Surname Kantola - Meaning and Origin

Kantola: What does the surname Kantola mean?

The last name Kantola is of Finnish origin and is a toponymic surname derived from the word "kanto," meaning shore or bank. Kantola is likely derived from families living in places near a shoreline or by a body of water. As of today, variations of the Kantola surname can be found in Finland, Estonia, and the United States.

In Finland, Kantola families are an ancient aristocratic house and trace their roots to the King Carl IX of Sweden. The Kantola surname is found in dozens of ancient documents and records, many dating as far back as the 16th century. Through the generations, the Kantola family has held high positions in politics, government and the military.

Today, some family members have expanded or anglicized their surname to Kantolaa or Kantolainen, which in Finnish means “dweller from Kantola,” or they have adopted a completely different last name.

Kantola is a unique surname, usually associated with Finnish heritage and culture. It can often be found today in place names and is a reminder of a long, proud family history.

Kantola: Where does the name Kantola come from?

The surname Kantola is most commonly found in Finland, where it originated hundreds of years ago. It is also present in some parts of Sweden, Norway, Estonia, and Latvia. In the United States, Kantola is considered rare, but is present most commonly in areas populated largely by Finnish-Americans, such as Michigan, Minnesota, and some parts of Wisconsin.

In Finland, Kantola is derived from the Finnish word for “raincoat,” and is thought of as an occupational surname; that is, it was used to identify individuals who made or sold raincoats as their profession. In Finland, Kantola was likely used in this manner since at least the 1600s.

Today, Kantola continues to be a fairly common surname in Finland. According to the Population Register Centre of Finland, approximately 10,000 people currently bear the name Kantola in the country. It is estimated that Kantola is the fourth most common surname in the country, trailing only Nieminen, Mäkinen, and Heikkinen.

In the United States, Kantola is rare, though the most recent census suggests that there are over 1000 people in the country bearing the surname Kantola. It is likely that these individuals are descended from Finnish immigrants who moved to the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As a result, many of these Kantolas can trace their roots back to the same areas in Finland where their ancestors lived centuries ago.

Variations of the surname Kantola

Kantola is one of the most common surnames found in the Scandinavian countries, Finland and Sweden. It is believed to have originated from the ancient Finnish language, Kanta, meaning ‘bend’ or ‘turn’. The surname Kantola is a toponymic name for individuals who hailed from places that have a bent or curved path such as Kantola in Finland.

The variants and spellings for the surname Kantola include Cantola, Kantolaa, Kantolainen, Kontola,Kontolaa, Kontolainen, Kangasala, Ekanta, Ekkontola, Eklantola.

In Sweden, the spelling is Coner, while in Estonia it is Kontola. In many cases, the surname Kantola is suffixed with the word for village like "Kantolajärvi" meaning Kantola village.

Different branches of individuals with a surname Kantola can be found in countries where Finnish immigrants have settled. For instance, in the United States and Canada, one can find individuals with the surname Kantola with different spelling variations.

In Denmark, Portugal and Germany, the surname Kantola is spelled as "Kantelsen" and in India it is spelled as "Kannoly" or "Kannoli". In Russia, the surname Kantola is spelled as "Kandalaytsev" or "Kandalaytseva".

In addition to these variants, there are also many surnames that are derived from the surname Kantola:

Kiihkola, Vierma, Veensala, Salo, Polon, Koponen, Ulappa, Örling, Yrjänä, Litmanen, Vanhalerto, Lunnas, Pettersson, and Pulli.

Famous people with the name Kantola

• Mark Kantola: American broadcaster, radio host, journalist, and podcast producer.
• Jukka Kantola: Finnish field hockey player.
• Wade Kantola: Canadian professional ice hockey player.
• Aaron Kantola: American lawyer and politician who currently serves in the Tennessee Senate.
• Suvi Kantola: Finnish ski jumper.
• Arja Kantola: a Finnish actress and singer.
• Anssi Kantola: Finnish snowboarder.
• Nelli Kantola: Finnish curler and 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics bronze medalist.
• Rauli Kantola: Finnish actor.
• Lyly Kantola: Finnish actress.
• Tommi Kantola: Finnish musician and singer.
• Arto Kantola: Finnish actor, director, producer and musician.
• Reima Kantola: Finnish musician, composer, and producer.
• Sami Kantola: Finnish former ski jumper.
• Juho Kantola: Finnish ice hockey player.
• Janne Kantola: Finnish former ski orienteering competitor.
• Janne Kantola: Finnish composer and record producer.
• Jussi Kantola: Finnish ski jumper and host of the Ski Jumping World Cup in Kuusamo.
• Joni Kantola: Finnish ice hockey player.
• Eero Kantola: Finnish actor.

Other surnames

KantorKantorowiczKantorowitz