo Heikkinen: Finnish former ice hockey player
- Tino Heikkinen: Finnish racing driver
- Laura Heikkinen: Finnish biathlete
- Jarno Heikkinen: Finnish skier
- Ellina Heikkinen: Finnish racing driver
- Matti Heikkinen: Finnish karateka and coach